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​Troubleshooting Soldering Problems (Post)
Previously I posted a blog about mastering basic soldering skills, you can find it here: https://www.barlowsgems.net/cabochon-blog/mastering-the-basics-of-soldering-for-jewelers/ Last month we talked ...
Petrified Wood Found in the USA(Post)Petrified Wood has been found in every state in the United States. Petrified Wood is found worldwide in sedimentary beds ranging in age from the Devonian (about 390 million years ago), when woody pla ...
Native Metals found in the United States(Post)A native metal is any metal that is found in its natural metallic form in nature. Though many metals can be found as native deposits, only gold, silver, copper and the platinum group occur native in ...
Chrysocolla Found in the U.S.(Post)I have been working on a series of gemstone materials with a special emphasis on where they are found right here in the United States. If you would like to view my previous entries including diamonds ...
​Tools and Equipment for the Beginner Jeweler(Post)Here is a list for beginner jewelers of recommended tools and equipment: This is not a complete list of everything used by jewelers, rather it is intended as a beginners guide to the basics, and incl ...
History of Jewelry (Post)Jewelry is a word used to describe small decorative objects worn for personal adornment. Jewelry is derived from the Latin word jocale, which means plaything”. That word evolved into the Old Fr ...
Troubleshooting Casting Problems(Post)If you are new to jewelry making and are working with casting, you are likely to encounter some problems. Here are some troubleshooting ideas to consider if you are experiencing the following problem ...
Quartz Crystals Found in the U.S.(Post)I apologize-we recently acquired a huge collection of mostly Petrified Wood and as that was not our expertise, I have spent a lot of time learning all I can about it. While learning I have been writi ...
The History of Southwest Native American Jewelry(Post)Beautiful Southwest Native American jewelry has a long and rich history. As early as 1795 Native Americans wore elaborate silver ornaments, but it wasn’t until somewhere in the 1850’s tha ...
Precious Gemstones Found in the USA(Post)Previously I wrote about Diamonds Found in The U.S.A. found here: https://www.barlowsgems.net/stones-and-jewelry-bl... And Pearls Found in the USA found here: https://www.barlowsgems.net/stones-and-j ...
Metaphysical Use of Precious Metals(Post)Do gold, silver and other metals have metaphysical healing powers? We all know about the metaphysical powers of crystals and stones, but did you know that metals; such as gold and silver, are in fact ...
Investing in Gemstones(Post)Should I invest in precious gemstones and semiprecious gemstones? An investment is an outlay of money for income or profit. A good investment must thereof provide a return of steady source of income ...
Creative ideas for non-jewelers to use and wear beautiful one of a kind stone cabochons.(Post)So you love our beautiful stone cabochons, but you are not a jeweler, so what do you do with them? We admit our cabochons are “designer cabochons ”, meaning they are one of a kind s ...
History of Gemstones(Post)The age of gemstones, when they were formed within the Earth, ranges from millions to billions of years ago. Gemstones (both precious and semiprecious) have been used as tools, in rituals, religious ...
Jewelry Industry Organizations(Post)Last month I posted a blog about educational resources for jewelers. You can see that here: Jewelers Educational Resources There are many associations, located throughout the world, that support the ...
Mastering the Basics of Soldering for Jewelers(Post)Soldering is the process of melting a metal onto other melt components to bind them. Solder is the material used. It has a low melting point and is soft and flexible. For beginners one of the m ...
DEALERS TUCSON FALL GEM AND MINERAL SHOW(Post)DEALERS TUCSON FALL GEM AND MINERAL SHOW October 3-7, 2024 We are very excited to announce that we are having our planned Open House at The Rock Yard, 615 W Lester St. in Tucson, Arizona on October ...
Jewelry Designs by Native Americans(Post)Some examples of the beautiful jewelry designs of Native American artist. Cluster- A cluster is a close arrangement of stones. Native American artists freely place similarly sized and shaped stones i ...
Diamonds Found in the USA(Post)Are diamonds found in the United States? The answer is yes! Diamonds have been found in the United States, all the way from North Carolina to California and from Georgia to Wisconsin. Why are d ...
Guide to Metals Used in Jewelry Making - Part 2 - Silver(Post)Guide to Metals Used in Designer Jewelry Making - Part 2 - Silver After gold, silver is the most malleable and pliant metal, but the major drawback of Silver is it does tend to tarnish. The History o ...
Guide to Designer Cabochon Shapes(Page)Designer cabochons are custom cut. Designer or custom cut cabochons are usually semi precious stone cabochons that are not cut in mass production or standard or calibrated shapes and sizes ...
The History of Stone Cutting and Polishing(Page)When asked what I do for a living, my response is usually “Lapidary”. This inevitably gets the “Huh?” response. Most people have no idea that there is a lapidary field and t ...
Precious vs Semiprecious Stones(Page) "Gemstone Cabochons" or "gems" are not scientific terms, but rather collective names for all ornamental stones usually cut and polished for jewelry. The realm of gemstones is very large.
Stone Cabochon Information(Page)A "cabochon" is described as gemstone that is not faceted, but is cut into a convex and usually highly polished shape. Cabochons are for jewelry making, but can be used in other crafts too. The s ...
About Us(Page)We have been in the designer cabochons, as well as the rocks and mineral business, for 40+ years! When Bruce was a small boy growing up in California, his Uncle Harry used to take him out rock hou ...
History of Mining Gemstones(Page) Mining is described as the process of physically removing minerals, rock, or ore from the earth's surface. This includes underground mining and surface mining. Archeological discoveries ...
Cutting Designer Cabochons(Page) Making jewelry using semiprecious stone cabochons: There are four standard ways of making jewelry. There is lost wax casting-where the design is done in wax and then cast in metal, th ...
Focal Point Drilled Stone Beads (Page) Drilled stone beads and gemstone focal point bead pendants. These gorgeous larger focal point beads are custom cut for the creative beader, jeweler or wire wrapper. At Barlows Gems we hav ...