SABOS Bead & Jewelry Show - 5-6 May 2012

Texas Topaz Day - Mason, Texas - Mar 24-25, 2012

This coming weekend the Southwest Gem and Mineral Society in San Antonio and the World Gem Society invites everyone to come to Mason, Texas, to join in the Texas Topaz Day festivities on Saturday, March 24th, followed by the Texas Faceters Guild Seminar Day on Sunday, March 25th. Mason, Texas, right in the heart of the Texas Hill Country is located in some of the most interesting geological formations to be found anywhere in the world. The festivities and events start at 10:00 am on Saturday and run all day with gemstone cutting and faceting demonstrations, jewelry and arts shows, and contests and music events to cap off the day. Then on Sunday you can join the Texas Faceters Guild for a day of learning about the latest in gemstone cutting and faceting. From novice to expert all are welcome.

The Blue Topaz was adopted as the Texas State Gemstone as a result of legislative approval on March 26, 1969. Petrified Palmwood was also named the State Stone by the same legislation. This Swiss Blue Topaz just above has been given a special cut to show the Texas Lone Star. A limited supply of these will be available over the two days in Mason, Texas.

Topaz occurs naturally in many colors including blue, orange, brown, green, pink, beige and red. Naturally occuring Blue Topaz is quite rare. Colorless topaz, the most common variation, can be treated by irradiation to produce a wide range of shades of blue, which are known as Sky Blue, Swiss Blue and London Blue. This treated, Blue Topaz is one of the most popular and widely used of all gemstones. London Blue is the most famous and most highly prized, but takes over 18 months to produce. Radiation scares have centered around the process and lasting effects from the making London Blue Topaz.

Some clear topaz crystals from Brazilian pegmatites can reach boulder size and weigh hundreds of pounds. Crystals of this size may be seen in museum collections. One famous Topaz is The Topaz of Aurungzebe and weighed 157.75 carats. Colorless and rarely light-blue varieties of Topaz are found in Precambian granite in Mason County, Texas, within the Llano Uplift in the Streeter, Grit, and Katemcy areas. It is usually found in streambeds and ravines but occasionally can be located atop the ground. Currently, only three Mason County ranches offer the public the opportunity to go Topaz hunting. They charge by the day, you keep what you find. You can enjoy Topaz hunting throughout the year except during the months of November, December and early January, when the ranches are closed for the deer season. There is currently no commercial mining of Topaz in that area. The natural Blue Topaz found in this area is the scarest of all the Topaz varieties.

Topaz is also the Birthstone for the month of November.

So as not to confuse the Lapidary enthusiasts, the Official State Rock of Texas is also Petrified Palmwood.
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"Benitoite" - the Blue Diamond of California !

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Sometimes called the " blue diamond", it was first discovered near the headwaters of the San Benito River, in San Benito County, California in 1906, from which it derived its name. It was at first thought to be a varirty of Sapphire, because of it's blue color. The gem is extremely rare and ranges in color from a light transparent blue to dark, vivid sapphire blue, and occasionally it is found in a violet shade. Benitoite is a somewhat obscure, but it is a wonderful gemstone. Benitoite was designated as the Official State Gemstone of California in 1985.

Benitoite is associated with a few rare minerals such as black-red Neptunite, snow white Natrolite and brown-yellow Joaquinite . The only source of this rare combination occurs at San Benito, California. A rare cluster of blue Benitoite and black Neptunite on top of a crust of white Natrolite is a treat for collectors. Gems much over one carat are uncommon. The sapphire-blue or colorless crystals are small. Gem quality specimens larger than two carats are rare. Faceted stones are usually under 1 carat, the largest documented stone is 7.8 carats and resides at the Smithsonian. Benitoites sell for over $1000 per carat and the price has been raising rapidly as the deposit has been largely worked out and available gems sold.

In 2000, Brian Lees of Colorado purchased the site from the long time owners. He brought in a mining crew and worked the mine for five winters. The current owner is now Dave Schreiner who bought the mine from Lees in 2005. Dave's vision was to open up the mine to collectors, since it is probably the most famous gem location in the world, and is on everybody's list of "places to collect." So now thanks to Dave Schreiner, gemstone and mineral collectors alike have that rare opportunity to come and try and find this unique and rare genstone.

