Why express yourself through metal and stone? Why not just tell someone or write them a letter? Give them a phone call or send an email or maybe a hug? Well, we forget what people good us, letters are treasured, then socked away in a drawer or a folder, or simply get lost and recycled (fingers crossed), phone calls end, emails are archived, and hugs, as sweet as they are, ate forgotten.
Metal and stone endure. Some noble metals will endure without ever changing or tarnishing. Stones hold their color and don't fade. The meaning and memories we place inside them will last forever. They imbibe the spirit and energy of our hearts. They do not echo a message, they are the message! They can be kept close when worn as jewelry, the meaning revealed and renewed each time they are slipped on. Others see, talk about them. The conversations and touches glances reminding and buttressing the story embodied within and without the metal and stone. A picture can say a thousand words. A piece of metal and stone jewelry can tell a thousand words to a thousand generations.
Create with Love,
Justinder
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Competition
What if instead of competing, businesses cooperated? What if instead of trying so hard to get, we tried equally as hard to give?
I feel the object of the studio is not to maximize sales or profits or market share. I feel the object of life is to make life better for ourselves by making life beter for those around us. We are all linked. Our fates are one. To take from another is to take from ourselves. To give to another is to give to ourselves.
I feel the object of the studio is not to maximize sales or profits or market share. I feel the object of life is to make life better for ourselves by making life beter for those around us. We are all linked. Our fates are one. To take from another is to take from ourselves. To give to another is to give to ourselves.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Casual Disregard (2/28/11)
Today while sitting at a railroad crossing with my engine off waiting for a freight train to thunder by, I saw a man do something far from unusual. He was smoking a cigarette, and without a thought as the last carriage went by, dropped it still lit and smoking to the ground. As the cigarette smoldered, so too did my heart. I wanted to drag that man out of his lifted truck and beg of him why. Why do you not care about the world and those around you. What could possibly compel you to casually disregard the possibility for something as awful as starting a fire in the oil soaked garbage that litters the side of the tracks in still dry brush?
Sadly this attitude is prevalent in the jewelry industry on a scale that is abominable. What do Jewelers do with used up toxic plating solutions laced with cyanide and arsenic? Why pour them down the drain of course. What to do about those toxic fumes and silicon particles from casting that are so dangerous, volatile and toxic full face chemical and particulate masks are required in any other monitored industry? Why they pump it outside of course into the surrounding neighborhoods. What to do with the massive open pits from precious metal mines coated in sulfur and toxins that can leach into the groundwater? Leave them right where they are and let the next generation deal with it.
This is not simply a matter of blame, it is a matter of understanding. I am not free from blame for these practices as I too blindly sold and created without a thought as to how it was being done. It is not that people or the industry are going out of their way to harm the environment. I don't believe that man who dropped the cigarette had any ill will towards those around him, nor do any Jewelers who release toxic, mutagenic and heavy metal compounds into the environment (usually in heavily concentrated population areas such as downtown la or even your neighborhood jeweler). It is just the easiest thing for them to do and most often they are not even aware of the damage and potential for greater damage they are doing. Education is needed to show the consequences of these toxic actions and choices.
A part of why the studio was created and continued is to overcome this blindness and near sightedness. As my eyes have been opened, I want to open the eyes of both the public and other Jewelers in the industry of the harm caused every day by casual negligence. Not knowing is no longer an excuse. As an industry we must take responsibility for our actions, we must realize that their is a greater cost than what is on our books for the profits we receive. We must take responsibility for and examine every choice and every action for its consequence.
Sadly this attitude is prevalent in the jewelry industry on a scale that is abominable. What do Jewelers do with used up toxic plating solutions laced with cyanide and arsenic? Why pour them down the drain of course. What to do about those toxic fumes and silicon particles from casting that are so dangerous, volatile and toxic full face chemical and particulate masks are required in any other monitored industry? Why they pump it outside of course into the surrounding neighborhoods. What to do with the massive open pits from precious metal mines coated in sulfur and toxins that can leach into the groundwater? Leave them right where they are and let the next generation deal with it.
This is not simply a matter of blame, it is a matter of understanding. I am not free from blame for these practices as I too blindly sold and created without a thought as to how it was being done. It is not that people or the industry are going out of their way to harm the environment. I don't believe that man who dropped the cigarette had any ill will towards those around him, nor do any Jewelers who release toxic, mutagenic and heavy metal compounds into the environment (usually in heavily concentrated population areas such as downtown la or even your neighborhood jeweler). It is just the easiest thing for them to do and most often they are not even aware of the damage and potential for greater damage they are doing. Education is needed to show the consequences of these toxic actions and choices.
A part of why the studio was created and continued is to overcome this blindness and near sightedness. As my eyes have been opened, I want to open the eyes of both the public and other Jewelers in the industry of the harm caused every day by casual negligence. Not knowing is no longer an excuse. As an industry we must take responsibility for our actions, we must realize that their is a greater cost than what is on our books for the profits we receive. We must take responsibility for and examine every choice and every action for its consequence.
Counting Profits (how I began looking at jewelry differently 2/13/11)
I've been told by family, friends and colleagues that I am a bit overzealous about my strides to become toxin free, to have a business based on love not profits and my belief that the reaches of how conscious I should be has no limits. I agree. My thirst for knowledge about the toxic metals, poisons, acids, the chemically caustic and mutagenic compounds the jewelry industry uses every day is insatiable. The changes I'm making in the studio are not easy to get used to, are usually big steps, take lots of time to research, and are generally quite expensive in relation to what has been tried and true. Some of the things I change are so small and minute, it is hard to justify the time and expense that went into them. However, if I don't learn, no one will ever tell me. If I don't take the steps to protect my Jewelers who work with these materials every day and my customers who will wear the pieces we create possibly every day of their lives, who will?
When I ran the store with my dad I never knew that what was used to create the jewelry I sold was toxic. The business was just that, a business. Buy some stuff, sell it for more than you bought and there in the profit is a business. Simple, I should be able to follow that, make a living, buy some nice stuff throughout my life grow old, retire, and pass on the wealth to my family when I die. I didn't think beyond that, as I wasn't enjoying this life of a businessman. It wasn't until Love started to open my mind and heart to the universe that I started to take a deeper look at what was the result of what I did every day to make a living. What I discovered was I was a purveyor of jewelry so toxic that it would have been illegal to sell in Europe.
It started out when I tried to find out why a particular customers prong broke for no apparent reason I could discern and decided to research it that I discovered nickel was the primary alloy. At first, I was only interested in how the nickel was corroding to the point the prongs were breaking and the stones were coming out, a type of jewelry rot called stress corrosion. This I found was awful enough, and decided to research other options to give my customers better quality jewelry. That was when I found out that in Europe, nickel had been banned in jewelry not because of its material problems, rather because it was so toxic! After doing more research I found out Nickel is a heavy metal that once it enters the body will never leave it. Once the body has accumulated too much toxic nickel, it can never touch it again or we break out in a rash. This why people have what are actually misinformed 'gold allergies.' Extremely rarely is anyone allergic to pure gold, it is stable and hypoallergenic. It is actually the alloys in the gold. Not only nickel; lead, cadmium (yes cadmium! The most toxic of the heavy metals with the dubious honor of being the 7th most toxic element on earth), ruthenium (a cancer causing mutagenic metal the body mistakes for iron and deposits in our bones), arsenic, mercury and zinc can be found mixed into the metals that make up jewelry. I was appalled, how could I be making money from such dangerous product?
After digging even deeper, I found countless toxic materials used every day in jewelry production. It was a horror list: boron, fluorine and potassium for soldering, ammonia for cleaning, cyanide for gold plating, hydrochloric acid and caustic soda for cleaning and it went on and on and on. Every week I wasl discovering a new health hazard. I was sick with the idea of how much compounded damage was being done to Jewelers, the planet, and the people who end up wearing the jewelry.
