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<=> <=> <=> <=> E-BENCH <=> <=> <=> <=>
The E-Mail Newsletter
for Bench Jewelers
November 2006
Volume 7 Issue 11 circulation over 4,400
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4th
Annual
Bench Jewelers
Conference & Expo
April 27 –
29, 2007
Pre-Conference
Seminar April 26th
For More Information & to Register log onto:
http://www.BWSimon.com/Conference
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<=> <=> ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER <=> <=>
E-BENCH is a FREE monthly newsletter for Retail
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
The
Ganoksin Project
www.ganoksin.com
The Gem and Jewelry Pre-Eminent Online
Resources. Open to the
public
Free of
Charge.
A substantial library of articles,
publications, reports, and technical data on
gem and jewelry related topics; as well as a
sizable collection of art and jewelry
galleries, for both the casual visitor and the
professional, also host the popular Orchid
online forums for jewelers.
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<=> <=> <=> TIPS FOR JEWELERS <=> <=> <=>
Tips for Jewelers Who Do Repairs
From Alan Revere
A FILE-SAFE PLAN:
Modifying Files for Working Near Stones
Most flat and square files—both large hand
files and small needle files—have cutting
surfaces on all four sides and edges. The
sharp edges are great if you want to carve a 90
degree groove into a piece of metal, but can be
problematic for certain applications, such as
finishing a bezel setting. If you want to
clean up the top of a setting, a file with
sharp cutting surfaces and edges all around
will put the stone in danger. However, with a
little effort, you can modify a file that will
allow you to play it safe.
First, prepare a safe surface on the one side
of a fine-cut (#4 or #6) square needle file.
(Note: You can also use the following steps to
modify barrette needle files, which are great
for finishing prongs.) To do this, carefully
lay one side of the file against the spinning
wheel of a bench grinder and draw it across,
removing the abrasive cuts on that side of the
file. Repeat until the
cuts are completely
removed.
After rough grinding, take the file to an oiled
sharpening stone—the kind you use to sharpen
gravers, drill bits, blades, etc. Hold the
file flat against the stone and rub it back and
forth to smooth the new surface and remove
marks left by grinding. When the surface is
smooth, knock the cuts off the edges on both
sides of the newly cleaned surface.
With all remnants of the original cuts removed,
use progressively finer grits of abrasive paper
to bring the surface and adjacent edges to a
polish. Begin with 220
grit paper held against
a flat surface. Proceed
to 320, 400 and 600
grit. Finish up with 4/0
polishing paper. The
file should shine on one side.
And with that you have a file that is safe for
finishing bezels and prongs. Keeping in mind
that all stones can be damaged by abrasion,
place the safe surface very lightly against the
stone and file the setting to perfection.
This tip is from 101 Bench Tips for Jewelers
written by Alan Revere and published by
MJSA/AJM Press.
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
To have striven, to have made the effort, to
have been true to certain ideals - this alone
is worth the struggle.
William Penn
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<=> <=> <=> COLORED STONES <=> <=> <=>
Learn all about handling colored stones from
gemstone cutter
AQUAMARINE
Aquamarine is the blue to greenish-blue variety
of the mineral beryl. It can range from a very
pale blue to fairly intense blue or greenish
blue. Aquamarine is
almost always heat
treated; sometimes at the mine site, but
usually after cutting, to drive off the
greenish or yellowish component, leaving the
more popular pure blue hue. This has been done
for so long now that younger buyers often do
not associate the natural greenish-blue color
with aquamarine! The
unheated material is
always sought after by cutters as it is highly
regarded by gem connoisseurs and fine jewelers.
aquamarine, and it is also found in many other
locations around the world, including North
material, a rather intense pure blue similar to
after its Brazilian location), has long
disappeared from the marketplace, and the
finest source of high grade aquamarine today is
Maria Afrique, and the very limited
supply has
doubled in price in the past few months.
Three to ten carat top Brazilian goods range
from $100 to $600 per carat, depending on
intensity of color, while fine cut
Afrique ranges easily to $1000 per
carat. No
price differential is seen between heat-treated
and natural gems. Aquamarine, along with
tourmaline and spinel, has become
one of the
fastest appreciating gems in terms of cost.
The hardness of aquamarine is usually reported
as 7.5 to 8, but some gems have been tested and
shown to be less than 7, so some caution is
advised. Aquamarine is
not especially brittle,
but heat should be avoided. The stone itself
is not particularly heat sensitive, but it may
contain invisible liquid-filled inclusions
which, when heated, turn to gas as they expand,
and can shatter a stone. If heated much hotter
than 450 degrees Centigrade, aquamarine is
likely to turn chalky white or colorless. The
ultrasonic is safe if you use caution not to
plunge the stone from room temperature to
boiling. Pickle
presents no problems, but the
stone should be allowed to cool first.