California is a virtual cornucopia of gems, with the best known being Tourmaline, Kunzite, Serpentine and Topaz, all available to the public at open mines where you can buy buckets of dirt to dig through. In recent years, top-notch finds have helped restore the region’s splendor.

Serpentine, a green Jade looking material, is considered the State rock and of course Native Gold, a picture of which is shown at the right, is the Official State mineral. Of all the states where gold is found, only Alaska also considers Native Gold to be its State mineral.

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33rd Annual Christmas Showcase - Freeman Coliseum !

The weekend of November 19th and 20th is the "Biggest Little Christmas Show" in the area, the

"33rd Annual Freeman Coliseum Christmas Showcase."
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This show comes just in time for those of you that are in the San Antonio area to join us for your Holiday shopping !!
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November 19th - 20th

-- Saturday: 9:00am-5:00pm
-- Sunday: 10:00am-5:00pm
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The Freeman Christmas Extravaganza ia put on by Showcase Shows who has been producing quality craft and gift shows in Central Texas for the last 32 years. The Showcase public welcomes having a professional company introduce new vendors at each show and look forward to their favorite returning vendors to find what new and innovative items they are introducing. Showcase Shows has been extremely fortunate to develop a loyal customer base that anticipates each show, knowing that they will find exciting treasures brought by some of Texas' finest vendors.

The Jewelry by CnC booth is on the floor of the main building, all the way through the show to the back, under the overhang, last booth on the right (O-04). .

Sea Glass - Not a Gemstone, but a Gem of a Find !

Sea Glass, not a gemstone, not natural, but is one of the very few cases which a valuable item has been created from the actions of the environment on man-made litter..

Sea glass (known by many varied names the world over - some of the more common being beach glass, mermaid's tears, lucky tears, sea tears) is usually found on beaches along oceans or large lakes that have a lot of wave action which causes the glass to have been tumbled and smoothed by the water and sand, creating small pieces of smooth, frosted glass. Do not be pulled in by some of the newly created man-made frosted glass being sold by dealers claiming that it is Sea Glass.

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The color of sea glass is determined by its original source. Most sea glass comes from bottles, but it can also come from jars, plates, windows, windshields, glasses, art, flasks, containers, and any other glass source that has found its way into the ocean. Some collectors also collect what is known as sea pottery. Many very interesting jewelry pieces can be made out of the collected Sea Glass.

The most common colors of sea glass are kelly green, brown, and clear. These colors come from bottles used by companies that sell beer, juices, and soft drinks. The clear or white glass comes from clear plates and glasses, windshields, windows, and assorted other sources. Some less common colors include jade, amber (from bottles for whiskey, medicine, spirits, and early bleach bottles), golden amber (mostly used for spirit bottles), lime green (from soda bottles during the 1960s), forest green, and soft blue (from soda bottles, medicine bottles, ink bottles, and fruit jars from the late 1800s and early 1900s, windows, and windshields.) These colors are found about once for every 25 to 100 pieces of sea glass found.

One might rarely see sea glass which comes primarily from early to mid-1900s Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, and RC Cola bottles, as well as beer bottles. Seaq glass which is hardly ever seen, but when found is a golden treasure is purple, citron, opaque white (from milk glass), cobalt and cornflower blue (from early Milk of Magnesia bottles, poison bottles, artwork, and Bromo-Seltzer and Vicks VapoRub containers), and aqua (from Ball Mason jars and 19th century glass bottles.) These are a one in a thousand find. An extremely rare color is black. The black glass is quite old, originating from thick eighteenth-century gin, beer and wine bottles, maybe one in a ten-thousand find.

Anyone that is really interested in Sea Glass should check out the North American Sea Glass Association at http://seaglassassociation.org/ for more information and collectors near your location.At this time, Jewelry by CnC has not yet used Sea Glass in any of our designs.

BLACK CORAL - An Endangered Species !

Black corals (Antipatharia) are a group of deep water, tree-like corals related to sea anemones. Although the most famous are found near Hawaii, they are also found in rare dark shallow water areas such as New Zealand's Milford Sound where they can be viewed from an underwater observatory. They normally occur in the tropics and some have ben found in the Caribbean. Though black coral's living tissue is brilliantly colored, it takes its name from the distinctive black or dark brown color of its skeleton. Also unique to black coral are the tiny spines that cover the surface of the skeleton, the origin of the nickname little thorn coral. In the Hawaiian language, black coral is called ‘ēkaha kū moana. Black coral is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The Black Coral which grows in Hawaii's offshore waters was adopted as Hawaii's official state gemstone on April 22, 1987. Since its discovery by early Hawaiian divers, harvesting of the spectacular corals has led to the establishment of a thriving Black Coral jewelry industry and enhanced visitor and resident appreciation of Hawaii's ocean resources.

