News
Just What She Had In Mind - New Jewelry From Old June 27, 2019 17:51
Sue had three rings containing nine diamonds that she was not wearing any longer. She had an idea in her head for all the gold and diamonds to be combined into a single ring.
She wanted it to be 10-11mm wide at the top and taper down. She wanted the diamonds to be set as low as possible. We can do that! We sent a quick sketch to Jere (at first she had 7 diamonds, then found a pair of earrings so the sketch shows 7).
Jere took my lovely (!) sketch and sent me back several CAD images for Sue to look at.
Sue approved the CAD image, so we cut the wax. Sue took at look at it and said, "That is exactly what I had in mind." Next step was melting down her old gold, casting the ring, setting all the diamonds and polishing everything up. The result was this:
Well, Sue was beside herself when she picked up the ring. One of the things we love about our "job" is helping people bring a piece of jewelry from thought to reality. Sue let me get my phone and capture some of her happiness:
Chimera Design Crafts Custom Jewelry Using Elk Ivory April 12, 2019 13:05
Chimera Design has crafted many pieces of custom jewelry featuring elk ivory over the years.
In Which Cliff Changes His Mind About Moissanite March 16, 2019 17:52
Cliff was never a big fan of Moissanite. That all changed in 2015 and he explains why in this blog post.
We Can Help You With Inherited Jewelry February 20, 2019 15:44
Inherit some jewelry and not sure what is or is not valuable? Chimera Design can help you.Chimera Design Now Offers Pocket Watch Repair & Service August 8, 2018 10:50 1 Comment
We now offer service, repair, and restoration of pocket watches.
Learn To Be A Bench Jeweler - Get a Job Anywhere in The Country July 10, 2018 13:27
The jewelry industry has a need for skilled workers. There is a demand for trained bench jewelers all over the country.Cliff Explains Karats, Carats, and Carrots June 29, 2018 15:53
Ever wonder about karat, carat, and carrot? Three words that sound the same but have nothing to do with each other.Why Is My Ring Turning My Finger Black? May 1, 2018 13:25
We get this question from time to time. Mostly from women, but also from men once in a while. The answer can be quite complicated (sorry). It can be as simple as taking the ring off at night, but it can be very complex and involve medications or hand lotions.
The answer below was copied from one of our favorite trade magazines, InStore. This was in the April 2018 edition. It is an excellent summary of areas to investigate if your ring is causing a reaction:
"Here is some helpful information: What do you do with a customer who claims their rings are turning their finger black?
Ask her if she’s recently changed her choice of hand lotion or make-up. This is the most common cause of such smudging, as cosmetics often contain chemical compounds, which — astonishingly — are harder than the jewelry itself. When these hard compounds come in contact with jewelry metals, abrasion occurs, causing tiny particles of metal to break off as a black dust. When mixed with perspiration or other liquids, it results in the alarming black stain.
It’s also possible that a change in diet or even a new course of medication is resulting in a chemical reaction where perspiration and metal meet. If she is going swimming with her jewelry on, chlorine is another possible suspect. To prevent the smudging, suggest she avoid cosmetics that contain zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, ferric oxide and calamine.
Also, tell her to try removing the rings while applying cosmetics and cleaning her fingers with soap and water in areas that will be in contact with her jewelry. Finally, if the problem persists, suggest she consider having the inside of the bands coated with rhodium to prevent such a reaction."
InStore Magazine "Ask InStore" April 2018 edition
Public Service Announcement - Don't Wear Rings To The Gym January 9, 2018 15:53
Do NOT wear gold/silver/platinum rings to the gym.Yellow Diamonds - Engagement Rings That Stand Out - $2,500 and up. January 5, 2018 12:17
We love Fancy Yellow Diamonds. Take a look....Blue Zircon Is A Rocking Gemstone - We Love It October 6, 2017 15:37
Blue Zircon is a natural gemstone - most folks immediately think of the man made cubic zirconia or "CZ" when you mention blue zircon. NO NO NO!
Blue Zircon is the traditional birthstone for December.
One of the main reasons we LOVE it is the way it sparkles because of the high refractive index and strong dispersion characteristics. What all the mumbo jumbo means is that blue zircon sparkles and winks like crazy!
It is our belief that blue zircon is waaaay underappreciated as an accent gem or even as the Main Event! Here is an engagement ring we just did for a couple. She stopped in the other day to tell me she had been getting a ton of compliments:
Another recent ring we did involved using blue zircon to accent the center stone:
One last example for you - we made this rose gold bracelet for a couple - blue zircon is her birthstone and we alternated them with diamonds. Suh-weet!
One closing statement - NONE of these pictures capture the sparkle and fire of blue zircon. You really need to see it in person to fully appreciate the POW! this gem will bring to your jewelry.
Chimera Design Has The Solution For Curved Engagement Rings July 15, 2017 10:22
The Loving Embrace curved bands will fit 95% of all engagement rings.