The Russians have been successful in creating
synthetic aquamarine. As the price for darker
natural aquamarine continues to skyrocket, we
can expect to see more of this material in the
marketplace, although the price of the
synthetic keeps it in the luxury synthetic
class. I see prices
from $30 per carat for
poorly cut, big-bellied material with windows
to $80 per carat for properly cut, brilliant
goods in 3-7 carat sizes. The synthetic is
generally very clean and therefore heat
resistant to 700 degrees Centigrade or so, but
you will purify the color at around 500
degrees. Consequently
you should avoid direct
torch heat, but otherwise treat it the same as
natural.
You can contact
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
Humor is the great thing, the saving thing.
The minute it crops up, all our irritations and
resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes
their place.
Mark Twain
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
Jewelry Dealers
World Trade Network
http://www.JewelryDealersNetwork.com
<=> Bench Jeweler Discussion Channel <=>
Ask questions, share tips, and take part in the
ongoing discussions, or just read and take in
all the advice from many excellent jewelers
from around the world.
Membership includes: Topical Discussion
Channels, including
Bench Work, CAD-CAM, Stone Setting, and many
more. You may buy, sell
and trade on the
Buy/Sell Channels, Plus Much More.
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<=> <=> Tips & Tricks from
Attach a sponge lightly saturated with
oil to
your rolling mill. Place one sponge above the
top roller and one sponge below the
bottom
roller. As you use the mill, the sponges will
keep the rollers clean and the oil will
keep
them from rusting. Before you use it, turn the
rollers one complete turn to clean any
dust or
debris that has accumulated on the
rollers.
You can keep the sponges in place with
binding
wire. Just make sure you keep everything away
from the gears.
You can contact Brad at Brad@BWSimon.com
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
Forget about the consequences of failure.
Failure is only a temporary change in direction
to set you straight for your next success.
Denis Waitley
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
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<=> <=> AT THE PLATINUM BENCH <=> <=>
Tips that make working with Platinum or
working at the bench in general easier-
from Jurgen J. Maerz CMBJ,
Director of Technical Education
for Platinum Guild International
http://www.pgi-platinum-tech.com
CDs make great sanding surfaces. Glue the CD
to the back of sand paper and cut it out around
the CD. When placed on
a polishing spindle, it
makes a perfectly flat sanding or polishing
surface.
((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))
<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways
and be wise! It has no
commander, no overseer
or rules, yet it stores its provisions in
summer and gathers its food at harvest.
Proverbs 6 : 6 - 8
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<=> <=> <=> Gemz from Gerry <=> <=> <=>
Stone setting tips from Gemz Diamond Setting
http://www.gemzdiamondsetting.com
by Gerald N. Lewy
Mini-Vacation
Have you been sitting too long
at your bench
peg and wondering what is
going wrong? Get up,
stretch your legs, grab a
coffee, and just let
your mind go for a walk.
Your mind needs a total rest. Take a break (a
mini-vacation) from your
work to give your mind
time to recover. When you get back in a few
minutes, your solution will
come to you faster,
your work will go smoother,
and your overall
productivity will increase.
((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))
<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
Enthusiasm is that secret and harmonious spirit
which hovers over the production of genius.
Isaac Disraeli
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
For over 60 years,
jewelry supplier, has provided quality
products, unsurpassed selection and legendary
service to help professional jewelers succeed.
* Gems & Findings division offers finished
jewelry, findings and gemstones
* Display & Packaging division offers
innovative display and packaging
* Tools division offers equipment and supplies
Call us at 1-800-545-6566 or visit us at
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<=>
<=> WORKSHOP SAFETY FOR
JEWELERS <=> <=>
Workshop Safety Tips From Charles Lewton-Brian
Getting Things Caught In the
Polishing Machine
The number of polishing
motor accidents
reported in a survey
conducted on the Orchid
jewelers internet list was
quite high, and if
you ask any jeweler they
will have a horror
story or two about a
polishing machine. Always
hold things intelligently
while polishing.
If polishing machines were
connected to a foot
operated cutoff switch some
of the damage
inflicted would be
eliminated as the machine
would be shut down the
moment anything
happened. Some jewelers like to use a
polishing motor that is not
very powerful just
for this reason, so that if
something happens
the user can stop the
machine easily. I
however recommend the foot
switch instead.
The number of incidents of hair
getting caught
in polishing machines is
truly frightening. I
have seen it myself several
times. Keep your
hair tied back and under
control. On the door
to our polishing room is a
bag of rubber bands
with a sign that says: Keep
Hair Tied Up.
For more information on Workshop safety from
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/safety.htm
((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))
<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but
he is braver five minutes longer.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
MJSA Expo
March
18-20, 2007
Cutting-edge technologies, the latest
equipment, new supplies, in-demand services,
the finest gemstones in the AGTA Pavilion, and
a premier selection of finished products in the
MJSA Gems & Jewelry Showcase, all at one
location:
trade show in the
manufacturing (more than 400 exhibits), and a
full schedule of technical and educational
seminars as well as live demonstrations on the
show floor, where attendees can see the latest
manufacturing techniques and technologies in
action at no additional cost.
MJSA Expo
For more information or to register online,
visit: http://www.mjsa.org
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<=> <=> Thank You for
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Visit often, as we will be making changes to
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Information provided in this document is
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