I was appalled, I was just about to open up a new studio and these are the materials I was going to be working with every day? No thanks. So I did what I always do when I want find something more environmentally friendly, typed in Eco friendly and added in jewelry. What I found was some companies trying, a few good people making a difference, but most of what out there despicable. Jewelry companies saying they're environmentally conscious because they use recycled gold, or maybe some went as far as using recycled packaging and signing no blood diamond promises (which is a crock for another entry). everywhere was information about the gold and diamond miners, but no one was talking about the heavy damage being caused by the production process itself. Even then, just because gold is recycled doesn't make it Eco conscious. In fact, some recycled gold is just as bad for the earth as mined gold. But who makes the distinction? Companies are clamoring to get the dollars out of peoples pockets, and if they can do it by fooling people, they will. Just because these companies claim to be green or Eco conscious does not make them so. Sadly, they are selling massive quantities of jewelry to people who have been misled into thinking it is.
The Abbey is not a business to make a profit. The Abbey is here to make a difference. To bring light to a dark and convoluted industry. To help open peoples eyes to the possibility of conscious, sustainable and toxin free jewelry that is made with love. Love over profits. I can buy that. If I can buy that, I feel comfortable offering it to the world. Even if I don't make a profit.
If changes aren't made, nothing will ever be changed.
There are many things more quantifiable, powerful, valuable, and worth living for than money.
When I ran the store with my dad I never knew that what was used to create the jewelry I sold was toxic. The business was just that, a business. Buy some stuff, sell it for more than you bought and there in the profit is a business. Simple, I should be able to follow that, make a living, buy some nice stuff throughout my life grow old, retire, and pass on the wealth to my family when I die. I didn't think beyond that, as I wasn't enjoying this life of a businessman. It wasn't until Love started to open my mind and heart to the universe that I started to take a deeper look at what was the result of what I did every day to make a living. What I discovered was I was a purveyor of jewelry so toxic that it would have been illegal to sell in Europe.
It started out when I tried to find out why a particular customers prong broke for no apparent reason I could discern and decided to research it that I discovered nickel was the primary alloy. At first, I was only interested in how the nickel was corroding to the point the prongs were breaking and the stones were coming out, a type of jewelry rot called stress corrosion. This I found was awful enough, and decided to research other options to give my customers better quality jewelry. That was when I found out that in Europe, nickel had been banned in jewelry not because of its material problems, rather because it was so toxic! After doing more research I found out Nickel is a heavy metal that once it enters the body will never leave it. Once the body has accumulated too much toxic nickel, it can never touch it again or we break out in a rash. This why people have what are actually misinformed 'gold allergies.' Extremely rarely is anyone allergic to pure gold, it is stable and hypoallergenic. It is actually the alloys in the gold. Not only nickel; lead, cadmium (yes cadmium! The most toxic of the heavy metals with the dubious honor of being the 7th most toxic element on earth), ruthenium (a cancer causing mutagenic metal the body mistakes for iron and deposits in our bones), arsenic, mercury and zinc can be found mixed into the metals that make up jewelry. I was appalled, how could I be making money from such dangerous product?
After digging even deeper, I found countless toxic materials used every day in jewelry production. It was a horror list: boron, fluorine and potassium for soldering, ammonia for cleaning, cyanide for gold plating, hydrochloric acid and caustic soda for cleaning and it went on and on and on. Every week I wasl discovering a new health hazard. I was sick with the idea of how much compounded damage was being done to Jewelers, the planet, and the people who end up wearing the jewelry.
I was appalled, I was just about to open up a new studio and these are the materials I was going to be working with every day? No thanks. So I did what I always do when I want find something more environmentally friendly, typed in Eco friendly and added in jewelry. What I found was some companies trying, a few good people making a difference, but most of what out there despicable. Jewelry companies saying they're environmentally conscious because they use recycled gold, or maybe some went as far as using recycled packaging and signing no blood diamond promises (which is a crock for another entry). everywhere was information about the gold and diamond miners, but no one was talking about the heavy damage being caused by the production process itself. Even then, just because gold is recycled doesn't make it Eco conscious. In fact, some recycled gold is just as bad for the earth as mined gold. But who makes the distinction? Companies are clamoring to get the dollars out of peoples pockets, and if they can do it by fooling people, they will. Just because these companies claim to be green or Eco conscious does not make them so. Sadly, they are selling massive quantities of jewelry to people who have been misled into thinking it is.
The Abbey is not a business to make a profit. The Abbey is here to make a difference. To bring light to a dark and convoluted industry. To help open peoples eyes to the possibility of conscious, sustainable and toxin free jewelry that is made with love. Love over profits. I can buy that. If I can buy that, I feel comfortable offering it to the world. Even if I don't make a profit.
If changes aren't made, nothing will ever be changed.
There are many things more quantifiable, powerful, valuable, and worth living for than money.
First Leaf (1/24/11)
Where and when do we make the conscientious decision to no longer follow the main stream? How does it happen? Looking back, I don't know when I made it. It was a voice so tiny and small that said choose my own path, but I don't know when it first came into being. There have been countless small voices, small choices, small thoughts and small actions that have created a mountain of unshakable will inside me. Yet discovering wear it began is as unfathomable as the first leaf that created the forest. Somewhere back there in my history is a small voice that said do what is in my heart, I am thankful for that, and proud of my first small choice to follow it.
How I Design: Rough Sketches (2/6/11)
I don't see my designs completed in my head. That is, there is no complete picture and then I draw it out, rather I think in terms of parts, of ideas. I then find elements that fit with those ideas, as I draw and sketch them those elemental parts and ideas begin to flow and join into forming their own unique structure, their own design that belies the sum of the meanings that have been added together to create the piece, yet they continue beyond their own sum to create a new element, a new design that has an originality that can never be duplicated for the energy and meaning within the piece can never be duplicated.
I can't see the design before its made. I don't start with an answer and create the formula, rather I create the formula and like a child on Christmas morning unwrapping their first gift, eagerly await the answer.
I don't thong of a finished dish. I start with ingredients, thinking of how they go together, then create the recipe, and like the recipient can't wait to taste the final dish once my chefs have finished preparing it!
Basically, I pull together all the feelings, thoughts, symbols and story, put it together and step back, letting the story of the piece create itself. In a way this parallels the story of life: we live, we experience, and it is not until the end when we can put together our choices and their consequences that we can say this is the life lived. The Greeks saw the passing of time not as a river that flows before us, rather as a wave that cascades over our backs, and only after it has crashed over and passed us by can we see the wave.
I can't see the design before its made. I don't start with an answer and create the formula, rather I create the formula and like a child on Christmas morning unwrapping their first gift, eagerly await the answer.
I don't thong of a finished dish. I start with ingredients, thinking of how they go together, then create the recipe, and like the recipient can't wait to taste the final dish once my chefs have finished preparing it!
Basically, I pull together all the feelings, thoughts, symbols and story, put it together and step back, letting the story of the piece create itself. In a way this parallels the story of life: we live, we experience, and it is not until the end when we can put together our choices and their consequences that we can say this is the life lived. The Greeks saw the passing of time not as a river that flows before us, rather as a wave that cascades over our backs, and only after it has crashed over and passed us by can we see the wave.
Mad thoughts at the MAD Museum 8/31/2011
I think and think and think about the Abbey, I think until despair and the concrete mud of dejection fill me. I try to feel my way through these broken and tangled thoughts of why to continue, yet the feelings do not come. I am bereft of the balance between mind heart and soul to take one more breath of society, let alone another step deeper into its mire. Everywhere I look, society is a swamp of despair and destitution. Where is the dry and fertile ground to rest? To even think of rest I feel myself begin to sink, to think of going on my heart grows weary. So I plod on, my boots long ago sucked away, my clothes stripped and tattered by the brambles. I cannot stop, but I cannot go on. The blood flows from my punctured brow to form rivules through the caked detrious of human comfort. The buoyancy of my conviction will not let me sink, nor will my weakness of the flesh allow me to float up. I am in limbo between the worlds of man and dreams.
Proggress Toward Conscious Gold Mining
Environmental Innovators Create Virtuous Circles By Correspondents *
The Villachica family extracting gold without mercury. Credit:Milagros Salazar/IPS Buy this picture
MONTEVIDEO, Sep 14, 2011 (Tierramérica) - A method to revolutionise gold mining; biofuel from used cooking oil; a container where garbage and wastewater go in and four useful products and zero waste come out: Latin American science applied to the environment.
Clean gold is possible
Peruvian metallurgical engineer Carlos Villachica has devoted his life to seeking a balance between his country’s two greatest riches: the mineral deposits concentrated in the Andes mountains and Amazon basin, and its huge wealth of flora and fauna.
