Celebrating the Arizona  Centennial

 

H-0285

Emerald Blue Islands

 18K yellow gold slide pendant & pin featuring 
a carved Gem Silica (Chrysocolla in Quartz) 
with dendritic Malachite 44.4 carats, 
faceted rectangular Colombian Emerald 8.0 x 5.25mm, 1.30 carats,
 faceted square Colombian Emerald 2.8 x 2.8mm, 0.09 carats, 
two round faceted Montana Sapphires:
 blue 0.51 carats, blue/green 1.03 carats, 
10.8 grams 18K yellow gold

 

 

Gem Silica is the trade name for the most precious Chalcedony Quartz of all.
 It is just as the red-orange cornelian or the green Chrysoprase Chalcedony
 varieties, the crypto-crystalline group of Quartz, 
but it comes in a vivid blue color. The material is Chalcedony 
penetrated by the blue mineral Chrysocolla, and it may also be drusy Quartz. 
The mineral Chrysocolla is very soft when found by itself, 
but when it colors Quartz we have a hard lapidary gem material. 
The more translucent and the more intense the color is, the higher the price is,
 reaching legendary status. The best material comes from Arizona, 
from the old Inspiration Mine near Globe, and today from the Ray Mine,
 also near Globe. It may also have veins of malachite, 
even dendritic or chatoyant malachite that makes it even more unique.

 

Speckled Earth & Sky

 H-0409  

 14K gold necklace  Slide pendant with natural Turquoise 
with pyrite inclusions from Kingman, Arizona, 24.39 carats,
 Cuprite with Chrysocolla 
and copper free-form cab from Morenci, Arizona, 16.97 carat,  
faceted oval Peridot from San Carlos, Arizona 1.19 carats, 
round faceted Blue Zircon 0.28 carat,
 two round faceted Spessartite Garnets 0.40 carat total weight

Detachable strand 18"  long, 14K gold clasps, 
barrel-shape shattukite-cuprite-chrysocolla-malachite beads, 
large Whitewater Turquoise bead 16.03 carats, 14K roundel beads, 
oval hammered copper flat chain, copper beads.

 

 

The reddish-burgundy-colored mineral Cuprite penetrates this
 complex copper ore that has veins of greenish-blue Chrysocolla,
 quartz, malachite, azurite and copper inclusions, 
and was mined at the Morenci Mine 
near the town of Clifton in southeastern Arizona

 

 Turquoise Sky

H-0229

Necklace 20"  with detachable slide pendant/pin

14K gold & Sterling Silver, carved natural Turquoise 
from the Hachita Mine, just over the Arizona border into New Mexico, 
260.0 carats, peach-color Sapphires 
from Montana 0.74 carats total weight, 
sterling silver Silver Faces setting carved in wax and then cast. 
A detachable strand of natural Whitewater Arizona Turquoise beads, 
sterling silver large toggle clasp.

   

Baby Blue  

H-0420

Free-form carved natural turquoise from the Hatchite Mine,
 just over the border from Arizona into New Mexico, 
201.0 carats, with a sterling silver loop.

Detachable strand 18" long with medium-large 
Arizona Whitewater Turquoise beads, four carved citrine beads, 
large oval lobster clasp and double eye loop, 
two sterling silver roundel beads, 
silk knotted stringing.

 

Flowing Desert Rivers  

H-0423

Pendant with carved Turquoise from the Sleeping Beauty Mine
 near Globe, Arizona, 70.0 carats in the front and with 
Silver Faces (on the back) carved in wax 
and then cast in sterling silver
 35.0 grams.

 Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Carving  

ST-683

 112- carat all-natural, un- treated, 
carved Turquoise from the 
Sleeping Beauty Mine
 near Globe Arizona. 

In Private Collection

  This carving was recently featured in the article
 "Tucson Twenty Ten"  by appraiser, gemologist and author 
Diana Jarrett, published in the April 2010 issue of the international 
Jewellery Business Magazine. 

In the article, Helen is quoted saying:

 "Turquoise is very popular, and when worn in jewelry pieces, 
it makes a bold statement. The all-natural, untreated Turquoise from 
the Sleeping Beauty Mine, near Globe, Arizona, 
in this size, is truly a rarity, and is sought after and appreciated
 by gem collectors and jewelry loversï"

 

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Carving  

ST-683

Helen carves natural Arizona Turquoise

 

 

 Silver Faces

H-0257

 Tres de Mayo Turquoise
 Pendant/ Pin

 Pendant and pin with Silver Faces, 
carved in wax and then cast sterling silver, 
stabilized natural Turquoise free-form cab 
2.82 carats from the 
Tres de Mayo Claims, 
Santa Cruz County, Arizona

 

 H-0259

 Silver Faces 
Kingman Turquoise
 Pendant/ Pin

Pendant and pin with Silver Faces,
carved in wax and then cast sterling silver, 
with a natural Turquoise freeform cab
 with pyrite inclusions 
9.22 carats 
Kingman, Arizona.

 

Silverwork cast at Annapolis Precious Metals (APM)

Photos by Andy and Helen Serras Herman

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Page last modified 01/17/12.
 
 
 
 
 

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