Customised Victorinox Swiss Army Knives With Gemstone Scales

Customized Swiss Army Knives Complete with Stone Scales

It has been a long time coming, mainly because of my lack of organisational skills, but I have finally made available my first release of Customised Victorinox Swiss Army Knives complete with gemstone scales! You might remember my post from a while ago relating to the Swiss Army Knife that I put together for my Dad for Christmas late last year, in that I hinted that I might be making some available through our store in the future.

Customized Swiss Army Knives Complete with Stone Scales

Well I am excited to announce that I have finally been able to finish the first release of these customized knives, all be it only 3 pieces at this point! All 3 knives are the Victorinox Classic SD model and are in an 'As-New' used condition. Each piece is completed with handcrafted stone scales created by Jaka Gems. The material for each knife has been painstakingly selected taking care to avoid any cracks, pitting or other nasties so that each knife is a beautiful but functional piece. These 3 pieces will hopefully be the first of many to come!




Customized Swiss Army Knife with Greenstone Scales

This first piece (pictured above) has been finished with Greenstone originating from New South Wales (Australia). The material is a beautiful deep green with yellowing bands running diagonally across the scales. The finish is of a high shine and a magnificent example of this particular material. This piece is available for $70 through our store.

Customized Swiss Army Knife with Nundoorite Scales

Secondly, pictured above is a piece that has been finished with Nundoorite. Nundoorite is a material which originates from near Broken Hill in New South Wales, although Nundoorite is not a 'recognised' mineral name. The material is and Orthoclase Syenite with flecks of green Aegurine floating through. The material has finished with an excellent polish and has created an aesthetically pleasing pocket knife which will please even the serious collector! This piece is available through our store for $75



Customized Swiss Army Knife with Moss Agate Scales

Finally we have a knife finished with beautiful Moss Agate. I consider this piece to be the 'flagship' of this initial release - The Moss Agate is a beautiful white to translucent chalcedony with magnificent moss like inclusions of hornblende and chlorite. As is the case with most Agates/chalcedony's, the final polish on this piece is magnificent. This piece is available through our store for $80

If you would like to know more about these knives, feel free to contact me via our email address at jakagems@hotmail.com - you are also more than welcome to contact me to discuss customized knives should you want a particular stone. I am happy to discuss creating a piece similar to the above using a material of your choice.

Until next time!

Gemkhana Part 3

This is the 3rd and final installment of my posts relating to the Gemkhana event in Albury over the weekend of 9th and 10th March. See part 1 and part 2 by clicking on each. Here I will detail to last 4 pieces of material that I purchased which I will hopefully turn into some very nice pieces over the coming months.

This is a piece of Siltstone, although it was being sold as 'Zebra Stone' by the vendor on the day. My suspicion is that this sort of material is easier to sell when it is called 'Zebra Stone' given the popularity of that particular stone. Although zebra stone is a variety of siltstone, it has a far more distinctive pattern than this piece. In saying this, I loved the colour and uniform pattern of this slab of material so grabbed it anyway. I am not sure what I will do with this just yet as it is a very soft stone, but will see how we go!

This piece is Ribbon Jasper originating from New Zealand. Jasper is basically a variety of quartz and is quite a hard material. Because of makeup and hardness of jasper, it generally takes a magnificent shine and the variety of colours and patterns is endless. This particular piece caught my eye because of the pattern running across the stone. It has quite a few healed fractures that I may need to avoid, but the piece is large enough for this not to be too much of an issue.

This piece is Rhyolite which I am told originates from New South Wales (Australia). Rhyolite is also part of the quartz family and is generally a volcanic creation. It is worth noting that when the Rhyolite formation cools too quickly for crystals to form, instead of Rhyolite being the end result, Obsidian is formed in its place. I haven't cut rhyolite before so not quite sure what to expect. In saying this, if it is in the quartz family I would anticipate it to be quite hard and taken a good polish.

Last but not least we have a slice of unknown material. I was told that it originates from New Zealand but that was all the vendor could tell me. My thoughts are that it is some sort of agatised jasper or some other form of quartz. It certainly has that look and feel to it. I liked the pattern on it so thought I would grab it regardless and we will see how it cuts up!




Well, that's it as far as our Gemkhana adventures go for another year. I certainly had a great weekend and was very pleased with the turnout. The organisation of the event was well done and there were plenty of people through the gates. I am certainly looking forward to next years show! Remember that if you like the look of any of the materials I have posted from the show, feel free to drop me an email via jakagems@hotmail.com and I am sure we can work a piece out for you. Also don't forget to check us out on facebook and on storenvy.