Villachica has invested 42 of his 62 years in research. His latest innovation is the "ecological gold" method for small mining, which makes it possible to extract fine gold without a drop of toxic mercury.
More than 250,000 families earn their livelihoods from small-scale gold mining in Peru, and most of them use mercury to recover gold from black sand, a mix of gravel, rock, sand and various minerals found in numerous Amazon basin rivers, such as those in the environmentally degraded region of Madre de Dios in southeastern Peru.
Villachica’s method separates fine gold from the other minerals by spinning the black sand in a device similar to a blender with water, a few drops of alcohol and phosphate.
Inside the "blender" – a mechanical adaptor used in mining, specially fitted out for the project – the alcohol and air create small bubbles to which the fine gold flakes adhere because of the presence of phosphate.
As a result, the gold floats to the surface of the mixture and is ready to be smelted.
This makes it possible to extract the gold without the mercury normally used by small-scale miners for this purpose. As well as preventing the river and soil contamination and health risks associated with the use of mercury, this innovative method is faster and recovers more gold than the traditional method.
Extracting 40 grams of gold can take two and a half hours using mercury, which makes it possible to recover 80 percent of the gold in black sand. With the "ecological gold" technique, 95 percent of the gold is extracted in just half an hour.
"We have mega biodiversity that needs to be protected and is more important than the minerals we have. And that is why more innovative technology must be created," Villachica told Tierramérica.
Since a mere six milligrams of alcohol and phosphate are used per liter of water, these substances do not pose a threat to the environment. The toxic dosage of this mixture for trout fry, for example, is 1,200 milligrams per liter of water.
The method, presented with an award in June by the governmental Science and Technology Programme, does not depend solely on Villachica. His three daughters have taken the baton and are now working alongside their father to carry the project forward: Joyce, a chemical engineer, Leslye, a metallurgical engineer, and Eileen, an environmental engineer.
"The challenge lies in defending the ideas and demonstrating that they can be put into practice," Leslye Villachica, 31, told Tierramérica.
Four small-scale miners are already using the Villachica family’s invention in Madre de Dios. The next step planned by the Villachicas is a project they will undertake in partnership with indigenous Amazon communities.
Tests have been conducted and contacts have been made with buyers in France and Switzerland who are willing to pay 15 percent over the market price for every ounce of gold recovered through this method.
According to Villachica, the technology could also be applied on a wide scale if the government agreed to promote it. By 2016, the amount of mercury used by small-scale miners could be reduced by as much as 80 percent, he estimates.
The method is also much more profitable in the medium and long term. A small-scale miner spends between 200 and 300 dollars a month on mercury to obtain two to three kilograms of gold. Villachica’s machine for this volume of production might cost 4,000 dollars, which means the investment would be recouped in around 10 months.
Moreover, several miners could share the device, as will soon be done by an Amazon rainforest community.
In the meantime, for a medium-sized mining operation that spends 600 dollars a month on mercury, the machine would cost 12,000 dollars, and would therefore pay for itself in savings on mercury alone in less than two years. --Jamie Kneen, Communications & Outreach Coordinator, MiningWatch Canada http://www.miningwatch.ca/
The Villachica family extracting gold without mercury. Credit:Milagros Salazar/IPS Buy this picture
MONTEVIDEO, Sep 14, 2011 (Tierramérica) - A method to revolutionise gold mining; biofuel from used cooking oil; a container where garbage and wastewater go in and four useful products and zero waste come out: Latin American science applied to the environment.
Clean gold is possible
Peruvian metallurgical engineer Carlos Villachica has devoted his life to seeking a balance between his country’s two greatest riches: the mineral deposits concentrated in the Andes mountains and Amazon basin, and its huge wealth of flora and fauna.
Villachica has invested 42 of his 62 years in research. His latest innovation is the "ecological gold" method for small mining, which makes it possible to extract fine gold without a drop of toxic mercury.
More than 250,000 families earn their livelihoods from small-scale gold mining in Peru, and most of them use mercury to recover gold from black sand, a mix of gravel, rock, sand and various minerals found in numerous Amazon basin rivers, such as those in the environmentally degraded region of Madre de Dios in southeastern Peru.
Villachica’s method separates fine gold from the other minerals by spinning the black sand in a device similar to a blender with water, a few drops of alcohol and phosphate.
Inside the "blender" – a mechanical adaptor used in mining, specially fitted out for the project – the alcohol and air create small bubbles to which the fine gold flakes adhere because of the presence of phosphate.
As a result, the gold floats to the surface of the mixture and is ready to be smelted.
This makes it possible to extract the gold without the mercury normally used by small-scale miners for this purpose. As well as preventing the river and soil contamination and health risks associated with the use of mercury, this innovative method is faster and recovers more gold than the traditional method.
Extracting 40 grams of gold can take two and a half hours using mercury, which makes it possible to recover 80 percent of the gold in black sand. With the "ecological gold" technique, 95 percent of the gold is extracted in just half an hour.
"We have mega biodiversity that needs to be protected and is more important than the minerals we have. And that is why more innovative technology must be created," Villachica told Tierramérica.
Since a mere six milligrams of alcohol and phosphate are used per liter of water, these substances do not pose a threat to the environment. The toxic dosage of this mixture for trout fry, for example, is 1,200 milligrams per liter of water.
The method, presented with an award in June by the governmental Science and Technology Programme, does not depend solely on Villachica. His three daughters have taken the baton and are now working alongside their father to carry the project forward: Joyce, a chemical engineer, Leslye, a metallurgical engineer, and Eileen, an environmental engineer.
"The challenge lies in defending the ideas and demonstrating that they can be put into practice," Leslye Villachica, 31, told Tierramérica.
Four small-scale miners are already using the Villachica family’s invention in Madre de Dios. The next step planned by the Villachicas is a project they will undertake in partnership with indigenous Amazon communities.
Tests have been conducted and contacts have been made with buyers in France and Switzerland who are willing to pay 15 percent over the market price for every ounce of gold recovered through this method.
According to Villachica, the technology could also be applied on a wide scale if the government agreed to promote it. By 2016, the amount of mercury used by small-scale miners could be reduced by as much as 80 percent, he estimates.
The method is also much more profitable in the medium and long term. A small-scale miner spends between 200 and 300 dollars a month on mercury to obtain two to three kilograms of gold. Villachica’s machine for this volume of production might cost 4,000 dollars, which means the investment would be recouped in around 10 months.
Moreover, several miners could share the device, as will soon be done by an Amazon rainforest community.
In the meantime, for a medium-sized mining operation that spends 600 dollars a month on mercury, the machine would cost 12,000 dollars, and would therefore pay for itself in savings on mercury alone in less than two years. --Jamie Kneen, Communications & Outreach Coordinator, MiningWatch Canada http://www.miningwatch.ca/
Friday, August 19, 2011
Conscious from the Heart
My dearest Love,
Christina, the director of Ethical Metalsmiths has asked me to be a part of the "Responsible Studio Practices Working Group!" It is a part of the organization that is studying how to be more responsible and ethical in the jewelers workspace, the very thing we have been trying so hard to advance for the last 2 years! I feel as though this is a huge accomplishment. On the one hand, it in a way brings validity to what we have been pursuing and trying for. On the other, it is a forum for sharing as well as influencing a burgeoning movement in the jewelry industry that is still very early in its growth stage.
I was thinking about how best to begin contributing, and I couldn't quite get into it. There is so much we have done and so much to share, where to begin? I tried to feel my way through why I was so apprehensive in sharing, and I realized there wasn't a concrete core to what we were doing. Yes, the core is there in our hearts, but we never really wrote about it. The more I pondered it, the more this core almost seemed to glow with importance. Then I realized, this core is the most important aspect of everything we are doing! All our experimentation, research, investments, and practices have been orbiting this spiritual core. This spiritual foci has guided us, opened our eyes and given the energy, courage and determination to stick to the studio and continue pursuing a better world through jewelry when so many obstacles barred and drew us away. Yet, this core always brought us back, always pushed us on to continue in this quest for a better world.
