Mardon Jewelers at the Mission Inn

One of the fascinating things about jewelry is how often it reflects history.  We have a very interesting pin that shows just how much our world has changed in the past two centuries– just compare this pin with the item described in our previous Blog, 3-D Precious Portraits!

This may be the oldest item in our estate department.  It’s a silhouette portrait pin in 14K rose gold that probably dates to the early 19th century.

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My daughter Jenny and I have been developing a new product for several months and just finished the first prototype. Our CAD/CAM system with ArtCam software gives us the capability to convert photographs and digital images into three-dimensional renderings on precious metal!  I decided to try making some Christmas presents to test out the technology, using some fun pictures of my friends.

Last summer, my good friend and fishing buddy Dan had a great week visiting my brother at his new lodge near Willow, Alaska, just south of Denali National Park.  On a glorious August day, we floated down Little Willow Creek on CataRafts.  We didn’t catch much at all, but friend Dan did snag this tiny 6-inch grayling – his first ever.  As a joke, I had him hold it out toward the camera so it would look bigger in the picture.  I was amazed how well we were able to capture his big grin.

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Every year in the fall, I receive the materials to prepare for my annual recertification exam.  Sigh!  All titleholders in the American Gem Society are required to pass an examination of skills and gemological knowledge annually.  The AGS hosts yearly conclaves around the USA, in which seminars and classes present the latest information on gemology and the retail jewelry business. The subject matter of the recertification exam reflects much of what is presented at Conclave.

This year, a large portion of the exam dealt with the latest techniques of diamond grading the AGS way.  Our AGS Laboratory and research team are at the forefront of diamond grading, along with sister organization the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).  The innovative AGS Diamond Grading System is probably the most advanced and stringent of all, particularly regarding cut grading.
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Harley riders are known for customizing their bikes with loads of chrome and plenty of fancy leather. We just acquired a perfect watch that will show off the rider too!

When we purchased this watch, I wasn’t familiar with the Bill Wall phenomenon—the owner offhandedly said “The bracelet is a Bill Wall original,” which went right over my head.  In researching the provenance, I was amazed by the story.

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Cameos are carvings of gem materials in which the subject carved is in positive relief from the base of the cameo, as opposed to Intaglios, where the subject is carved negatively (into the surface of the gem material).  Cameos are more often seen in jewelry objects where the beauty of the piece is foremost, the carved subject being much more visual and accessible.  Intaglios are more utilitarian, most often seen in “signet” type rings where the carving would be only be shown in relief after being impressed into sealing wax or similar materials.
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Recently, we had the pleasure of creating a one-of-a-kind engagement ring for a young man who is a student at our local Cal Baptist University, and is also in the Marine Corps.  As you might expect, our Cal Baptist clients take marriage seriously – one of the standing jokes around campus is “It’s spring, do you have the Ring?”

Our client, let’s call him “Dan,” had some definite ideas about what he wanted, but needed our help selecting the center stone and developing the design.  He also had female “helpers” – friends of the couple who knew more about jewelry than he did. Of course, since he’s a student, his budget was pretty much fixed.

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We recently followed a thread on the Orchid forum about “bloomed” gold. We have a beautiful example of bloomed gold in our estate department, a great Art Nouveau ring set with a very nice precious coral cameo and diamonds.

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Sometimes a gemstone can surprise us in very unexpected ways, painting a picture in the mind of the beholder.  A couple of years ago, I opened a shipment of opals from Lightning Ridge, Australia and was absolutely “rocked” by this magnificent boulder opal.

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While photographing gems for our website, I was working with a really beautiful Australian opal, a “picture” stone with lots of bright red rolling flash. We shoot with a 100 mm f/2.8 macro lens mated to a Canon Rebel XT in our ImageDome, and can really get great close-ups.  Looking through the camera, I noticed some fine lines in the face of the opal that I hadn’t seen before.  My first thought was “Oh no!”

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Recently, I asked the staff at Mardon for ideas and suggestions for this Blog.  My beautiful wife Kaye told me about a dream she had about her grandfather, who was a businessman during the Great Depression of the 1930’s.  She remembers him always saying, “I’m too poor to buy cheap”.  Lately, I’ve been pondering the dilemma posed by the difficult economy we all face today, so this simple phrase really struck home.

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