by Sam on August 18, 2011
My apprentice and I have been cutting turquoise for a few months and now have enough to work with and surplus to sell. Natural American mined turquoise has been becoming harder and harder to obtain so, when I ran into a friend who had some rough, I bought all I could. Turquoises come and go, one day they are available and the next they are impossible to get. I always have my eye out for turquoise and hunt the Tucson Gem Show for turquoise. I rarely find any turquoise worth buying at the show. As soon a the show left I discovered that my friend had this wonderful robin’s egg blue Morenci rough.
Morenci turquoise rough
I saw the rough into slabs, face it off with a flat lap and back it with a thin layer of Devcon and cut it into cabachons. None of these stones are treated in any way, we cut with silicon carbide and diamond belts and polish with Zam polishing compound. I have hundreds of carats to sell which I have broken into lots most of which sell for under $120. Go to my website; www.patanias.com to see many of these lots under the turquoise heading in my portfolio. I also have some Bisbee to sell.
Morenci turquoise lot #MB5
Sam Patania, 520-795-0086, pataniajewelry@gmail.com
Working with a professional photographer and his models is an amazing opportunity. I love all the strategy in setting up a shoot and even though I was on the periphery I enjoyed learning about how this all comes together. Adam Fleishman of Cometmoth (
www.cometmoth.com) approached my father and I about using some of our jewelry in his photo shoots when he was working with a model to build both of their portfolios. Adam’s interest was to have jewelry as an accent in the shot, not the main focus. The object of the project evolved into trying to get a photograph of equal importance to the jewelry and the model. Photographing jewelry is very difficult when it is highly polished since it is just a mirror reflecting anything. So to get the photographer and his lights as well as the background to not reflect in the shot is a major undertaking. To shoot out doors in natural light with all the reflective objects is damn near impossible. Then to add the idea that the model should look more natural than the usual jewelry/model shot and the jewelry should be completely in focus and central as well as the model being able to use the shot in her portfolio and it becomes a quest. Oh, also that the jewelry should fit the model with out modification.
Adam and I decided to shoot the Modernist pieces I have been making as a way to broaden interest in my jewelry. My turquoise pieces are often seen as regional to the Southwest US where I live. The Modernist pieces are also viewed as “younger” pieces more interesting to an affluent professional young woman who has interest in jewelry as a piece of collectible art than an after thought kind of accent. My work is generally sought after by women who are buying jewelry for themselves, who are interested in making a statement with jewelry and are comfortable in wearing bold pieces. Jewelry which will get noticed, not fade into the background. Powerful women comfortable with their own sense of style. This description includes my immediate family so I am comfortable working with strong points of view and not being shy about giving my own point of view right back.
Anyway, enough about me, look at the photography for it’s technical prowess, the models who have their own personalities which shine through and all captured by Adam’s camera and love of light. And look at the jewelry too.
Leah is wearing one of my Martian Cuffs in 18K gold and sterling. That Adam is able to get the color of the golds ( I used 3 colors of gold, yellow, red and green) and her eye shadow with out any reflection in the bracelet is amazing. That Leah has not posed to look unnatural is amazing. This is a premium shot. It all comes together in this shot.
Cuff by Sam Patania
This is another amazing shot in black and white with Angie wearing one of my Circle cuffs.
Cuff by Sam Patania
One last one of Leah wearing the Martian in black and white. These shots represent weeks of work to get scheduling and light and photography all right. Thank you Adam, Leah and Angie.