Like our solar system with the sun at the center, this core is the simplest and fiercest of our involvement in the world of jewelry. It is merely what we believe in our hearts to be true:
With all my Heart,
Justinder
Christina, the director of Ethical Metalsmiths has asked me to be a part of the "Responsible Studio Practices Working Group!" It is a part of the organization that is studying how to be more responsible and ethical in the jewelers workspace, the very thing we have been trying so hard to advance for the last 2 years! I feel as though this is a huge accomplishment. On the one hand, it in a way brings validity to what we have been pursuing and trying for. On the other, it is a forum for sharing as well as influencing a burgeoning movement in the jewelry industry that is still very early in its growth stage.
I was thinking about how best to begin contributing, and I couldn't quite get into it. There is so much we have done and so much to share, where to begin? I tried to feel my way through why I was so apprehensive in sharing, and I realized there wasn't a concrete core to what we were doing. Yes, the core is there in our hearts, but we never really wrote about it. The more I pondered it, the more this core almost seemed to glow with importance. Then I realized, this core is the most important aspect of everything we are doing! All our experimentation, research, investments, and practices have been orbiting this spiritual core. This spiritual foci has guided us, opened our eyes and given the energy, courage and determination to stick to the studio and continue pursuing a better world through jewelry when so many obstacles barred and drew us away. Yet, this core always brought us back, always pushed us on to continue in this quest for a better world.
Like our solar system with the sun at the center, this core is the simplest and fiercest of our involvement in the world of jewelry. It is merely what we believe in our hearts to be true:
The Earth is Alive. All Life is Precious.
That's it. Simple. Yet to continue in integrity with these truths is a lifelong and complicated journey. It is these truths that have cultivated the responsibility and determination to find a way to protect and preserve Life from an industry we have and continue to be involved in and benefit from. These Truths are the foundation of Conscious, Sustainable, Toxin Free Jewelry made with Love.
With all my Heart,
Justinder
Friday, July 29, 2011
New happenings
Quick update:
We just joined and committed to donating 2% of our diamond sales to Hands for Africa. An organization dedicated to repairing the damage caused by the diamond industry in Africa, currently focusing on Sierra Leone.
Love and I are also about to go on a cross country road trip to Nova Scotia. We will be stopping at as many gold and gemstone mines along the way to see for ourselves the true environmental cost and impact of making jewelry.
All the best,
Justinder
We just joined and committed to donating 2% of our diamond sales to Hands for Africa. An organization dedicated to repairing the damage caused by the diamond industry in Africa, currently focusing on Sierra Leone.
Love and I are also about to go on a cross country road trip to Nova Scotia. We will be stopping at as many gold and gemstone mines along the way to see for ourselves the true environmental cost and impact of making jewelry.
All the best,
Justinder
Monday, July 25, 2011
We are seeking a Designer!
Are you passionate about the earth? Would you like to make a difference? Are you tired of giving your all to companies that just don't care about what's in your soul? Do you enjoy creating and craftsmanship? Do you enjoy learning about people and being a part of their lives? Would you like to work in an environment that is conscious, sustainable and toxin free? Would you like to work with people who care about you?
If you answered yes to these questions and enjoy designing jewelry, please consider the Abbey Jewelry Studio as a venue to explore and make a difference in your life, the people you will work with and the world around you while making a living.
A little about the Abbey. The heart of the Abbey is Conscious, Sustainable, Toxin Free jewelry made with Love. We design, create and restore jewelry with Love, Integrity and Passion. Most people have no idea that creating jewelry hurts many lives, creates massive amounts of waste, much of it toxic, and actually contains toxic materials that can cause cancer as well as a myriad of health problems. As the founder, my goal is to spread awareness to the world of the true cost of jewelry, as well as showing that jewelry is possible to create that does good, is sustainable, and won't poison the people who wear it. We as the studio specialize in hand fabrication and craftsmanship of precious metals using the latest technology combined with traditional and experimental techniques. We design using stories and meaning, literally helping people to capture their souls in metal and stone. This studio is truly a place of creation and imagination. The studio has been filled with the best of our energy; Love, Compassion and integrity guides our consciousness and every decision we make.The studio itself is a calm, warm and open atmosphere filled with plants, recycled furniture, open space, color, exposed wood and metal, friends. We begin every day with a hug and end the same. Every person is here because our passion drives us, and we can't help but do what we do.
What we are looking for in a designer:
1. An open heart and mind: you will be experiencing in depth conversations into the hearts of peoples relationships and lives. An open mind will be integral to learning about people and helping them transfer their thoughts and feelings into jewelry.
2. Communication skills: you will be engaging with many people, and must be able to listen as well as articulate your thoughts and feelings. You will also be working with jewelers to create the designs, and will need to help them understand the nuances of the design. You will also be staying in communication and sharing the aspects of the creation process with the people you design for, and if you're interested with the world through the website, blog, and the organizations we are a part of and joining (Ethical Goldsmiths, Earthworks, Hands for Africa)
2.b Intuitive: a lot of the designing we do comes from intuitively listening to peoples hearts and stories and being able to decipher what is not said in addition to hearing what is.
3. Conscious: we are very conscious about the affects of our actions on the Earth, Society and the Health of all that is around us. We are looking for someone who feels the same way who can help us to grow in these areas.
4. Organized: staying on top of new orders and making sure they are organized and worked on in the right priority is a must. It is very easy to let orders and responsibilities fall through the cracks with so much going on at any time in the studio. We are also looking for a manager for the studio, so if your feet are too big for just the designers shoes we can explore getting you bigger shoes.
5. Ethical: We deal with a great deal of valuable materials in our every day work. Not just the monetary value, the emotional value these pieces have as they are connected to the stories and souls of the people who care for them. Any deceit or false heart will greatly bring into question your ability to be a part of this family, now or any time in the future.
We created a long list of what we are looking for in a person, and I figured it would be good for you to see what we as a whole are looking for. Don't worry, you don't have to hit every nail on the head, we understand that every person is unique and has their own unique qualities to share. Here is the list of the qualities we value for a new addition to the family from all of us here at the studio: Ethical, warm, honest, humble, caring, decisive, understanding, passionate, knowledgeable, open-minded, people person, able to communicate, artistic, sincere, friendly, positive, organized, principled, charismatic, creative, spontaneous, sociable, committed, confident, organized, compassionate, a good listener, evolving, adaptable, filled with Love.
Responsibilities
In a small studio, we all watch out for each other. Some of the personal responsibilities you will have as a designer are:
- Welcoming people to the studio and working on a one on basis to create designs
- Communicating the process to the people who commission the work (businesses would call them customers, they're different here. I have yet to find the appropriate word)
- Documenting the design process
- Entering the orders into the computer
- Restoration/repair take in
- Keeping the design area clean and organized
- Calculating pricing for creating the designs
- Communicating the design to the jewelers
- Quality control and making sure the design is finished to the original concept
Tools
- Erik and Dallae, two amazing accomplished jewelers with a prodigious amount of experience and heart (Dallae is a GIA certified bench jeweler, master silversmith, used to teach the metals program at CSULB, and is published including 500 necklaces, Erik has over 14 years of experience and is a master gold and platinum smith)
- Matrix 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) system
- Over 3,000 wax molds of parts and models
- GIA microscope
- Encouraged thinking/creative time
- We are working on building a collection of samples to show people including colors, textures and finishes of various metals
- A calming, high ceiling, open, filled with plants and good energy design center
- We design and build everything in house, so you get to see your designs being made from start to finish!
- Love and I's shared knowledge and passion
We all need to make money to do what we do and exist in this world. I would like to understand what you can contribute and what monetary compensation needs you have and would like to achieve. I am flexible and want you to achieve your financial needs and goals. Salary, salary plus commission, commission only, hourly, any combination or possibly even something completely different, just let me know!
Please e-mail about yourself, your experience, why this position intrigues you and what Love and consciousness mean to you. If you are interested in being a manager, please include that as well and why.
For a creative and expressive person, there is so much possibility here for you! I am looking forward to meeting you, sharing life, creation, challenges, passion, joy, and whatever else comes our way!
- Justin
EMAIL: abbeyjewelrystudio@gmail.com
If you answered yes to these questions and enjoy designing jewelry, please consider the Abbey Jewelry Studio as a venue to explore and make a difference in your life, the people you will work with and the world around you while making a living.