Until next time!

Gemkhana 2013 Part 2

Following on from my post from the other day (view here), here are some more of the rough material that I got my hands on at the Gemkhana event in Albury.

This is a piece of Mahogany Obsidian. I have already explained obsidian in my post from the other day and the fact that it is a pain to cut, but again, I couldn't walk away from this as it comes up so nicely! This particular piece has quite interesting patterning though it.

Nundoorite (Pictured to the right) is a material that I had never seen or heard of before. From the little information I have found relating to this particular stone, I have been able to ascertain that the name 'Nundoorite' is as a result of where this material was originally found - Nundoora Station near Broken Hill (New South Wales). The original deposit of this stuff was mined out some 20 or 30 years ago, but further deposits of similar stones (such as this piece) have since been located nearby. This stone is mainly made up of orthoclase syenite with green flecks of aegerine running through. Quite an interesting looking stone and I am certainly intrigued as to what it will end up like.

These 3 slabs are a stone known as 'Sonora Sunrise' (or Sonora Sunset depending on who you talk to!). It is a relatively new find originating in Mexico and is a mixture of Cuprite (red) and Chrysocolla (green). I have been chasing some of this stuff for a while now so was pleased to find these slabs. It seems like quite a soft material so not sure how the final polish will end up.

These 3 are small slabs of 'Marble Bar Jasper' - a material originating from an area just outside the small West Australian settlement of Marble Bar. I have some of this at home already and have cut a few pieces out of it (this piece in particular came out very nicely!), but it is so hard to come by that I could not leave these pieces behind. The vendor did have a few other small slabs, but they were quite cracked and I didn't think I could do a lot with them. These pieces on the other hand looked fantastic.

This piece is a relatively large slab of Poppy Jasper from New South Wales. I quite liked the patterns across the stone, with small agatised areas amongst beautiful red jasper. Jasper is known for taking a brilliant shine and I have no doubt that this slab will not disappoint. I have a project in mind for this piece, so stay tuned!




I have 4 more slabs yet to show you from the material I bought at Gemkhana which I will post over the next couple of days, so swing back by my blog to find out what they are! Also keep an eye out both here and on my Facebook page for pieces created out of this rough material!

Until next time!

Gemkhana 2013

As some of you may be aware, Jaka Gems attended the 2013 Gemkhana Show in Albury of the weekend of March 9th and 10th. Gemkhana is Victoria's state level Gem and Mineral show which was this year presented by the Albury Lapidary and Allied Crafts Club in association with the Victorian Gem Clubs Association

Both organisations did a fantastic job with the running of the show with plenty of people coming through the gates.

  

The Jaka Gems stall was positioned in the outdoor area and the Albury weather certainly putting on a show for all - Temperatures in the high 30's on both days ensured that plenty of water was consumed as well as plenty of sunscreen! Finding shade was probably the most difficult task for the weekend with our small pavilion moved several times chasing that elusive piece of dirt out of the sunshine!

We purchased quite a bit of rough material over the weekend, which I will show you some of in this blog entry. The picture to the right is a slab of Kambaba Jasper. I have been wanting to get some of this material for a while and was really happy to find this very detailed slice. Kambaba Jasper is a material originating from Africa and is basically fossilised algae. I have seen some cabochons of this stuff and it takes a magnificent shine, but I am far more excited about the interesting patterns in it. I had a project in mind for this piece when I bought it, but it has turned out that the slice is just a little bit too small for what I wanted. Despite this, I am still pretty happy with the purchase!

This next slab (to the left) is a piece of Rainbow Obsidian. I was simply unable to walk past it! Obsidian is a pain to cut, but finishes really well and the pattern and colour on this particular piece is amazing! Obsidian is essentially a naturally occurring glass which is created by rapidly cooling lava flows. When the lava cools quickly, it does not create crystal growth and obsidian is the result.

The material to the right is a slice of Rubies in Fuschite. My wife saw a cabochon of this material at another stall and then demanded that I get some to cut her some pieces! The material generally originates from Southern India and contains rubies (which can range in colour from pink to bright red) encased in the bright green Fuschite.