Hawaii's state gem was promoted by scuba divers, perhaps supported by the local jewelry trade. Surprisingly, the Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in favor of its adoption. Coral’s richly colored branches are living gems formed deep beneath the ocean. These precious corals polish to a gorgeous luster and have been used as gemstones dating as far back as 25,000 years—longer than pearls. Each coral gemstone color has its own distinct quality. Black Coral is exotic and dramatic and has long been considered to guard against misfortune. Pink Coral is delicate and is said to bring good health. Red Coral is best described as rich and romantic. And Gold Coral with its mysterious inner light, is the rarest of all corals.

The first new Black Coral bed found in centuries outside of Caribbean waters was discovered in the waters off Lahaina, Maui in 1958. Today, Hawaiian Black Coral -- the world's finest -- is carefully collected by hand by divers at depths that exceed 200 feet. To ensure the future of Hawaiian Black Coral, divers must strictly adhere to state regulations that prohibit the harvesting of immature colonies. Harvesting of Black Coral is prohibited in most locations in the world.

Black Coral is rare and, when polished, it shines with such luster you can almost see your own reflection in it. Its stunning contrast against yellow gold makes it a wonderful gift as well as a beautiful keepsake to treasure forever. Black Coral gives one a perfect reminder of a trip to the Islands.

As with many gemstones today, be careful that what is being bought is genuine Black Coral and not faux, plastics or other imitations that abound, especially in the Caribbean.

Coral Fossils for Jewelry !

Natural Coral Fossil cut as a Pendant

Corals are simple animals that secrete skeletons made of calcium carbonate. They are close relatives of sea anemones and jellyfish and are the main reef builders in modern oceans. Corals can be either colonial or solitary.

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As fossils, corals are found worldwide in sedimentary rocks. Based on these fossils, we know that the corals began their long evolutionary history in the Middle Cambrian period, over 510 million years ago. In Kansas, they were deposited from about 315 to 250 million years ago. Nice coral fossils are found in Pennsylvanian and Permian rock formations. Although corals are the main reef builders in modern oceans, not all corals build reefs. In addition to the corals, which are called framework organisms, other organisms contribute to the formation of reefs. For example, modern reefs are inhabited by binding organisms (such as encrusting algae) and filler organisms (such as snails, bivalves, and sponges), whose skeletons fill in the spaces in the reef after death.

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Two groups of corals were important inhabitants of the Pennsylvanian and Permian seas--tabulate and rugose corals. Tabulate corals were exclusively colonial and produced calcium carbonate skeletons in a variety of shapes: moundlike, sheetlike, chainlike, or branching. Tabulate corals get their name from horizontal internal partitions known as tabulae. Some tabulate corals were probably reef builders..
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Pink Coral Fossil and Indonesian Coral Fossil are among the most commonly found Coral Fossils used in todays jewelry.

Coral fossil material displays the unusual internal structure of the original coral. Coral fossil cuts and polishes like Agate, but in most cases are a bit softer.

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Red Eye Coral and Black Eye Coral are two of the more unusual types of Coral Fossil found in present day markets. Both come from sea floors around South East Asia.

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Sponge Coral ! That's its trade name. It is known to marine biologists as melithaea ochrace. A sponge coral really has nothing to do with sponges. It just looks like a sponge. Found mainly in the South China Sea, from Taiwan down to Indonesia, the sponge coral has a distinct fan-shaped appearance underwater. Until recently, sponge coral was not used for jewelry as they weren't considered jewelry-quality coral because they contained too many holes. However with the "farming" of man-enhanced Sponge Coral, we now have a renewable source and thus the harvesting and use of other natural corals is becoming more and more controlled, even to the extent that importation of coral is illegal into many countries without special government issued licenses, however Sponge Coral does not fall under these regulations. The majority of Sponge Coral used in jewelry has to date been shades of reds and oranges.