A little about the Abbey. The heart of the Abbey is Conscious, Sustainable, Toxin Free jewelry made with Love. We design, create and restore jewelry with Love, Integrity and Passion. Most people have no idea that creating jewelry hurts many lives, creates massive amounts of waste, much of it toxic, and actually contains toxic materials that can cause cancer as well as a myriad of health problems. As the founder, my goal is to spread awareness to the world of the true cost of jewelry, as well as showing that jewelry is possible to create that does good, is sustainable, and won't poison the people who wear it. We as the studio specialize in hand fabrication and craftsmanship of precious metals using the latest technology combined with traditional and experimental techniques. We design using stories and meaning, literally helping people to capture their souls in metal and stone. This studio is truly a place of creation and imagination. The studio has been filled with the best of our energy; Love, Compassion and integrity guides our consciousness and every decision we make.The studio itself is a calm, warm and open atmosphere filled with plants, recycled furniture, open space, color, exposed wood and metal, friends. We begin every day with a hug and end the same. Every person is here because our passion drives us, and we can't help but do what we do.
What we are looking for in a designer:
1. An open heart and mind: you will be experiencing in depth conversations into the hearts of peoples relationships and lives. An open mind will be integral to learning about people and helping them transfer their thoughts and feelings into jewelry.
2. Communication skills: you will be engaging with many people, and must be able to listen as well as articulate your thoughts and feelings. You will also be working with jewelers to create the designs, and will need to help them understand the nuances of the design. You will also be staying in communication and sharing the aspects of the creation process with the people you design for, and if you're interested with the world through the website, blog, and the organizations we are a part of and joining (Ethical Goldsmiths, Earthworks, Hands for Africa)
2.b Intuitive: a lot of the designing we do comes from intuitively listening to peoples hearts and stories and being able to decipher what is not said in addition to hearing what is.
3. Conscious: we are very conscious about the affects of our actions on the Earth, Society and the Health of all that is around us. We are looking for someone who feels the same way who can help us to grow in these areas.
4. Organized: staying on top of new orders and making sure they are organized and worked on in the right priority is a must. It is very easy to let orders and responsibilities fall through the cracks with so much going on at any time in the studio. We are also looking for a manager for the studio, so if your feet are too big for just the designers shoes we can explore getting you bigger shoes.
5. Ethical: We deal with a great deal of valuable materials in our every day work. Not just the monetary value, the emotional value these pieces have as they are connected to the stories and souls of the people who care for them. Any deceit or false heart will greatly bring into question your ability to be a part of this family, now or any time in the future.
We created a long list of what we are looking for in a person, and I figured it would be good for you to see what we as a whole are looking for. Don't worry, you don't have to hit every nail on the head, we understand that every person is unique and has their own unique qualities to share. Here is the list of the qualities we value for a new addition to the family from all of us here at the studio: Ethical, warm, honest, humble, caring, decisive, understanding, passionate, knowledgeable, open-minded, people person, able to communicate, artistic, sincere, friendly, positive, organized, principled, charismatic, creative, spontaneous, sociable, committed, confident, organized, compassionate, a good listener, evolving, adaptable, filled with Love.
Responsibilities
In a small studio, we all watch out for each other. Some of the personal responsibilities you will have as a designer are:
- Welcoming people to the studio and working on a one on basis to create designs
- Communicating the process to the people who commission the work (businesses would call them customers, they're different here. I have yet to find the appropriate word)
- Documenting the design process
- Entering the orders into the computer
- Restoration/repair take in
- Keeping the design area clean and organized
- Calculating pricing for creating the designs
- Communicating the design to the jewelers
- Quality control and making sure the design is finished to the original concept
Tools
- Erik and Dallae, two amazing accomplished jewelers with a prodigious amount of experience and heart (Dallae is a GIA certified bench jeweler, master silversmith, used to teach the metals program at CSULB, and is published including 500 necklaces, Erik has over 14 years of experience and is a master gold and platinum smith)
- Matrix 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) system
- Over 3,000 wax molds of parts and models
- GIA microscope
- Encouraged thinking/creative time
- We are working on building a collection of samples to show people including colors, textures and finishes of various metals
- A calming, high ceiling, open, filled with plants and good energy design center
- We design and build everything in house, so you get to see your designs being made from start to finish!
- Love and I's shared knowledge and passion
We all need to make money to do what we do and exist in this world. I would like to understand what you can contribute and what monetary compensation needs you have and would like to achieve. I am flexible and want you to achieve your financial needs and goals. Salary, salary plus commission, commission only, hourly, any combination or possibly even something completely different, just let me know!
Please e-mail about yourself, your experience, why this position intrigues you and what Love and consciousness mean to you. If you are interested in being a manager, please include that as well and why.
For a creative and expressive person, there is so much possibility here for you! I am looking forward to meeting you, sharing life, creation, challenges, passion, joy, and whatever else comes our way!
- Justin
EMAIL: abbeyjewelrystudio@gmail.com
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Nickel White Gold Protection
This is a post I wrote a few weeks ago. I never put it up as we decided to completely remake the ring in a non toxic gold alloy so she wouldn't have any possible nickel or toxin exposure, but there is some good possibility along the vein we explored here for people who do not or cannot remake their jewelry:
Today I am working on a ring of someone special to me, and once again I am forced to overcome the shortsightedness and lack of consideration by this jewelry industry. Her fiance got her the ring because it was simple, which is what she wanted, white gold as it is precious and had a Canadian diamond for a touch of tradition (which was nice for them too as they're Canadian). However, at no time when he was purchasing the ring was he told what the white gold in the ring was alloyed with. Almost no one does, as it is not brought up during sales presentations and there aren't any pretty and lacy full page ads in bridal magazines talking about the perfect alloy to go with a sparkly new diamond. He proposed to her and she wore it every day as most newly engaged do. As time went on, she started to develop an itchy finger, which soon turned into a full blown rash. She was perplexed, and had no idea her body was trying to fight off and reject the ring. They had no idea the ring was alloyed with Nickel, a heavy metal that causes cancer with prolonged exposure, then shuts down the immune system so our bodies can't fight it. As well, once in the body, it is very difficult to get rid of. The ring is special because he gave it to her, and yet she can't wear it because she breaks out as soon as she puts it on.
After lots of brain storming and feeling my way around how to help her (you may have noticed a previous post says we weren't taking in any nickel white gold jewelry because it is unsafe to work with) I believe there is a way to help. The main problem is the contact with the skin, as it is absorbing the nickel which breaks down and leaches out of the ring from her sweat and chlorinates (pools, cleaning products, shampoo, tap water etc). The idea is, create a non-toxic and allergy free barrier (her body has already grown more sensitive to metals from her ordeal). A problem is, to put a liner inside we will have to make the ring larger as the liner will make the inside of the ring smaller. We can't size her ring by cutting or grinding as it will expose the jewelers themselves to the nickel in a much worse form, dust. Instead, we will be stretching the ring larger by cold forging. Very different from hot forging, which heats up the metal to the point it begins to de-gas which would release the nickel into the air as a vapor, worse than dust. We will cold forge by simply hammering the ring larger, preventing any release of nickel via dust or vapor into the air we breathe!
The liner itself will be made of platinum iridium, a non toxic and hypoallergenic alloy. We will make a tube, put it through the inside of the ring and fold it around the edge of the ring, then laser weld the liner to the ring to create a sealed and seamless barrier. No soldering, as that would result in the metal heating and degassing the nickel.
I am very excited about this, as it is a potential to help people who love their rings and either can't or don't want to remake them enjoy their jewelry without absorbing all the toxins contained within!
With Everything,
Justin
Today I am working on a ring of someone special to me, and once again I am forced to overcome the shortsightedness and lack of consideration by this jewelry industry. Her fiance got her the ring because it was simple, which is what she wanted, white gold as it is precious and had a Canadian diamond for a touch of tradition (which was nice for them too as they're Canadian). However, at no time when he was purchasing the ring was he told what the white gold in the ring was alloyed with. Almost no one does, as it is not brought up during sales presentations and there aren't any pretty and lacy full page ads in bridal magazines talking about the perfect alloy to go with a sparkly new diamond. He proposed to her and she wore it every day as most newly engaged do. As time went on, she started to develop an itchy finger, which soon turned into a full blown rash. She was perplexed, and had no idea her body was trying to fight off and reject the ring. They had no idea the ring was alloyed with Nickel, a heavy metal that causes cancer with prolonged exposure, then shuts down the immune system so our bodies can't fight it. As well, once in the body, it is very difficult to get rid of. The ring is special because he gave it to her, and yet she can't wear it because she breaks out as soon as she puts it on.
