well worth the reward. I also rarely say ‘no’ when clients bring gems for me to work with. Even if it's something I hav- en't done before. It forces me to think outside of the box when it comes to setting stones in new and different ways.” Luciano entered the business first as an opal cutter, but through necessity, at the request of a major retail client, he decided to learn the craft of jewelry making. After nearly a decade of that work, Luciano wanted to move into the artisan market, making true one- of-a-kind pieces. Naturally, he took
carving wax and making perfect channels for the opal inlays. I became known for using single pieces of opal inlaid in voids. Eventually, I started producing other pieces using the solid stone.” Still, Luciano continues to push himself to test new concepts, designing pieces around single opal stones, and integrating other types of metal and even rare gemstones. And this is one of the char- acteristics that separates these artisan jewelers from most––they know their craft inside and out and continually strive to create unique pieces. They also go to great lengths to find the highest quality gemstones and help their clients find truly unique pieces they will cherish for their lifetime. “I look for something called "crys- tal", an ethereal quality to a gem,” Paul said. “Not all gems have this. It is a brilliance to a particular stone that attracts the eye. I can look
one significant piece of equipment this past year that has allowed me to do things I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise––a laser welder.” With the welder, Shelli can fuse met- al without applying heat, which mini- mizes stone break- age if the stone has already been set. When Paul first got into jewelry making, he started
their clients and the type of gems they find that keep their designs and craft at the leading edge. “I fell in love with the look of jewelry created by the late Charles Duncan,” Shelli said. “He originally created the method for fusing 14k yellow gold to sterling silver that I still use today.” Shelli studied under Charles Duncan and then made it her mission to carry on his legacy and method of gold fu- sion. Still, she strives to push her own boundaries and continually evolve her work.
Isabelle Posillico's tool set.
opals he can find. He travels the Aus - tralian Outback, which produces four types of opals––milky white, crystal, boulder, and black––on the hunt for unique stones. Beyond the gems: A love of the craft As much as each of these master jewelers love gemstones, they have an equal admiration for metalwork and the craft of jewelry making. “Tools are almost as big an addiction for jewelers as the gems themselves,” said Shelli Kahl, jewelry artist known by many as Shell-Bell. “In addition to various torches, forming tools and polishing equipment, I have added
with a foundation of silver soldering and metalworking skills that he had obtained while working as a musical instrument technician. He has contin- ued to build upon his skill set, adding gemologist, goldsmith and several other credentials to his arsenal. “I started with basic metalsmithing skills in silver,” he said. “I then became trained as a goldsmith in the ancient technique of granulation, the art of creating decorative patterns of small granules fused to gold. The roots go back 5,000 years to the Egyptians, Byzantines and Etruscans.” Adding to this, Paul most recently studied chasing and repoussé with the well-known master Fabrizio Acquafresca from Florence Italy. He is using this technique to create a new line of Aspen leaf earrings. One of the most unique tools Paul uses, however, is his blowpipe torch. “The blowpipe torch allows me to supply the oxygen to create the type of flame necessary to fuse gold at about 1800 degrees,” he said. “There is a little breath of me in each piece.” For Isabelle, her toolset is almost as varied as her gemstone collec- tion, but there are a few favorites she continually returns to. “I work with sheet and wire, so I bend, soldier and cut things to handcraft every piece,” Isabelle said. “I also have a big hydraulic press that will allow me to bend the metal in a more dimensional way. I have a rolling mill that allows me to put metal and paper togeth- er to press the texture of the paper into the metal.” Learning as much as they can
Boulder opal pendant by Luciano Bortone
the quality of a gem and metal before buying a piece of jewelry, they encour- age collectors to go with what brings them joy. As long as you’re buying from a reputable source, let your heart
“often people will try a ring or pendAnt and their eyes just light up. I can feel the energy and know this is their piece.” -Paul farmer
at thousands of stones and find only a few that have this quality that makes me stop and choose a stone. This
Opal bracelet by Luciano Bortone
on a style of jewelry making that not many had attempted. “Initially, I was doing the lost wax casting method,” he said. “But nearly 40 years ago, when I first started doing inlay, where the opal is inlaid into a void, I wondered how I could create perfect voids. One of my friends said I needed a mill. With the mill, I started
is what makes a difference in my work. I start with the stone before I design and handcraft a piece of art.” While they each place great value on knowing
“Over the past 20 years I have certainly evolved, and most recently I have been known to throw caution to the wind, working with more soft stones like that I'd never have con- sidered in my earlier years due to fear that I'd break them,” she said. “Now I'm more inclined to take a risk, be- cause more often than not the risk is
guide you. “They should know what the ingre-
dients are, how these mate- rials will hold up for everyday wear (if that's the intent versus something for a special occasion) and how the jew- eler intends to warranty each piece,” Shelli said. “But most importantly, they just need to know how that piece of jewelry makes them feel. Does it make them smile when they look at it?” “Often people will try a ring or pendant and their eyes just light up,” Paul said. “I can feel the energy and know this is their piece.”
about the craft of jewelry making has enabled them to form their own unique styles. And it’s often
Learn more about gemstones here.
Paul Farmer at work in the studio.
Trapiche emerald ring 18k gold by Paul Farmer (Sold)
"Celebration Under the Sea" by Shelli Kahl
Satellite ring by Isabelle Posillico
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Issue 1 | Summer 2023
Issue 1 | Summer 2023
Page 9
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