A very rare pure White Coral Fossil.

The coral can be cut and placed into very fine jewelry, such as this Black Coral ring. However, coral is best used in earrings and pendants, as its softness can allow it to be easily damaged in jewelry such as rings, unless properly protected.

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And of course in todays market place we have all kinds of fakes and man made gemstones. Although natural, colored coral fossil stones are normally found to have been helped a bit with some colorations from man.

Michigan's 'Green Turtle Stone' - "CHLORASTROLITE" !

YES, there is a stone known as the "Green Turtle Stone" It was not made up by some kids to cause a sensation.

In 1972, Chlorastrolite became the official State Gemstone for Michigan. Chlorastrolite is a beautiful green mineral with a chatlyant "turtle-back" pattern. Don't feel too bad if you are unfamiliar with the name. First of all, it is quite uncommon. Gem varieties are only found in Michigan. Secondly, there has been some confusion over the correct name as well as its true identity. It has been considered to be a Zoisite, a variety of Prehnite and a variety of Thomsonite. It has been called lotrite, kearsargeite, zonochlorite, lintonite, pumpellyite, chlorastrolite and greenstone. After much research, the IMA has ruled that the gem we are talking about is to be called "Chlorastrolite," - Michigan collectors still call it by the common name, "greenstone" or "Turtle Stone".

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Chlorastrolite occurs in the basalt layer deep under the Keweenaw Peninsula. When Isle Royale was formed off-shore from Keweenaw by an upheaval of the bedrock under Lake Superior, some of this material was brought to the surface. This tilting of the bedrock exposed the greenstone-bearing basalt. Wave action erodes the greenstones free and they may be found as beach gravel on the Isle. For many years this was thought to be the only source of the gem. When first offered in jewelry by the NewYork fashion stores in the 1890s, they were referred to as "Isle Royale Greenstones." To this day, many persons fail to realize that much of the Chlorastrolite occurred under the Keweenaw Peninsula and was discarded on mine dumps by the copper miners when they tunneled to the copper. The mines are not operating now and new material is not being brought to the surface, but the greenstones are usually overlooked by the rockhounds searching for copper. You can find gem-quality Chlorastrolite at the mine dumps if you look carefully. Greenstones have been found at most of the mines at Keweenaw; however, some mines produce better greenstones than others. The Central Mine, located just off US 41 north of Calumet, has been the most recent source of some of the largest greenstones.

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So as not to raise to much confusion or start an arguement over what is Michigan's selection, one needs to also know that Michigan's State Stone, which is much better known, especially to Lapidarist, is 'The Petoskey Stone'. Petoskey Stones are masses of fossil colony coral, Hexagonaria Percarinata. They occur abundantly in Devonian reef limestones of the Traverse Group in the northern part of the Southern Peninsula of Michigan. The Devonian Period was about 350 million years ago. Coral groups weathered out of the limestone were widely scattered by Pleistocene glacial action. They are readily found on beaches and in gravel deposits as pebbles and cobbles rounded by erosion. Petoskey is the English adaptation of either "Be-dos-e-gay" or "Petosegay," an Ottawa Indian word and variant meaning "sun rays of the dawn."

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FORDITE - a man-made discard !

To answer a couple inquiries, although I have not actually used any in jewelry, I do have a couple sample pieces of Fordite. However I have seen none on the market for a while, especially pieces large enough to put into jewelry. Check with the Fordite web-site as I noticed they do have some jewelry available. It is sometimes amazing what mother-nature can do with stuff that man throws away or discards as useless junk or no longer usable.

Fordite is a unique automotive enamel material. Originally in the Ford Motor Plants the layered automotive paint slag "rough" was made incidentally by the now extinct practice of hand spray-painting multiples of production cars in big paint rooms of the automobile factories. The oversprayed paint in the painting bays gradually built up on the tracks and skids that the car frames were painted on. Over time, many colorful layers built up there. These layers were hardened repeatedly in the ovens that the car bodies went into to cure the paint. Some of these deeper layers were even baked 100 times. Eventually, the paint build-up would become obstructing, or too thick and heavy, and had to be removed. So it was chipped off and thrown out behind the plants in slag piles to do whatever old paint does in nature as seen below.