After lots of brain storming and feeling my way around how to help her (you may have noticed a previous post says we weren't taking in any nickel white gold jewelry because it is unsafe to work with) I believe there is a way to help. The main problem is the contact with the skin, as it is absorbing the nickel which breaks down and leaches out of the ring from her sweat and chlorinates (pools, cleaning products, shampoo, tap water etc). The idea is, create a non-toxic and allergy free barrier (her body has already grown more sensitive to metals from her ordeal). A problem is, to put a liner inside we will have to make the ring larger as the liner will make the inside of the ring smaller. We can't size her ring by cutting or grinding as it will expose the jewelers themselves to the nickel in a much worse form, dust. Instead, we will be stretching the ring larger by cold forging. Very different from hot forging, which heats up the metal to the point it begins to de-gas which would release the nickel into the air as a vapor, worse than dust. We will cold forge by simply hammering the ring larger, preventing any release of nickel via dust or vapor into the air we breathe!
The liner itself will be made of platinum iridium, a non toxic and hypoallergenic alloy. We will make a tube, put it through the inside of the ring and fold it around the edge of the ring, then laser weld the liner to the ring to create a sealed and seamless barrier. No soldering, as that would result in the metal heating and degassing the nickel.
I am very excited about this, as it is a potential to help people who love their rings and either can't or don't want to remake them enjoy their jewelry without absorbing all the toxins contained within!
With Everything,
Justin
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Dear Friends,
We are evolving. We are working to create a Conscious Jewelry Studio that Designs, Creates and Restores with environmentally & socially conscious materials and methods that are toxin free. As we will be spending a great deal of time, energy and resources exploring the environmental and health impact, we will be moving to an appointment only format.
Also, we currently do not understand the environmental and toxic impact of taking in repairs and restorations of NICKEL white gold jewelry. As such, we will be conducting research into how we can safely and consciously work on your jewelry. Until that time, we will no longer take in repairs and restorations of NICKEL white gold jewelry. If your white gold jewelry is alloyed with Palladium, it will not cause harm to our health and we are more than happy to take it in (all of our jewelry personally or custom made since 2/2010 is nickel free)
We thank you for your understanding as we work to give you the best of ourselves.
*The door is always open for anyone picking up.*
To set an appointment please call 714.524.9888
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
A Roadmap
To other jewelers and fabricators who stumble across this site: I am not here to attack the industry, I am working on building us a road map to sustainability!
The jewelry industry is one of the worst when it comes to being eco and socially conscious. Sadly more time and energy is spent marketing what little is being done, than really making a change. Mostly, this is because no one knows what or how to change!
If you are interested in becoming more environmentally and socially conscious, shoot me an email: abbeyjewelrystudio@gmail.com
Looking forward,
Justinder
The jewelry industry is one of the worst when it comes to being eco and socially conscious. Sadly more time and energy is spent marketing what little is being done, than really making a change. Mostly, this is because no one knows what or how to change!
If you are interested in becoming more environmentally and socially conscious, shoot me an email: abbeyjewelrystudio@gmail.com
Looking forward,
Justinder
Monday, May 30, 2011
Your Jewelry is Poisoning You - An Introduction to Toxic Jewelry
What makes jewelry toxic?
It is the metal. Not the gold or the silver or the platinum we are buying, it is all the other garbage that gets mixed in with it that we're not told about.
Fine Jewelry is sold as being precious. It has legally required hallmarks inside that tell of the purity of the metal you are buying. For example, if you purchase a wedding ring made of white gold and it is stamped inside 14K, it means 58.5% of the ring is gold. That means a whopping 41.5% of the rest of the ring is a complete mystery!
It is those other metals that get mixed in that are toxic. Most commonly, especially for white gold, is nickel. Nickel is carcinogenic. What does that mean? It causes cancer. Then it blocks your bodies immune system so you can't fight the cancer.
But the nickel is in the ring, it can't hurt me right? Wrong. Nickel easily breaks down when it is exposed to chlorinates. Chlorinates are found everywhere; dish soap, pools, hot tubs, tooth paste, food, even our tap water is saturated in chlorine! When that chlorine touches jewelry with nickel, it starts to dissolve the nickel which then gets absorbed into the skin.
Nickel isn't the only danger. Cadmium and lead are commonly found in jewelry as both alloys and joining materials used in repairs. Lead is very toxic, and over time leads to lead poisoning in adults, brain damage in children. However, it is the cute cuddly of the two. Cadmium is the most toxic of all the heavy metals. It is very toxic in even the smallest of doses, kills with larger doses, and there is no effective treatment for cadmium poisoning. The metal is seventh on the CDC's most hazardous substances list.
Jewelry is often toxic. The best way to prevent being poisoned by your jewelry is to not have toxic materials in your jewelry in the first place. If a jeweler says that those materials are just what there is, don't believe them, there are alternatives! Jewelers don't work with these alternatives because they are more difficult, more expensive or they just don't know or care. At the Abbey, toxin free jewelry is what we do.
If you are conscious about your health and the health of the ones you love, be conscious of the jewelry you wear and the jewelry you give.
Stay tuned to learn more about toxic jewelry and it's affects.
With opening eyes,
Justinder
It is the metal. Not the gold or the silver or the platinum we are buying, it is all the other garbage that gets mixed in with it that we're not told about.
Fine Jewelry is sold as being precious. It has legally required hallmarks inside that tell of the purity of the metal you are buying. For example, if you purchase a wedding ring made of white gold and it is stamped inside 14K, it means 58.5% of the ring is gold. That means a whopping 41.5% of the rest of the ring is a complete mystery!
It is those other metals that get mixed in that are toxic. Most commonly, especially for white gold, is nickel. Nickel is carcinogenic. What does that mean? It causes cancer. Then it blocks your bodies immune system so you can't fight the cancer.
But the nickel is in the ring, it can't hurt me right? Wrong. Nickel easily breaks down when it is exposed to chlorinates. Chlorinates are found everywhere; dish soap, pools, hot tubs, tooth paste, food, even our tap water is saturated in chlorine! When that chlorine touches jewelry with nickel, it starts to dissolve the nickel which then gets absorbed into the skin.
Nickel isn't the only danger. Cadmium and lead are commonly found in jewelry as both alloys and joining materials used in repairs. Lead is very toxic, and over time leads to lead poisoning in adults, brain damage in children. However, it is the cute cuddly of the two. Cadmium is the most toxic of all the heavy metals. It is very toxic in even the smallest of doses, kills with larger doses, and there is no effective treatment for cadmium poisoning. The metal is seventh on the CDC's most hazardous substances list.
Jewelry is often toxic. The best way to prevent being poisoned by your jewelry is to not have toxic materials in your jewelry in the first place. If a jeweler says that those materials are just what there is, don't believe them, there are alternatives! Jewelers don't work with these alternatives because they are more difficult, more expensive or they just don't know or care. At the Abbey, toxin free jewelry is what we do.
If you are conscious about your health and the health of the ones you love, be conscious of the jewelry you wear and the jewelry you give.
Stay tuned to learn more about toxic jewelry and it's affects.
With opening eyes,
Justinder
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
I am insignificant
I am one of 7 billion humans on this planet. Humans are one of 100 million species on the planet earth. The earth is one planet of 8 circling the sun. The sun is one star amongst 200 billion in the Milky Way Galaxy, many with their own system of planets. The Milky Way is one of 200 billion galaxies. Those 200 billion galaxies comprise only 4.6% of the known universe, the rest is dark matter and dark energy. Our universe is 78 billion light years across (correction: due to the expansion of space-time our universe is 156 billion light years across). Our universe is one of an infinite number of universes along an infinite number of timelines amongst an infinite number of dimensions containing an infinite number of universes along an infinite number of timelines. What I do is not significant. Yet every choice is my own, and that is significant to me.
Searching...
Justinder
Searching...
Justinder
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Quality Union
Erik and Dallae are amazing. Every day they come in and craft exquisite pieces with a level of integrity that transforms into some of the best quality work I've ever seen in the US. Today, they amazed again with a simple joining together of two wedding bands job.