Keep an eye out on our facebook page and store for pieces cut from these materials. I will also be posting more of our buys on this blog over the coming days so definitely keep on checking back in here for more and don't forget to share with your friends! If any of the material here interests you, drop me a line either on facebook, or via email at jakagems@hotmail.com - I am more than happy to discuss customised pieces!

Until next time!

New Opal Products Available

Some time ago I called for some expressions of interest for some opal triplet jewellery. I got some fairly positive feedback in relation to this expression of interest so I decided to go ahead and order some settings. They arrived yesterday so I was busy last night setting the triplets into the settings! They have all been uploaded into the store today!

4mm round opal triplet stud earrings

The first product is the 4mm round triplets set into sterling silver stud settings. An example of these is pictured to the left, and their are 4 sets available. I have been able to keep the price down to $12 per set.

5mm round opal triplet stud earrings

The second product is the 5mm round triplets set into sterling silver stud settings. An example of these is pictured to the right, and their are 6 sets available. I have been able to keep the price down to $15 per set.

6mm x 4mm Opal Triplet Earrings

The third product is the 6mm x 4mm triplets set into sterling silver kidney wire settings. An example of these is pictured to the left, and their are 5 sets available. I have been able to keep the price down to $15 per set.

7mm x 5mm Opal Triplet Earrings

And last, but by no means least, the flagship product of this particular release is the 7mm x 5mm triplets set into sterling silver kidney wire settings. An example of the is pictured to the right, and there are 5 sets of these available. I have been able to keep the price down to a low $20 per set.




I am hoping that these pieces will be successful, if they do turn out to be popular I will definitely be doing more releases, and perhaps even adding to the range. Keep an eye on my Facebook page for updates in relation to this!

Until next time!

Chalcedony

 

Free Form Designer Agate Cabochon

Chalcedony is a mineral made up mostly of Silicon Dioxide and is a cryptocrystalline variety of quartz. Chalcedony comes in many forms and is essentially a term for a group of semi precious gemstones, rather than a single stone. Chalcedony and its variants are considered among the most beautiful stones in the world and have a hardness rating of generally between 6.5 and 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale.



Free Form Designer Chrysoprase Cabochon

The name 'Chalcedony' comes from the Latin word chalcedonius. However it is also believed that the original Latin word and the current usage of the name 'Chalecdony' derive from an ancient Greek settlement in Asia Minor. This settlement was originally known as Chalkedon, but the modern English interpretation of the settlement is Chalcedon - hence the spelling of the name 'Chalcedony'.  

 

Free Form Designer Agate Cabochon

 

This particular gemstone group has been used as long as humans have been utilising their surrounding materials. Some of the earliest and most primitive human tools that have been discovered have been made of various types of Chalcedony.

Chalcedonies are found in an immense array of colours including, black, blue, brown, colorless, gray, green, orange, red, violet, white, yellow, or any combination of these. 

Green Chalcedony with Minor Dendrites

 

Because of the vast array of varieties, the use of chalcedony eventually extended to that of decorative items. Native Americans for instance believe Chalcedony to be a sacred stone and it is used for ceremonial purposes. They believe that Chalcedony promotes stability within each tribe.

  

35mm x 18mm Heliotrope (Bloodstone)
Cabochon

As stated above, Chalcedony is essentially a term used to describe a broader group of gemstones which varies widely in colour and appearance. The most notable members of this group include gemstones such as Agate, Carnelian, Heliotrope (Bloodstone), Chrysoprase, Aventurine and Onyx, but has many other members as well. Chalcedony deposits in its various forms are found worldwide, with particular areas being known for or associated with the individual forms of chalcedony.

From a Lapidary Point of View
Because of the endless range of chalcedony forms, this particular stone is always going to please. From the Banding of Agates, through to the rich apple green of chrysoprase, to the spotted nature of Heliotrope, there is always going to be something of interest in a Lapidary sense. Some of the most eye catching and beautiful cabochons that I have cut have been some form of chalcedony or another. Most chalcedonies are at the harder end of the scale (with a Mohs rating of generally 6.5 to 7) and the compact crystalline structure of the material results in a beautiful mirror like finish. It is not surprising then that most lapidaries are more than happy to cut this material, and I am certainly no exception.

Free Form Designer Banded Agate Cabochon

Thanks for checking out my blog and certainly feel free to share with your friends. Remember, all of the pieces presented in this article have been cut by me and most are available for purchase (along with plenty of others!). Also don't forgot check us out on Facebook to keep up with all of our updates!

Until next time!