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Some of the workers with an eye for beauty realized that this unique byproduct was worth salvaging. It had already been super-cured, patterned like psychedelic agate, and could be cut and polished with relative ease! As word got around about this remarkable material, rock hounds started showing up at auto factories, offering to help remove that problematic paint slag! Sadly, the techniques that produced this great rough years ago, are no longer in practice. Cars are now painted by way of an electrostatic process that essentially magnetizes the enamels to the car bodies. This leaves little, or no overspray. The old factory methods that created this incredible material are long gone. Thus the Fordite “mines” are dry.

It is possible through some dealers to still acquire pieces of Fordite, both the "US" and "British" versions. You might also look under "Motor Agate", "Detroit Agate" and sometimes it is called "Gordianite". Do not confuse Fordite with "Bowlerine", another man-made material where old bowling balls are cut up, polished and being used as stones in jewelry. Fordite.com has identified 4 basic types of Fordite -

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Type 1: Separated Colors - Regular grey banding of primer layers between color layers.
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Type 2: Color on Color - Opaques and metallics. Limited colors. Small parts collection.
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Type 3: Color on Color - Drippy, with multiple colors and layers. Psychedelic lace and orbital patterns, with occasional surface channeling.
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Type 4: Color on Color - Opaques and metallics, with bleeding, thin color layers, sometimes containing pitted layers.
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Then you have to seperarte which is Great Britian, Detroit or Ohio versions. Most "US" is Type 1, while the "British" is Type 2 and 3. And to make things interesting, there has been a Type 3 version found at a GM plant in Wisconsin.

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Thanks to the folks at www.fordite.com for their information and pictures. Some pictures are of material we have acquired.
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PYRITE - The "Fools Gold" Stone

Lets start by how you may see Pyrite when looking for it. First it could be a 'cube' attached to a host rock, or a bunch of small 'crystals' in amoung other crystals such as Quartz, or maybe the real fooler, a Golden Pyrite "clump'. These are not the only way Pyrite appears however, as can be seen in several of the following pictures.

There are several shiny brassy yellow minerals, but pyrite is by far the most common and the most often mistaken for gold. Whether it is the golden look or something else, pyrite is a favorite among rock collectors. It can have a beautiful luster and interesting crystals. It is so common in the earth's crust that it is found in almost every possible environment, hence it has a vast number of forms and varieties. During their search for forture, many infamous shouts ocurred amid the Old West propsectors "There's Gold in that Riverbed !" only to be disappointed in finding Pyrite or as the golden rock quickly became known as "fools gold". Many a gold seaker was fooled by this shiny yellow mineral that looks so similar to gold.

Pyrite is a polymorph of Marcasite, which means that it has the same chemistry, FeS2, as Marcasite; but a different structure and therefore different symmetry and crystal shapes. Pyrite is difficult to distinguish from marcasite when a lack of clear indicators exists, as can be seen by the following picture of a piece of Marcasite.

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Almost any rock that looks a little rusty will mostly likely contain some pyrite. Pyrite is cubic crystals composed of iron sulfide; spherical and bulbous pyrites also exist; it is found in large quantities, mainly in coal mines and near clay workings. It comes in a vast number of forms and varieties, but the most common crystal shapes are cubic and octahedral.
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One sought-after form is flattened nodules found in chalk, siltstone and shale called “pyrite suns’ or ‘pyrite dollars’. These nodules are usually made from thin pyrite crystals radiating from the center.

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Enourmous amounts of small Pyrite crystal clusters come from Oruro and Colavi, Bolivia. In Navajun (Logroño), Spain, large cubic crystals, are abundant. They are frequently embedded in a light brown matrix, and are occasionally twinned.

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Perfect crystals occur in Rio Marina on the island of Elba, Italy. In the U.S., there are also many fine localities. In Park City, Bingham Co., Utah, very large, well shaped Pyritohedrons and Pyrite Cubes have been found, as well as in the American Mine in the Bingham Canyon, Salt Lake Co., Utah. Large, intergrown cubes, many times partially octahedral, occur in abundance at Leadville, Lake Co., Colorado. Pyrite "Dollars" are mostly found in Sparta, Randolph Co., Illinois. The French Creek Mine in Chester Co., Pennsylvania is famous for the octahedral crystals that occur there, although most are distorted. Many interesting nodules were recently discovered in Alden, Monroe Co., New York.