First a little backgroung: A couple came in with a wedding set. Put them together so they don't come apart. Simple, take it to most jewelry stores and they put a little solder inside, heat, and call it a day. In the studio, we just do things differently. Instead of soldering, we laser weld. Soldering involves using a metal, most often not even the same metal as the original ring (also usually very toxic! containing lead, cadmium, arsenic or a whole host of other yuck and not containing any gold or platinum) that melts at a lower temperature in between the rings which holds them together. This bond is usually around 40-50% strong as the original metal. Laser welding is done by focusing a beam of energy to create a pinpoint weld. The metal from the two rings instantly melts together and fuses them. This creates a bond that is 95% strong as the original metal!
This strength is especially important for a wedding set that gets worn every day, as there are the constant mechanical forces of touching things, gripping, bumping hands against furniture, squeezing the steering wheel, and everything else we do with our hands.
Okay, on to the amazed part. The quality of the weld Dallae did with the laser is some of the finest I have ever seen. Looking inside, I can't even tell that there were two rings to begin with. Outside, the rings look held together by magic. Perfectly smooth, not a spot or even a line. The rings were not even designed to be fit together, and were different sizes! Yet she achieved a grace and elegance between the balance of the two rings with the cleanest joining, inside and out.
It is craftsmanship such as this that makes me proud of my jewelers, and proud of the studio. There is no delineation between an intricate custom hand fabricated job and a simple repair, the integrity is total. Nothing is rushed or pushed through, there is no second rate or good enough; every piece is given all that is in our hearts and abilities.
With Everything,
Justinder
First a little backgroung: A couple came in with a wedding set. Put them together so they don't come apart. Simple, take it to most jewelry stores and they put a little solder inside, heat, and call it a day. In the studio, we just do things differently. Instead of soldering, we laser weld. Soldering involves using a metal, most often not even the same metal as the original ring (also usually very toxic! containing lead, cadmium, arsenic or a whole host of other yuck and not containing any gold or platinum) that melts at a lower temperature in between the rings which holds them together. This bond is usually around 40-50% strong as the original metal. Laser welding is done by focusing a beam of energy to create a pinpoint weld. The metal from the two rings instantly melts together and fuses them. This creates a bond that is 95% strong as the original metal!
This strength is especially important for a wedding set that gets worn every day, as there are the constant mechanical forces of touching things, gripping, bumping hands against furniture, squeezing the steering wheel, and everything else we do with our hands.
Okay, on to the amazed part. The quality of the weld Dallae did with the laser is some of the finest I have ever seen. Looking inside, I can't even tell that there were two rings to begin with. Outside, the rings look held together by magic. Perfectly smooth, not a spot or even a line. The rings were not even designed to be fit together, and were different sizes! Yet she achieved a grace and elegance between the balance of the two rings with the cleanest joining, inside and out.
It is craftsmanship such as this that makes me proud of my jewelers, and proud of the studio. There is no delineation between an intricate custom hand fabricated job and a simple repair, the integrity is total. Nothing is rushed or pushed through, there is no second rate or good enough; every piece is given all that is in our hearts and abilities.
With Everything,
Justinder
Saturday, March 26, 2011
If it's too good to be true, it probably is. A study in Integrity
I am once again outraged and my heart broken by the jewelry industry. Today another couple came in who had been hoodwinked, cheated, misled, lied to and taken advantage of.
This couple purchased their engagement ring with innocence and trust in their local independent jeweler. They were told the diamond they were purchasing was certified, of good quality and great value. When they picked up the ring, there was no certification. They didn't feel comfortable and asked for the diamond certificate. He said the diamond didn't have one, and the receipt was just as good. They didn't feel comfortable and demanded a certificate. Their jeweler sent the ring in for 'certification' and they got a 'certificate' back stating the value of their diamond. However, they didn't notice their 'certificate' was different from their receipt and appraisal. They took the jewelers word as they now had what they thought was independent verification.
They brought their ring in to me to have sized as they didn't feel comfortable going back to their original jeweler. We noticed their was a heavy concentration of inclusions that reached the surface and wanted to make them aware that they should be careful with the diamond as inclusions that reach the surface, especially on the table (the top flat part) and the girdle (the rim that goes all the way around the diamond), make the diamond susceptible to fracturing with even a slight impact.
They were alarmed as they thought they had a good quality stone. When I asked them what they were told the quality of the stone was I was shocked, as it didn't come close to the quality of what I had inspected and was still holding in my hands. I showed them the diamond under a microscope and they too were alarmed. I asked them to bring me the certification they had received so I could see why there was a discrepancy.
When they showed me their receipt, appraisal and certification red flags went up immediately as there was no correlation between them. The appraisal, written and signed by them, stated the center diamond was an H color SI-2. The 'certification' from a well known diamond grading house stated the diamond was a G color I-1. The value difference between the quality of what they were told and sold and the 'certified' quality of the diamond was over 40%!!!
That wasn't the worst of it, their 'certificate' was really just an id card of the ring that had been graded with the diamonds already in the ring and not an actual diamond certificate, in fact I have never seen a 'certificate' like it and doubt its legitimacy.
They are going to go back to the jeweler and see what he can do to rectify the situation, however they have lost all faith in him and are even unsure of how he can rectify the situation as they were misled when last they tried with him.
This event has strengthened my resolve to grow a studio whose every building block if founded in Integrity and Openness.
With Everything,
Justinder
This couple purchased their engagement ring with innocence and trust in their local independent jeweler. They were told the diamond they were purchasing was certified, of good quality and great value. When they picked up the ring, there was no certification. They didn't feel comfortable and asked for the diamond certificate. He said the diamond didn't have one, and the receipt was just as good. They didn't feel comfortable and demanded a certificate. Their jeweler sent the ring in for 'certification' and they got a 'certificate' back stating the value of their diamond. However, they didn't notice their 'certificate' was different from their receipt and appraisal. They took the jewelers word as they now had what they thought was independent verification.
They brought their ring in to me to have sized as they didn't feel comfortable going back to their original jeweler. We noticed their was a heavy concentration of inclusions that reached the surface and wanted to make them aware that they should be careful with the diamond as inclusions that reach the surface, especially on the table (the top flat part) and the girdle (the rim that goes all the way around the diamond), make the diamond susceptible to fracturing with even a slight impact.
They were alarmed as they thought they had a good quality stone. When I asked them what they were told the quality of the stone was I was shocked, as it didn't come close to the quality of what I had inspected and was still holding in my hands. I showed them the diamond under a microscope and they too were alarmed. I asked them to bring me the certification they had received so I could see why there was a discrepancy.
When they showed me their receipt, appraisal and certification red flags went up immediately as there was no correlation between them. The appraisal, written and signed by them, stated the center diamond was an H color SI-2. The 'certification' from a well known diamond grading house stated the diamond was a G color I-1. The value difference between the quality of what they were told and sold and the 'certified' quality of the diamond was over 40%!!!
That wasn't the worst of it, their 'certificate' was really just an id card of the ring that had been graded with the diamonds already in the ring and not an actual diamond certificate, in fact I have never seen a 'certificate' like it and doubt its legitimacy.
They are going to go back to the jeweler and see what he can do to rectify the situation, however they have lost all faith in him and are even unsure of how he can rectify the situation as they were misled when last they tried with him.
This event has strengthened my resolve to grow a studio whose every building block if founded in Integrity and Openness.
With Everything,
Justinder
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Alpha and Alumina
Apparently I do a terrible job of keeping track of all our advancements. Even though I haven't finalized my writing about what we are doing to be Toxin Free and Conscious, I'm going to start posting up the little things to remind myself of what I've done.
Yesterday, I ordered our new Platinum polishing compound. It is a three stage compound of varying grit we put on the buffing wheel to give platinum the finest shine and polish. We used to use a highly toxic polishing compound made with aluminum oxide and animal tallow (the, um, other parts of animals that don't get eaten, gross). The new compound uses Alpha Alumina, a more stable form of Aluminum (which is still toxic), and bees wax as a binder.
This new compound has a much lower chance of entering the blood stream when inhaled as it is more stable than the aluminum oxide, which is a type of salt and easily enters the blood stream, even through the pores in our skin. Plus, it's nice knowing we're not using animal leftovers. Regardless, our polishing system is enclosed to prevent the inhalation of any dust which is harmful in and of itself.
