Greetings from Canada EH! lol

Hello, Canadiangoldhunter here, finally posting my hello to you all I am a Canadian Prospector, gem & mineral collector, silver stacker and coin collector. I am currently working towards starting a small business doing small scale mining and prospecting, my eventual goal is to teach others the industry. I also have an interest in lapidary arts, smelting and refining however I have not delved much into that yet. Cheers to you all and Thank you for having me as a member in this great group.

You will bud. Welcome to the mad House

High Canadiangoldhunter, that's a fine 'resume' good luck with all and welcome.

I've only just seen this, how interesting, looking forward to following your endeavors!

What are lapidary arts out of interest?

Lapidary arts is the practice of shaping stone, minerals, or gemstones into decorative items such as cabochons, engraved gems (including cameos), and faceted designs.

I am trying to branch into as many parts of the broader industries that all interconnect, some choose to specialize on one field or branch, I see opportunity to tap into many at once and give myself more opportunities for what I want to achieve. I am also a "knowledge" addict lol I love learning new things and this is an area I never had drive to learn until I came across a Dan Hurd video on youtube, then I found the prospecting community on YT, along with that came the silver pouring channels and the coin channels and so on lol through meeting all the people in chats, talking to people, ive been able to learn a ton and get to the point where I feel confident in what ive been taught and have been starting to put things into practice so to say but I know I still have much to learn too lol

hi CanadianGoldHunter, u certainly dont have a dull life! welcome to the forum

Hi @Canadiangoldhunter and welcome to the forum.    

Thank you very much WeeBear and Fortune8 WeeBear I try to keep busy lol

CanadianGoldHunter wrote:Lapidary arts is the practice of shaping stone, minerals, or gemstones into decorative items such as cabochons, engraved gems (including cameos), and faceted designs.  

I am trying to branch into as many parts of the broader industries that all interconnect, some choose to specialize on one field or branch, I see opportunity to tap into many at once and give myself more opportunities for what I want to achieve. I am also a "knowledge" addict lol I love learning new things and this is an area I never had drive to learn until I came across a Dan Hurd video on youtube, then I found the prospecting community on YT, along with that came the silver pouring channels and the coin channels and so on lol  through meeting all the people in chats, talking to people, ive been able to learn a ton and get to the point where I feel confident in what ive been taught and have been starting to put things into practice so to say but I know I still have much to learn too lol

Wow :O You have many strings to your bow indeed and I'm looking forward very much to hopefully hearing more about your progress and works!

What are cabochons, and cameos on engraved gems please?

A Cabochon is a mineral or gemstone that has been shaped and polished, as opposed to faceted, usually with a rounded oval profile, most jewellery manufacturers will surround the Cabochon with a wire wrap (usually silver or gold) to use the polished item in their piece.

A cameo is a hard mineral or precious gemstone often agate or onyx that is carved in relief so that the carved figures project from the supporting background, Jewellers will often carve their Cabochons into Cameos to mount into decorative mounts which can then be used to make necklaces, earrings.....and so on


Indeed I do have many things on the go, lots to learn if I want to achieve my goals ambition guides me down the path I take and I cant wait to share with others the joys I have found in what im doing and working on Rome wasnt built in a day nor will my business be, however if I take the right steps and learn the right skills, great things can come of it, not just for me but for the greater good of helping my community and fellow humans

Wow again, many thanks indeed  @CanadianGoldHunter ! I have seen some fascinating Cabochon videos before then, mainly opals. If I recall correctly the chap spent an awful lot of time trying to judge the best way to approach each stone, to ensure the best possible shape and colour and light through each one - it was a real art, and I was amazed by his results.

I've never seen a cameo then, I'll be looking out for those now! That sounds very tricky, I can't imagine it. I hope you'll post your progress here and I can't wait to see more from you!  

Another aspect of cameo is cameo glass, where the vessel, usually a vase, is blown from layered glass. This is often a coloured interior with a white casing. When the vessel has cooled and hardened the white casing is ground away to create the design, which shows up against the coloured inner layer of glass. Thomas Webb of Stourbridge were renowned for the quality of their cameo glass, and surviving examples are very valuable. Cameo glass is also produced by individual artists today.
The Romans produced a great deal of cameo jewellery from agate and also glass - the Portland Vase in the British Museum is possibly the most famous example in the UK. It was lent by its then owner to Josiah Wedgewood, who managed to create a copy in ceramic. The vase was also copied in glass, and that version is in the Corning Museum in New York. Unfortunately, the Roman original was smashed by a drunken vandal in 1845. Several attempts at restoration have been made, with the latest being in 1988/89.
A bit off piste for a precious metal forum, perhaps, but a fascinating story.