The use of Pyrite in decorations is also quite common. How many times have you visited a mine to see mining scenes in Pyrite avaiable on the sales counters.

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And more recently, Pyrite has been faceted so that it can be made into jewelry such as rings, pendants or earrings.

ROSC Luncheon - March 24th 2011

With Easter looming next month, here are some Gemstone Rosaries that will be available at the upcoming Randolph Officer's Spouses Club luncheon being held at the O'Club on March 24th.

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Southwest Gem and Mineral Society Fiesta of Gems Show

FIESTA of GEMS

For those in the San Antonio area don't miss the Southwest Gem and Mineral Society Fiesta of Gems Show the weekend of the 19th and 20th at the Live Oak Civic Center. Special items for the kids and show and auction proceeds go for Earth Science Scholarships

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Sat Mar 19th -- 10-6

Sun Mar 20th -- 10-4

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In addition to the vendors, silent auction and demonstrations, there are also many displays of gemstone and lapidary items.

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Freeman Coliseum Christmas Showcase 2010

Time to do some Holiday shopping in the San Antonio Area

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This coming weekend will be a great time

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31st Annual San Antonio Christmas Showcase
Freeman Coliseum
Saturday, November 20 - Sunday, November 21
Hours: Sat - 9am-5pm & Sun - 10am-5pm

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The Timeless Designs booth is located in the Coliseum, main floor under the alcove!
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Avoid the lines and traffic at the malls; come join us for the show of the season!! We will have all new artisan crafted jewelry collections featuring.....
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Southwest Flair; classic and modern styles in turquoise, coral, magnesite, and onyx
Natural stones, glass and dichroic necklace sets from Jewelry by CnC - Gayle
Mystic Artisan; high-end elegance in agate, jasper, pearl, dichroic glass, Swarovski crystal, and more
Wiry Legend; funky wire techniques in links, swirls, wraps, cages, and use of other metals
Pendants; mounted single, wired and unmounted singles with cords from Jewelry by CnC
Rock Yard; old earth comes to life using fossils, minerals and raw rocks

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Year End Close-out Holiday Sale Items - Timeless Designs & Jewelry by CnC
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So grab your list, put on some comfy walking shoes and join the holiday shopping festivities with over 500 booths to shop from featuring some of Texas's most talented artists!
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Hope to see you there!!
Annette Cook - Timeless Designs
Gayle & Lee Cook - Jewelry by CnC

ROLLING OAKS MALL MARKET DAYS - Sep 24, 25 & 26, 2010 !

San Antonio's Rolling Oaks Mall will again be the scene for the 2nd Mall Market Days for 2010. During normal Mall operating hours on September 24th, 25th and 26th, special vendor booths have been added throughout the mall for craftmen, jewelry makers, candle makers and others to show off and sell their items for the upcoming Holiday Season. Be sure to stop bye and see us at the Jewelry by CnC booth during one of the three days.

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Rolling OaksMall is located on the North East side of San Antonio, just west of I-35 on Loop 1604, and east of US-281 at the Nacogdoches Road exit on the north west corner of Loop-1604.

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Metal Clay in Jewelry Making !

For many jewelry makers who have dreamed of working with metal but have had nightmares about using the torch, Metal Clay, also called Precious Metal Clay (PMC) and Art Clay, may be their dream come true. However, keep in mind that while you don't need to use a torch to necessarily solder metals together, it can be helpful to know a little about metal work in order to clean and finish metal clay pieces.

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Metal clay is a clay-like medium used to make jewelry, beads and small sculpture. It consists of very small particles of precious metals (such as Silver, Gold or Platinum) mixed with an organic binder and water. Metal clay can be shaped just like any soft clay, by hand or using moulds. After drying, it can be fired in a variety of ways including in a kiln, with a handheld gas torch, or on a gas stove. The binder burns away, leaving the pure, sintered metal. Shrinkage of between 8% and 30% occurs (depending on the product used), but this is exploited by artisans to produce very fine detail.

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Silver metal clay results in objects containing .999 pure silver - aka fine silver, which is ideal for enameling. Although gold metal clay is much more expensive to use, the color and richness is phenomenal. It can be used to make stunning solid gold objects or used sparingly to make beautiful accents on silver pieces. Lump metal clay is sold in sealed packets to keep it moist and workable. The silver versions are also available as a softer paste in a pre-filled syringe which can be used to produce extruded forms, in small jars of slip and as paper-like sheets, from which most of the moisture has been removed.

