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<=> <=> <=> <=> E-BENCH <=> <=> <=> <=>
The E-Mail Newsletter
for Bench Jewelers
September 2007
Volume 8 Issue 9 circulation over 4,900
2008 Bench
Jewelers Conference & Expo
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<=> <=> ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER <=> <=>
E-BENCH is a FREE monthly newsletter for Retail
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<=> <=> <=> TIPS FOR JEWELERS <=> <=> <=>
Tips for Jewelers Who Do Repairs
From Alan Revere
Bench Pin Stone
Holder
To reduce the
likelihood of losing little
stones, findings,
jump rings, and pieces of
precious metal make a
recessed dish in the top
of your bench
pin. Simply draw a rectangle
about 15 mm by 30 mm,
near the back. Wearing
goggles and a dust
mask, use a coarse cut round
bur to carve down
about 3 mm within the
rectangle. It is important to frequently
measure the depth
while carving to ensure a
flat floor.
Now you have a
convenient little trough for
holding pieces and
parts. Because it is
recessed, you can
even lay a piece of sheet or
other large items
right on your bench pin,
without fear of
disturbing the small items
hidden below.
This tip is from 101 Bench Tips for Jewelers
written by Alan Revere and published by
MJSA/AJM Press.
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
He who every morning
plans the transactions of
the day and follows
out that plan carries a
thread that will
guide him through the
labyrinth of the most
busy life. The orderly
arrangement of his
time is like a ray of life
which darts itself
through all his occupations.
But where no plan is
laid, where the disposal
of time is
surrendered merely to the chance of
incidents, chaos will
soon reign.
Victor Higo
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
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<=> <=> <=> COLORED STONES <=> <=> <=>
Learn all About Handling Colored Stones
from Gemstone Cutter
EMERALD
Emerald is the green variety of the mineral beryl, which also gives us heliodor, aquamarine and bixbite, the exceptional red variety, sometimes wrongly called red emerald.
Classically, beryl had to be of at least a medium green, blue/green or yellow/green saturation to deserve the name emerald; paler varieties are more correctly referred to as green beryl. These days it seems as if the allocation of the names depends largely on whether you are the buyer or the seller! Drawing the line is difficult.
Originally, the green in emerald was believed to be caused by chromium, and the definition of emerald required that it be colored by chromium. However, the
discovery in
beryl colored green by vanadium or vanadium with chromium has caused much furor among mineralogists and gemologists for some time. Now all medium (or darker) green beryl is called emerald. Paler varieties are properly called green beryl which commonly sells in the $10 to $40/ct range.
Emerald has a Mohs scale hardness of 8, meaning only that it is harder than, say, tourmaline, but softer than corundum. Hardness is not the only property that contributes to a stones durability, however, as toughness is also very important. Clean emerald is hard and durable, but has a tendency to abrade slightly during wear. Its wear properties are really very similar to amethyst and citrine.
However, because truly flawless or nearly flawless emerald is rather rare, what the bench jeweler will more commonly come across is the variety with plenty of interesting inclusions, cracks and fissures, (known in the trade as jardin—garden in French) none of which lend durability to the stone. It is the surface reaching fractures so commonly seen in mid- grade emerald that help give it a reputation for brittleness. Add to this the fact that emerald is almost always subjected to a variety of treatments to disguise its true appearance, and you have a recipe for impending disaster at the bench.
It is not the purpose here to discuss the unending variety of treatments given to emerald, but you should know that some of these treatments are very difficult or impossible to detect with the tools and skill available in the average jewelry store.
Whole areas of
to treating emeralds with a variety of oils, waxes and organic fillers, some dyed. In
(probably jojoba), which has a green tint to it, to treat emerald. Waxes are common as well, and rest assured that while they may persist well for a time, dunking them in most ultrasonic cleaners will drive out the oils and waxes, perhaps leaving a stone that bears little resemblance to the original.
Torch heat will drive out fillings of all sorts, including waxes and dyes. If the torch does not remove the common waxes and dyes, maybe the pickle will, or almost certainly the ultrasonic.
Some of the more exotic treatments are quite durable, but my strong advice is to remove any and all emeralds from pieces to be subjected to the heat of a torch; and clean all emeralds with a mild soap like Dove Liquid Hand Soap and a soft toothbrush, if it must be cleaned at all. Disclaimers signed at the take-in counter and a long talk with a cus
on the piece is often a wise idea.
Many types of resins and epoxies have also been used in the treatment of emerald. Excell, Inc., of
the cus
Their treatment is sometimes difficult to detect and very, very durable. Without a doubt, no other type of gemstone is as routinely treated with non-permanent treatments as emerald, and you must use extreme caution with these stones. Here in my cutting repair business, I will not repair any emerald without a very clear disclaimer that ANY damage or decrease in value attributed to treatment is not to be borne by me; I suggest you do the same. For the cus
stone without treatment, a report from one of the major laboratories is a must.
Chatham Created Gems, Inc. has been producing lab grown emeralds by the flux process for many years, and these are available in three different qualities, price depending on clarity.
