“ 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.”
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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
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