Always trying,
Justinder
Yesterday, I ordered our new Platinum polishing compound. It is a three stage compound of varying grit we put on the buffing wheel to give platinum the finest shine and polish. We used to use a highly toxic polishing compound made with aluminum oxide and animal tallow (the, um, other parts of animals that don't get eaten, gross). The new compound uses Alpha Alumina, a more stable form of Aluminum (which is still toxic), and bees wax as a binder.
This new compound has a much lower chance of entering the blood stream when inhaled as it is more stable than the aluminum oxide, which is a type of salt and easily enters the blood stream, even through the pores in our skin. Plus, it's nice knowing we're not using animal leftovers. Regardless, our polishing system is enclosed to prevent the inhalation of any dust which is harmful in and of itself.
Always trying,
Justinder
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Pushing Daisies - A tribute to Pandora
I had a customer who was with the studio before I decided to create the studio, was with me while I was in the beginning stages of its creation, and was sad when we were leaving.
Recently she had gone to many jewelry stores looking for a pendant of a cat. After many 'salesman' pitches, the same generic pieces, and lack of creativity from 'custom' jewelers, she sent me this following e-mail, she didn't know I had decided to keep the studio open:
"Justin,
I am really feeling the need for a new piece of jewelry. A yellow gold pendant to go on a rope chain. I like hearts and flowers, but I don’t want it to look too commercial. Looking for that unique piece I know you can create. Any ideas? I never thought I would miss your creativity so much, but I have been to several other jewelry stores and their selection is generic, their prices are too high and they don’t seem to care.
Please help,
Paige S."
We set up an appointment and today she came in. I have decided, with her permission, to share the creation process. First, the inspiration:
Paige's cat Pandora recently passed away. Pandora was a big part of Paige's life, her presence was comforting to Paige as she went through a difficult time. Paige had Pandora cremated and will be putting her in the flower bed. Paige always said the cat smelled like flowers, and now Pandora will litteraly be 'pushing daisies' and playing around the garden. Pandora had green eyes and liked to sleep a lot.
Now, the concept:
Daisy with cat pendant. Naturally shaped daisy, the size of a quarter, with naturally shaped and irregular petals, with checkerboard cut citrine center with vivid yellow bezel. Naturally shaped cat poking its head out of the side with green sapphire eyes and long whiskers which come outside the circumference of the design. 14k yellow and 14k palladium white gold. 22k plated center bezel. Hand fabricated.
The rough sketch:
I will continue to post photos and notes as we work through the fabrication process.
This is my first time sharing the intimacy of our process, thank you Paige for willing to share a beautiful facet of your heart!
With Everything,
Justinder
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Keep In Touch
A lot of people have been curious about how the jewelry industry can be so damaging to our earth and what we're doing to be environmentally and socially conscious. It has been a long and hard road of research, experimentation, trial and error, questions, seminars, and good old blood and sweat in establishing our methods and materials, but we are almost there! I will be writing about it shortly so stay tuned.
If you would like to keep in touch, please e-mail me at: abbeyjewelrystudio@gmail.com
and I will add you to my contacts (especially good for craft beer nights at the studio!)
With Everything,
Justinder
If you would like to keep in touch, please e-mail me at: abbeyjewelrystudio@gmail.com
and I will add you to my contacts (especially good for craft beer nights at the studio!)
With Everything,
Justinder
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Integrity in Metals
The world of metals has me pulling my hair from its roots. There are so many different alloys, mixtures, strengths, purities, properties, and toxicity variables that choosing the 'right' one is a painstaking and convoluted endeavor.
Recently looking into platinum, after foraging through hundreds of pages of journals, reports, tests, articles, and personal experiences, I thought I had stumbled upon a good safe alloy in 95% Platinum 5% Ruthenium mix, only to find an obscure article by Jurgen Maerz (the godfather of platinum-smithing), which I am sure 99.999999% of jewelers don't even know exists, where he states that when exposed to the oxygen during heating will form Ruthenium Oxide which is not only toxic to humans, it creates a mutagen that will attack and change the DNA structure of our cells! Ruthenium in the blood stream mimics Iron, and our bodies will naturally bond it to our cells, and most prominently in our bones and bone marrow where it will remain for the remainder of our lifetimes.
'All ruthenium compounds should be regarded as highly toxic and as carcinogenic. Compounds of ruthenium stain the skin very strongly. It seems that ingested ruthenium is retained strongly in bones. Ruthenium oxide, RuO4, is highly toxic and volatile, and to be avoided.' http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/ru.htm)
Recently looking into platinum, after foraging through hundreds of pages of journals, reports, tests, articles, and personal experiences, I thought I had stumbled upon a good safe alloy in 95% Platinum 5% Ruthenium mix, only to find an obscure article by Jurgen Maerz (the godfather of platinum-smithing), which I am sure 99.999999% of jewelers don't even know exists, where he states that when exposed to the oxygen during heating will form Ruthenium Oxide which is not only toxic to humans, it creates a mutagen that will attack and change the DNA structure of our cells! Ruthenium in the blood stream mimics Iron, and our bodies will naturally bond it to our cells, and most prominently in our bones and bone marrow where it will remain for the remainder of our lifetimes.
'All ruthenium compounds should be regarded as highly toxic and as carcinogenic. Compounds of ruthenium stain the skin very strongly. It seems that ingested ruthenium is retained strongly in bones. Ruthenium oxide, RuO4, is highly toxic and volatile, and to be avoided.' http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/ru.htm)
Thursday, January 13, 2011
We are not a Luxury jeweler, we are a Quality jeweler
The Abbey is not a luxury jeweler, in fact the Abbey doesn't even exist to sell jewelry.
For some reason, the greatest aspiration of many jewelry stores is to become a 'Luxury' jeweler; a jeweler of the stars, the rich and famous, people who know people. I see it everywhere. In store ads, brands, magazines, even the type of jewelry products being pushed to be consumed. There are all sorts of ranges of luxury jewelry out there: in watches you have a range from Gigantto to Rolex to Patek Philippe, and everything in between from every 'Luxury' purveyor in the world out there: Louis Vuitton, Prada, Mont Blanc, even Juicy Couture. I see the term popping up in the mall jewelers, big jewelers, even the small mom and pop jewelers. Luxury has become all consuming in our culture, and quite frankly it makes me feel queasy.
Our society has placed such a high level of importance on luxury that life for many have transferred the focus of their lives from living to acquiring, the more the luxurious the better. No longer is luxury the icing on the cake of life, the people who market and profit from it want a bowl of icing to be eaten three times a day, and they have the audacity to call it a balanced meal.
The Abbey is not a luxury jeweler. I did not create the Abbey to sell jewelry. That's right, I will repeat that again so it will echo forever and be ingrained within the very foundation of the soul of the Abbey: We are not a luxury jeweler and we are not here to sell jewelry.
The Abbey exists to give life. To create, to love, to capture within metal and stones the essence life. Love taught me the greatest virtue achievable in this life is compassion: in which the suffering of others drives and gives an active desire to alleviate it.
For some reason, the greatest aspiration of many jewelry stores is to become a 'Luxury' jeweler; a jeweler of the stars, the rich and famous, people who know people. I see it everywhere. In store ads, brands, magazines, even the type of jewelry products being pushed to be consumed. There are all sorts of ranges of luxury jewelry out there: in watches you have a range from Gigantto to Rolex to Patek Philippe, and everything in between from every 'Luxury' purveyor in the world out there: Louis Vuitton, Prada, Mont Blanc, even Juicy Couture. I see the term popping up in the mall jewelers, big jewelers, even the small mom and pop jewelers. Luxury has become all consuming in our culture, and quite frankly it makes me feel queasy.
Our society has placed such a high level of importance on luxury that life for many have transferred the focus of their lives from living to acquiring, the more the luxurious the better. No longer is luxury the icing on the cake of life, the people who market and profit from it want a bowl of icing to be eaten three times a day, and they have the audacity to call it a balanced meal.
The Abbey is not a luxury jeweler. I did not create the Abbey to sell jewelry. That's right, I will repeat that again so it will echo forever and be ingrained within the very foundation of the soul of the Abbey: We are not a luxury jeweler and we are not here to sell jewelry.
The Abbey exists to give life. To create, to love, to capture within metal and stones the essence life. Love taught me the greatest virtue achievable in this life is compassion: in which the suffering of others drives and gives an active desire to alleviate it.
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