OK, so why cabochons?  I thought you liked old radios!

cab·o·chon  (kb-shn)
n. A highly polished, convex-cut, unfaceted gem.  (dictionary.com)

Well, I DO like old radios!  Radio collecting is still my primary hobby (see my antique radio web sites, the Radio Attic and the Radio Attic's Archives).

But I am married to a wire wrap artist (see her web site, Wire Treasures), and I wanted to be more involved in her work.

Wire Treasures' featured creations are pendants, most of which use cabochons made from semi-precious minerals as their focus.  She started out buying most of her cabochons from online resources, but they were getting expensive.  Her favorite cab cutter's work soon became priced in the collector range, which makes it difficult to use those cabs in jewelry and still ask a reasonable price for the finished product.

So in 2005, I went to William Holland School for the Lapidary Arts in Georgia for a cabochons class.  I discovered that I had a knack for cab cutting, and actually produced some nice stuff!  I think that after months of shopping for cabs with my wife, I already had a very good idea of the "style" I wanted to achieve.  I also found that cab cutting was VERY relaxing ("OHmmm....").  So I took the plunge and purchased a grinder/polisher machine and got down to business.  I went back to William Holland in 2006 for an advanced class.  I think my work is pretty good, and my wire wrapping wife likes it, too!

I have been awarded Juried Member status in the Alabama Designer Craftsmen, so you will see my cabochons in the ADC show every first weekend in November! 

Please click here to learn how to buy my cabochons and to read my satisfaction guarantee.

NEWS FLASH!

  I'll be teaching a beginners' cabochons class at William Holland School for the Lapidary Arts the week of August 24, 2008!  William Holland is located in Young Harris, in the peaceful hills of northwest Georgia.  Click here for more information on classes at William Holland.

Here's a photo of your friendly cab cutter (me) at the Birmingham Zoo's "Harvest Days" celebration that took place on September 15, 2007.  I set up there for the day with Mrs. Wire Treasures and showed the kids there how to cut cabochons all day.  I brought a couple dozen dopped preforms and completed 13 cabochons (a record for six hours, but then I was using preforms after all)! The children were very interested and polite.  Got lots of good prospects for our lapidary club and even had a request for lessons!  Click on the photo for a better look at my ugly mug!  (and the coffee cup isn't pretty, either!)