Stephen is a true artisan
in design and a master goldsmith. He
embarked on his career as a jeweler at a
very early age. He pursued this
career because he had a passion for design,
sculpture and gemstones. He established his
business in 1973.
An award-winning designer, Stephen is
known for bold sculptural shapes and flowing
elegant lines. Every design that is created is
truly a unique work of art. Stephen and Cindy have
an eye for detail and quality and it shows in the
finished pieces.
Stephen and Cindy specialize in precious
Montana and Yogo Sapphires. We are very
fortunate to live in a state that produces such
versatile precious gems. We take every opportunity
to introduce these beautiful stones to people
visiting our shop” Explained Stephen. “Cindy and I
painstakingly hand pick our gems and use only the
finest. Each gemstone has it’s own personality
and to design around them is very stimulating”
To start a custom project with us just drop
in, call us or email us with your idea. We
listen to your idea and then visualize it by doing
rough sketches of the piece first and then decide
which method of creation will fit your piece best.
We have two methods that we use:
The first method is called Lost Wax
Casting. This process begins with the carving
of a special wax, which you get to look at and
approve before we cast it. Upon approval, the wax
is secured in a cylinder and invested with a
substance that is similar to Plaster of Paris,
which creates an airtight mold around the wax.
Once the investment is set, we use a special
machine called a centrifuge to force molten metal
into the investment. The hot metal burns away the
wax and is condensed into the mold by centrifugal
force. It is then cooled, and ready for the
buffing room, where it is cleaned, polished and
finished.
The second method is Hand Forging. Hand
forging is an old world technique similar to
blacksmithing. The metal is worked by hand using
saws, mallets, dremel tools and hammers. It might
sound like a crude technique but it is amazing
what a practiced hand can accomplish. All of the
pieces have a beautiful hand crafted quality to
them and the fact that they are unique and made
especially to fit you makes them priceless.
If your piece requires gemstones, we
have an extensive collection of loose stones
to
pick from, if we don’t have what you are looking
for, we can use one of our many reliable resources
to find it. Whether you are looking for just
the
right gemstone, or a certain style of ring. Our
custom process is tailored to fit your needs.
