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Lapidary
Art

​Interested in hands-on creative crafting?

Lapidary arts involve cabbing, faceting, and sculpting fossils, minerals, and gemstones into functional, decorative, and wearable creations!  The club’s artists have a few recommendations on where to start...

Subjects relative to lapidary art:

  • Art
    • Jewelry Crafting
      • Faceting
      • Cabbing
      • Tumbling
      • Carving
      • Engraving
      • Intarsia
      • Inlay Stones
      • Wire Wrapping
      • Stone Setting
      • Wax Molding
      • Metal Casting
    • Architecture
    • Sculpture
    • Stone Masonry
    • Graphic Design
    • Photography
  • History / Literature
    • Archaeology
    • Ancient Civilizations
    • Social Studies

    • World Religion

  • Science

    • Chemistry
    • Earth Sciences
      • Geology
      • Gemology

      • Mineralogy

  • Technology

    • 3D Modeling

    • Cartography

  • Engineering

    • Manufacturing

  • Mathematics

    • Geometry

Key search terms:

  • lapidary art

  • jewelry

  • gemstone

  • faceting

  • cabochon

  • cabbing

  • tumbling

  • carving

  • engraving

  • intarsia

  • inlay stones

  • wire wrapping

  • stone setting

Tools for creating lapidary art:

  • vise (and/or loupe)

  • scribe (and stencils)

  • dop wax (and stick)

  • saw

  • grinding wheels

  • sanding wheels

  • cabbing machine

  • faceting machine

  • polishing wheel

  • tumbler (with grits)

Careers involving lapidary art:

  • lapidary artist

  • gemstone facetor

  • diamond facetor

  • jewelry designer

  • bench jeweler

  • fabrication artist

  • sculptor

  • stone mason

  • graphic designer

  • 3D model maker

  • technical staff

  • set designer

  • museum curator

  • teacher

  • salesperson

Resource

Education

Jewelry

Organizations

  • American Gem Society (AGS)

    • “The American Gem Society is the country’s preeminent jewelry trade organization dedicated to consumer protection.”
  • American Gem Trade Association (AGTA)

    • “The AGTA is recognized within the jewelry trade as the authoritative source on natural colored gemstones: “The voice of the natural colored gemstone, pearl and cultured pearl industries.””

Pendant

Pendant

Member created wire wrap pendant in 2013.

Variscite

Variscite

Member created wire wrap Variscite pendant.

Pendant

Pendant

Member created wire wrap pendant.

Agate

Agate

Member created wire wrap pendant featured in the [November 2009] newsletter. Find it in the Archive:

Topaz & Citrine

Topaz & Citrine

Faceted stones made during the 2009 show’s lapidary demonstration, and auctioned at the 2009 summer picnic (a member perk). Events & Shows:

Mt St Helens

Mt St Helens

Member created wire wrap Mt St Helens pendant.

Rhodolite Garnet | Zircon | Montana Sapphire | Peridot | Iolite

Rhodolite Garnet | Zircon | Montana Sapphire | Peridot | Iolite

Member faceted gemstones featured in the [November 2008] newsletter. Find it in the Archive:

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