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There are two popular brands of this material, Precious Metal Clay (PMC) and Art Clay Silver (ACS).

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Precious Metal Clay or PMC was developed in the early 1990s in Japan by metallurgist Dr. Morikawa. The material consists of microscopic particles of pure silver or fine gold powder and a water-soluble, non-toxic, organic binder which burns off during firing. Success was first achieved with gold, and later duplicated with silver. The original formula of PMC, now called "Standard", must be fired in a kiln at 900 °C (1,650 °F) and has a shrinkage rate of 30%. Mitsubishi Materials Corp later developed two additional versions of silver called "PMC+" which can be fired as low as 810 °C (1,490 °F) for 30 minutes, and "PMC3", which can be fired as low as 599 °C (1,110 °F) for 45 minutes. Both PMC+ and PMC3 have a shrinkage rate of 12-15% and may also be fired with a handheld torch for 4-7 minutes. A 22k gold gilding material called "Aura 22", and lump 22k yellow gold clay (an alloy of fine silver and gold) are also available. PMC also manufactures an 18k gold clay and a platinum clay, but these latter two are only marketed in Japan.

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Art Clay Silver or ACS was developed by AIDA Chemical Industries, another Japanese company. Art Clay followed PMC Standard with their Art Clay Original clay (more like PMC+ than PMC Standard), which allows the user to fire with a handheld torch or on a gas hob. Due to subtle differences in the binder and suggested firing times, this clay shrinks less than the PMC versions, approximately 8-10%. Further developments introduced the Art Clay Slow Dry, a clay with a longer working time. Art Clay 650 and Art Clay 650 Slow Dry soon followed - both clays that can be fired as low as 650 °C (1,202 °F), allowing the user to combine the clay with glass and sterling silver which are affected negatively by the higher temperatures needed to fire the first generation clays. AIDA also manufacturers Oil Paste, a product only used on fired metal clay or milled fine silver, and Overlay Paste, which is designed for drawing designs on glass and porcelain. In 2006 AIDA also introduced the Art Clay Gold Paste, a more economical way to work with gold. The paste is painted onto the fired silver clay, then refired in a kiln, or with a torch or gas stove. When fired it bonds with the silver, giving a 22ct gold accent. The same year also saw Art Clay Slow Tarnish introduced, a clay which tarnishes less rapidly than the other metal clays.

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A do-it-yourself version called Silver Smith's Metal Clay Powder is available in a dry powder form to which the user adds water to obtain any desired consistency.

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This book is a great guide for getting a start in Metal Clay Jewelry.

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Jewelry by CnC BLOG and Web-site Updates !

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Please bear with us for the next several months as we work through a medical problem. Depending on outcomes and progression following surgery, the Jewelry by CnC Web-site, this BLOG and our Twitter JewelrybyCnC location may be a bit hit and miss for a while.

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Please feel free to check with our daughter-in-law, Annette, on her Timeless Designs Studio Web-site, BLOG and Twitter location, for updates and from time for new jewelry and pendants that we may be able to do or in some cases some updates to our designs by Annette using and adding her wire-wrapping techniques.

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To our customers and friends, thanks for bearing with us during these times.

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GEMSTONES - Identification !

Learn what these pictures are about and the meaning of them at the

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Southwest Gem and Mineral Society Monthly Meeting

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Tuesday - May 11th

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General meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month with the exception of October (our annual picnic) and December ( our Christmas party). Doors open at 6:00 PM for refreshments and socializing. General meeting starts at 7:00 PM. Currently the group meets at the Celebration Bible Church at US-281 and Dondella Dr. Check the SWGMS web-site for announcements pertaining to a change in location over the next few months. The June 8th meeting will be at the Geology Department at UTSA.

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A change in plans has been made for the May 11th meeting. Thanks to a friend of Jewelry by CnC, a collection of faceted gemstones has been made available and will be shown at the Southwest Gem and Mineral Society meeting. In addition there will be a presentation on the Types of Gemstones, an overview on the Identification of Gemstones and the equipment used in the identification process.

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We hope all members of the SWGMS and prospective members as well as guests can attend and we will be looking forward to presenting the information and showing the borrowed collection of over 300 faceted gemstones.

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See you there !

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