Being relatively free of inclusions, and lacking surface reaching fractures, these stones are very durable and offer no setting problems. It is still emerald, however, and will not respond well to the torch, although the ultrasonic can be used with the caution of avoiding dunking the stone into near-boiling temperatures. The
the costly and slow flux method, which produces a range of colors from pure green through yellow/green and wholesales for prices up to $180/ct. in 1-5 carat sizes, about $225/ct. in 5-10 ct. sizes.
The Crystallographic Research Institute of the
emerald crystals by the hydrothermal method. This method more closely mimics the hydrothermal process by which Colombian emeralds are formed. The color of hydrothermally grown emerald ranges from green to a decidedly bluish green just like the color of the most expensive emeralds. Blue green material always commands a higher price than yellow greens, all other things being equal. This product ranges in price from $60 to $120/ct. wholesale, depending again on clarity. It is significantly less costly than the flux grown product because less energy is required to create it and there are significant economies of scale in the large crystals grown hydrothermally.
I precision facet the hydrothermal material in custom shapes and sizes for jewelers and it is one of my very best sellers; simply beautiful color and highly recommended for the emerald lover who prizes the bluish green color of the very finest, but cannot afford the natural material.
All of the lab grown or synthetic emeralds are equivalent in hardness and durability to the natural. Because the lab grown materials are cleaner than most natural stones, they present very little problem when setting or wearing. Extreme heat or sudden temperatures such as found with the steamer should be avoided. Do you see a trend here? The pickle will do no harm.
You can contact
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
Chance can allow you to accomplish a goal every once in a while, but consistent achievement happens only if you love what you are doing.
Bart Conner
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JewelersTraining.com
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you can view jewelry training videos online,
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<=> <=> Tips & Tricks from
Using
Burs
While using burs you should use a steady, slow to medium speed. Flex-shafts can operate at speeds up to 14,000 rpm, some even faster. Burs and drills should not approach this speed while cutting metal (carbide and diamond tipped burs and drills are the exception to this). You should operate the flex-shaft at no more than medium speed while using steel burs and drills, and the larger the bur the slower the speed. High speed steel burs are a description of the type of steel used and not indicative of the speed used to operate.
Grind a bevel on the end of the shank on all your burs. Then they will be easier to insert into your flex-shaft handpiece when using.
When using burs, you should insert the shank all the way into the handpiece. The chuck should hold the shank as close to the bur head as possible. This will provide more accurate control and it is safer to operate this way.
Always use a steady speed and even pressure. Varying the speed by pumping the foot pedal or un-even pressure while cutting will cause un- even cutting and wear out the flex-shaft prematurely.
Because in all milling actions metal is removed, the chips should be gathered and save for reclaiming.
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
It is what we do easily and what we like to do that we do well.
Orison Swett Marden
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
For over 60 years,
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* Gems & Findings division offers finished
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Call us at 1-800-545-6566 or visit us at
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<=> <=> AT THE PLATINUM BENCH <=> <=>
Tips That Make Working with Platinum or
Working at the Bench in General Easier
from Jurgen J. Maerz CMBJ,
Director of Technical Education
for Platinum Guild International
http://www.pgi-platinum-tech.com
To cast platinum your
torch should have a
multiport or rosebud tip that is screwed on
rather than soldered. Solder could melt in the
platinum reflected
heat, causing the tip to
fall into the molten
metal and splash platinum.
In addition, your
torch must have a built-in
flashback arrestor,
to prevent gas from flowing
back into the tank in
case of a pressure
change. This is an important safety feature.
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
The
Ganoksin Project
www.ganoksin.com
The Gem and Jewelry Pre-Eminent Online
Resources. Open to the
public
Free of
Charge.
A substantial library of articles,
publications, reports, and technical data on
gem and jewelry related topics; as well as a
sizable collection of art and jewelry
galleries, for both the casual visitor and the
professional, also host the popular Orchid
online forums for jewelers.
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
A gentle answer turns
away wrath, but a harsh
word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1
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<=>
<=> TAKE-IN NOT TAKEN <=> <=>
Tips for Jewelers Taking In Jewelry at the
Repair Counter.
Proper Take-In
Procedures Help Everyone!
A sign in my dentist office reads:
You do not have to brush and floss all your teeth. Only the ones
you want to keep!
The same applies to take-ins.
You do not have to check every stone.
Just the ones you do not want to replace!
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United Precious
Metal Refining
United is a full service refiner for Gold,
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.
Les Brown
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<=>
<=> WORKSHOP SAFETY FOR
JEWELERS <=> <=>
Workshop Safety Tips From
The main exposure
routes for chemicals are by
breathing them in
(inhalation), eating and
drinking materials
(ingestion)-which can also
happen when large
particles are breathed in,
brought into the
throat by lung clearing
mechanisms and
swallowed, and by touching
things
(absorption). Do not eat or drink in
the workshop. If you have to have a drink use
the kind of
containers with a cap on the end of
a straw - this may
reduce your potential
chemical
contact. A friend had his vitamins in
the studio, accidentally
downed a ruby instead
and searched all over
for the stone before
realizing where it
was.
For more information on Workshop safety from
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/safety.htm
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Benjamin Franklin
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<=> <=> Thank You for
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Visit often, as we will be making changes to
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