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Post by cookie3rocks on Jun 26, 2005 19:35:46 GMT -5
It begins on a much needed vacation to NC, where sapphire mines abound. My husband and I went to several mines, only to find most to be "seeded", with no real local material. Then we found Mason Mountain. At this location, they scooped tailings with a front end loader and dumped them at the slucing area, $15 a day, all you can dig. Our best find was a 253 ct. sapphire. I was not gem quality, but a nice bragging rock.  About the size of a golf ball.  We didn't really think anything could be done with it, but we contacted Doc about it, sent him some pics and he agreed to give it a shot. Here's his first attempts at faceting the stone  The stone kept tearing off, it was fractured internaly a great deal, but in the end, he made a beautiful wire wrap pendant of the expertly faceted stone. I will cherish it forever.  He also threw in a hand crafted ear cuff with freshwater pearls. I just love it. (You've never taken a photo till youve photograghed your own ear.  )  And so the saga ends, with happiest of endings. ;D ;D ;D cookie |
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Post by Cher on Jun 26, 2005 19:52:24 GMT -5
How cool is that! Nice find Cookie and awesome job on the stone Doc.
Cher
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Debs
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2005
Posts: 1,252
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Post by Debs on Jun 26, 2005 20:05:27 GMT -5
Nothing ventured, nothing gained! You ended up with a unique pendant! Cool! Love the ear cuff as well. It looks neat!
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Post by docone31 on Jun 26, 2005 20:57:08 GMT -5
Cookie, really great photos. Good clarity. Thanks for posting them.
You do have the pendant upside down however. Vhat am I going to do wit chu?
If you like, you can take some closeups of the wrapping for anyone who is interested in trying it out. It is a wire wrap prong set. I am one of three known wire wrappers who can do it.
For those here who want to try it. The prong wires are 30mm long before they are folded at the 15mm mark. The tips are bent in a V 4mm from the tip of the bend.
I will have you know, today I set a 5mmX3mm saphire in a ring. To be honest, your stone even though it would not take a polish is better grade than that AAA saphire someone spent big bucks on. Plus, when the heat was applied to the 5 X 3 it had been treated! The heat burned out the oil and it looked very drab. Saphires rubys and diamonds are the big three that can be heated and soldered over to do prong repairs!
The rule of thumb is red, white and blue. Those stones can be soldered over. A prong repair, a little flux, some heat, and a dop of solder 1/2 mm in diameter and you have a new prong. That saphire caught fire and went blah in an heartbeat. It was an 80$ stone, and the facets did not line up on the cut.
Wow.
Great photos, and I am glad I could make the memory weareable.
Thanks for the opportunity.
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flowoxsgarden
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2005
Posts: 196
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Post by flowoxsgarden on Jun 26, 2005 23:25:37 GMT -5
wow, nice find and I absolutely LOVE the ear cuff, that is so awesome. I would love to be able to do one of those. My daughter would absolutely love it!!
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Post by Alice on Jun 27, 2005 6:11:03 GMT -5
Wow, Nice find!
And great Job Doc!!!
Beautiful stuff!
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jun 27, 2005 7:33:28 GMT -5
Doc you never fail to amaze! Awesom rock there!
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Post by creativeminded on Jun 27, 2005 8:58:09 GMT -5
Very nice, the sapphire turned out beautiful.
Tami
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jun 28, 2005 6:41:44 GMT -5
super work there doc and cookie it looks great on you!
kim
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Jun 28, 2005 16:37:30 GMT -5
Cookie, Nice Sapphire and Doc did a great job with it...I imagine the earrings really took a long time!
csroc
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Post by sandsman1 on Jun 28, 2005 16:44:51 GMT -5
hey cookie you found a one of a kind stone --- and doc great job on both i like them both
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Jun 29, 2005 1:59:13 GMT -5
I would love to see a bit better shot of the pendant with some idea of what is going on with the wrapping.
Very novel looking, I must say.
Curious where those arms came from.
Teach on Doc...
-Banjo
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Post by docone31 on Jun 29, 2005 5:59:51 GMT -5
Banjo, she has it on upside down!
In 1998, I won the international wire wrap competition with that design. It is actually six square wires bound together.
The prong wires are on the outside.
The design came to me in a dream back in 1995 and most of my wraps are done in that fashion. I started out with the boundary wraps, but prong setting.... I actually figuired out how to do it. No silver solder involved.
I wish I had been able to get a polish on that saphire. I tried everything. Cerium, Aluminum, Diamond, only a few points within the stone that were gem grade.
I hope Cookie takes a few more shots of the wrap. The sides, bottom, and both ends. I would love to see what people come up with it.
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deepsouth
fully equipped rock polisher
He who rocks last rocks best
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,256
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Post by deepsouth on Jun 29, 2005 8:11:17 GMT -5
Wow Wow Wow, that looks so cool !!!
Jack
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Jun 29, 2005 10:51:40 GMT -5
I'd love to take a shot at emulating that Doc. We'll see if Cookie is so kind as to grace us with a few more photos of it for educational purposes. <Cookie??> I just finished my first two tier wrap and don't like it, but I have a pretty good idea what I did wrong. Unfortunately I had no dream, just two stones polished from the same slab.  It's always a learning experience. -Banjo |
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jun 29, 2005 14:46:26 GMT -5
Ok cookie- lets get it right side up and take some closeups and all- I feel another doc/banjo tutorial coming on!!!! com'on girl fire up that camera!
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Post by hermatite on Jun 29, 2005 14:49:05 GMT -5
I dunno...I like it that way...it almost has a butterfly quality to it.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jun 29, 2005 14:53:09 GMT -5
WOW herm correct again! Your 2 for 2 today!
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