Friday Trivia -- diamonds

Diamonds-- a girl's best friend that are forever.

Raw Diamonds

They are also April's birthstone--befitting that we offer a few trivia tidbits about the stone.

The word, "diamond" has its roots in Greek and Aryan. "Adamas” means unconquerable or invincible in Greek. "Dam” in Aryan, means to tame or subdue (which is also the where the word ”madam” comes from).

India is said to be the site of the original diamond mines which started in the 9th century. Later in the mid-1700's, diamonds were discovered in Brazil. Lastly, came diamonds discovered in Africa in the late 1800's,  where the majority of diamonds are mined today.

Beautiful Cut Diamonds

During the middle ages in Europe, it was believed that diamonds set in gold and worn on the left side possessed powers to drive away nightmares, ward off devils, and even soothe wild beasts. 

And, of course, we have to add a trivia bit about diamond engagement rings:  The first recorded diamond engagement ring was given in 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed marriage to Mary of Burgundy.

new camera

We have upgrated to a much better camera, to hopfully take better macro pictures of our jewelry.  It has been a long time in coming.

Well, it came today.  So we played around a little with it.  Here are two rings that we will be putting up for sale soon. 

I didn't do much editing....and I need to work out a few things, but I think I am going to like our new addition. 

Now the work begins....


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We still have a few openings in our jewelry making & silversmithing classes.  Click here for details.  And in May we will have classes available 2-3 times a week.

Exhibition

You are hereby invited: 

 Exhibition  of  Jewelry 

Created by Rene's Students

Friday, November 30th

6:00 to 8:00 pm

Hall of the Art Gallery

Weber State University

Ogden, Utah

Some pieces will be available for purchase.

new projects

New items for sale is our Etsy shop:

And here are some new rings we have been working on -- they shall be for sale in our Etsy shop shortly.

Enjoy!

Winners' Gifts

Here is what our giveaway winners chose as their jewelry gift:

"Up in the Night's" ring

Brenda's pendant

We are still waiting to hear from Kelsey to see what she wants.......hmmmm......decisions.....decisions....

Gold rings, silver rings, big rings, small rings and more, more rings............

18k gold with Colombian emerald

Turquoise and Silver

 Turquoise and Silver

Another busy time for us, but it has produced these beautiful pieces of jewelry that are now for sale at our Etsy shop. Visit: www.GalleonsGold.etsy.com for more information about the rings.  Enjoy!

 Coconut Shell and Silver 

Turquoise, Silver and Brass

Colombian Emerald and 18k Gold

 Turquoise and Silver

Coconut Shell and Silver

Coconut Shell and Silver 

 Turquoise and Silver

Emerald, Diamonds and Platinium

Brazilian Onix and Silver

Brazilian Onix and Silver

18k Gold and Colombian Emerald

Brazilian Onix and  Silver

New items for sale in Etsy shop

We have been busy the last few days and here are our new items for sale in our Etsy online shop.  Please click on each picture to see more information about the piece. Enjoy!

Sterling Silver Textured Snake Ring

Sterling Silver Butterfly Pendant

Pendant with a snake and a bird's head

Sterling Silver Flower w/ Colombian Emerald Brooch

Mother of Pearl Fish Necklace

Sterling Silver Flower with Colombian Emerald Brooch

Sterling Silver Smooth Snake Ring

Silver-Nickel Textured Snake Ring

Sterling Silver Ring with Rhinestones

Jewelry Classes

Have you ever wanted to design and make your own necklace? Or your girlfriend's engagement ring?  Or maybe you saw something in the store and want to make something similiar with your personality on it ? Or maybe you just want to improve your metalsmithing skills?

If so, then come on over to Rene's jewelery/metalsmithing classes.  Students will learn how to make earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets and anything else you want out of silver, gold (or other metals) and precious stones. 

All skill levels are invited to class.

You are welcome to come as little as once a month or as much as twice a week --- whatever your schedule dictates.  Classes are offered Mondays & Thursdays 6pm -- 9pm (other times and days by appointment) at the Galleon's Gold Workshop on 12th St. in Ogden, Utah. 

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We are also able to give demonstrations and one day classes to schools, "girl's night out," church groups, scouts, etc. We are happy to travel to Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Morgan, Cache, Carbon and Box Elder counties in Utah. If you would like us to do something in another place, please let us know and we can see what the options are.  We will bring all supplies needed. ~ ~ ~

Click here to contact us about the classes.

Collections

We have added some pictures to our collections page.  Our goal is to have a page representing the different work Rene does--a little of this and a little of that! He makes so many pretty things, and I love to show off his work-----but the process gets bogged down at my end---

I know, I know I have said it before, but truely, the taking ofgood digital pictures and transfering them to the web is a perpetual challange for me. I keep thinking one of these days I will develop the skills and one of these days I will have more time to work it out, but alas, the skill is slow in coming and time, will extra time elludes me.  I often think of Benjamin Franklin's quote on time (that is also in my favorite all time movie, Gone With the Wind), "Do not squander time for that is the stuff life is made of."  

Do I squander time? I like to think not...but oh!  I am rambling again. Anyway-------

Please click here to see our "Collections Page." 


Enjoy!

Giveaway pt 2

I had problems with our pictures--- so here it finially is! Our prize for our giveaway -- a fabulous pure silver ring.

See the previous blog post for entry details.  Good luck!

Our Giveaway!!!

Ready Set Go- Our first giveaway: beautiful one-of-a kind silver ring. (Pictures will posted later after I download them.)



RULES: Click here to become our fan on Facebook. Then leave a comment between now and Monday, the 23nd at midnight MST. Your name will then be entered into a drawing and our 4yr old will pull our the winning name! Good luck!

Coconut rings

One of the fun things Rene has done, is turned the shells of oconuts into beautiful settings in rings. The band is sterling silver. He has made these ring using different shapes: diamond, square and oval as pictured below.