Just when we thought we were done with winter, well, what did we know? It's finally here! We can hope it warms up for First Friday March 2nd.
Last February I went to the Tucson gem show and came back with many goodies. It takes time to get them ready for you, and admittedly, I have quite a few more to design settings for, so as I work on those, here are a few recent ones just completed.
Initial ideas....
Finished! Ancient Greek coin pendant. (to see the backside click here)
Queensland opal ring with diamonds
On my wish list for the show was an ancient coin. I found one that I love! This 18k yellow gold pendant features an ancient Greek silver coin from the Classical Period or Golden Age of Greece, which spanned from around 500 to 300 BC. That's the era that gave us the great monuments, art, philosophy, architecture and literature which are the building blocks of our own civilization.
That period has also given us this cool coin, and as many of you know, I love horses so this one fit the bill. I designed the pendant so the back is visible when you turn it over; it reveals a youth wrestling a bull. Accenting the pendant is a green tourmaline and a boulder opal. I thought the 18k yellow gold accented the gems and the silver coin perfectly.
Also high on my list was a visit to my favorite, Lightning Ridge, an Australian opal supplier. The family owns opal mines, the sons work the mines and travel to the U.S. to sell the opals. It's a direct connection from mine to you, so you're assured a quality product at a great price. This newly-designed 14k yellow gold ring is set with a crystal opal and accented with diamonds. I think you'll like the flowing curves of the ring and the bright blue color of the opal.
I have a lot of other treasures from Tucson just waiting for you to see ... maybe, like these, one will speak to you.
MORE NEWS: For two months I'm the featured artist in the lobby at the Oxford Hotel. Please stop by and see my paintings in that setting, so much more like a home setting than a gallery setting. If you've never been in the Oxford lobby, it will be a good opportunity to check it out.