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Category Archives: Jewelry Making

Hand Engraving– the Ultimate Jewelry Decoration

In today’s world, some things change rapidly and some stay the same. Just in the last 20 years or so, jewelry making has changed radically. Previously we used labor intensive processes like carving wax models by hand to create our original designs and master models. We now use technological marvels like computer aided design and modeling (CAD/CAM) and […]

Benitoite & Platinum Engagement Ring–Strictly Custom

Just back from the shop, this stunning Benitoite & platinum engagement ring was made to order for our client R. This young man truly went the extra mile to create this symbol of his love for his fiancé. Wanting something beautiful, exotic and rare, he chose Benitoite. Our California State Gemstone is all of that. One of the […]

The Creative Process in Us All

The creative process is one of the things that makes us human. All of us have creative impulses and abilities. From the raw data of our senses and our life experiences, our minds build ideas based on thought, image, and emotion. We use these ideas in our daily life for such mundane things as everyday speech, […]

Custom Rings Show Mardon’s Expertise and Versatility

These three recently completed custom rings show the versatility and craftsmanship of the experts at Mardon, in particular our gemologists, custom designers and hand engravers. The spectacular platinum custom ring shown above is set with a 2 carat natural ruby that we brokered to our clients. Gemstone brokering means that our gemologists find a gem that meets your […]

The Resurrection of a Ring

  We recently completed the resurrection of a ring that had been severely damaged. Fine jewelry is made from precious materials that when properly cared for, will last for centuries. Gemstones are durable and ancient– diamond crystals are typically 1 to 2 billion years old. Gold is eternal. It doesn’t deteriorate and is never discarded– if a style […]

Antique Yogo Sapphire Pin

A client inherited this gorgeous antique Yogo Sapphire pin and asked us to appraise it. Sapphires were known to occur in several areas of western Montana as early as 1865. For the most part, these deposits produced only moderately good sapphires. The discovery of sapphires in Yogo Creek was different. In 1895, famed gemologist G.F. Kunz, […]

Enameled Jewelry 101- A Historical Perspective

  We recently had the pleasure of examining this superb antique chatelaine. Centuries ago, the lady of the house wore the chatelaine, a strap or bag looped over a belt at the waist. Typically, the various tools necessary for her to deal with her daily tasks, items such as keys, scissors, watches, etc. were attached with chains. During the last half […]

Antique Jewelry Shows Fine Craftsmanship

This exquisite necklace from the Edwardian period, circa 1900-1915, exhibits the fine craftsmanship we associate with antique jewelry. The piece was made by fabricating and forming raw metals into the parts of the jewel. The main body and dangles began as thin sheets of platinum. The chain and bezels were made from hand-drawn wires and […]

Vintage Valentine’s Day Jewels

Just in time for Valentine’s day, Friday, February 14– fabulous new goodies we recently acquired from a large collection of fine jewelry! If you are looking for something really special for that special someone, this group of vintage jewels may offer the perfect choice– we’ll highlight just a few items from over one hundred new […]

Imitation Gemstones– Buyer Beware

A client brought these three stones to our shop looking to sell them. She had purchased the stones while traveling and was under the impression the two 30 ct. greenish blue ones were aquamarines and the peachy pink stone was morganite. At Mardon, as gemologists, we always buy gems very carefully and only when we […]