Category Archives: Stones

Tripping in Tucson

Posted on March 1, 2026 by marty

Traveling to the Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil show each February is Alisha’s and my favorite time of year. Many mothers and daughters go to the spa or the mall for retail therapy but this week together in Tucson is … Continue reading →

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Eye Candy Opals!

Posted on February 22, 2026 by marty

Here we share our treasure trove of our favorite Mexican and Australian Opals and our best Ammonites! Alisha and I hand pick our opals and ammonites and we see stories submerged within the ammonite patterns and windows of opalescence. We … Continue reading →

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Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Treasure Hunt – 2024

Posted on February 21, 2024 by marty

Sometimes it takes a sharp eye and other times a coy glance to choose our gemstones. Alisha and I just returned from our treasure hunt at the 2024 Tucson Gem Show. We explore  dozens of venues with a plan of … Continue reading →

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Fossil Follies and Trilobites

Posted on September 7, 2020 by marty

Trilobites are an extinct marine arthropod and a distant relative to horseshoe crabs, spiders and lobsters. Over 20,000 trilobite species existed over 300 million years ago and are found on every continent on earth.  The thousands of trilobite species are geographically … Continue reading →

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What to Look for in an Opal

Posted on October 8, 2013 by marty

30 years ago, close friend of mine, Pete Condor, gave me good advice on choosing gemstones. His advice was that if you like a stone, find it beautiful and it fits your needs and pocket book, then buy it. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Jewelry, Stones | 4 Comments

Opal Magic

Posted on October 3, 2013 by marty

I have recently had a number of requests for one of a kind, opal designs and although my opal collection is extensive, the opal selection on my web site was neither up to date nor impressive.  Most Februarys, I attend … Continue reading →

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Dragon Opal Ring Commission

Posted on March 13, 2012 by marty

I received a commision to create a large dragon ring featuring two Australian opals.  My client choose from my collection of opals and directed the design. I worked on this piece on and off for several months.   The ring … Continue reading →

Posted in Design projects, Jewelry, Stones | 2 Comments

Customer requests: add jewels to large octopus pendant

Posted on December 11, 2011 by marty

A woman ordered my large octopus pendant for a dive trip to the Dominican Republic but she wanted it customized. I e-mailed her numerous photos of gemstones and we chose this array of stones for her Treasure Octopus Pendant. A … Continue reading →

Posted in customer requests, Jewelry, Stones | 2 Comments

The Phoenix Dragon Tiara – Stage 4

Posted on October 18, 2011 by marty

This elaborate tiara comission is nearing completion.  After months of sculpting the wax, sweating over the price of precious metal, and agonizing over the logistics of casting such a complex project, magic has happened.  All that remains to be completed … Continue reading →

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Fire Opals in Todos Santos

Posted on May 9, 2011 by marty

In March, I traveled to Baja Mexico with three friends. We drove to Todo Santos, a lovely art community on the Pacific Coast about an hour north of Cabo San Lucas. We visited a jewelry shop specializing in Mexican fire … Continue reading →

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