“ I love this watch. It belonged to someone very special to me. It’s broken. Can you do something with it? Make a bracelet maybe?” One custom-cut amethyst and watch-shaped bezel mounting later, her “watch” was wearable

One of our clients came to us with a request we love to hear- “can you make an engagement ring?”. But there was a twist. His girlfriend didn’t want a diamond to be the focal stone, she wanted a ruby instead, a one carat, clean, well cut ruby in a custom setting with some scroll work and the ruby should be surrounded with diamonds. “Ok” we said and I did some sketches.

I came up with three designs and he chose the most difficult one. In the process of making the wax model for this ring I had to build a small lathe to make the 2mm stone settings that the diamonds would sit in. Meanwhile, Julie was busy tracking down a ruby worthy of our customer’s consideration. After several rejections on our part, one of our New York suppliers sent us a small selection of one carat rubies and one of them was a truly beautiful stone. They both loved the finished ring and so did we.

We do a small number of retail shows every year. Our most financially rewarding one is the Fryeburg Fair which takes place in late September/early October. One year, we brought with us a huge Amethyst from our Fourth of July discovery. We planned on using it as a case prop, something impressive to put in our show case to jazz it up and draw the crowd (which it did nicely). One day a lady came by our booth and took particular interest in it, looking at it for a long time. “What would you do with it?” she asked me. I responded with my usual answer, “Gear-shift knob for your Mercedes.” She looked at me patiently and said “No, I
see a bracelet”. At these shows we get a lot of lookers and suggesters. I’ve learned not to get to hopeful especially when talking about a $3500.00 gemstone. I nodded and agreed, never thinking for a second that she was actually serious about doing such a thing. Imagine my surprise when she walked into our store two weeks later and said, “Ok Dennis, lets start working on that bracelet we were talking about.”

The resulting project would push my construction skills to their limits. I had to invent new techniques, customize a form and change from a cuff design to a hinged clasp design after the piece was completed. But when I was done, I had created the largest piece of Maine Amethyst jewelry in documented history. I suggested an Art Nouveau style and she agreed. I began sketching, using some motifs that I had been experimenting with. We decided finally on a design that would involve Art Nouveau design elements on either side of the Amethyst. These parts were cast and the rest of the bracelet was constructed from 18 gauge 14 karat yellow gold sheet. It featured an open cuff-style band which we changed to a hinged clasp for improved security. The 63 carat center stone was bezel set and framed by a flared band. We were all very pleased with the final product. It remains one of the most technically challenging projects I have ever embarked on and also one of my favorite.

One of our customers owns a Rose Quartz outcropping which extends through part of the land behind his house. Some folks have all the luck, don’t they? One day, he brought in a fabulous piece which he had found and asked me what we could do with it. I studied it for a while and finally suggested an ambitious project: an heirloom quality pendant in historically significant size. The rose-cut heartshaped Rose Quartz center stone is surrounded by accenting Maine Amethysts. Is there a larger faceted Rose Quartz from Maine in existence? Maybe, but I am not aware of it. We got a little carried away, but wow!

Other Custom Designs