A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER VOLUME 24, NUMBER 1 MARCH 2014

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1 UNITED STATES FACETERS GUILD NEWSLETTER Promoting the art, skill and teaching of faceting Expanding the knowledge of natural & man-made crystals Developing & promoting uniform rules for faceting competitions everywhere Sponsoring or assisting in managed competitions Serving as a national repository for faceting designs, published materials & information A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER VOLUME 24, NUMBER 1 MARCH 2014 Many Split Mains Welcome New Members USFG Faceting Design: Beauty USFG Faceting Design: Beauty Too USFG Faceting Design: Beauty First USFG Faceting Design: Split Facets Galore USFG Faceting Design: Split Facet Variation USFG Faceting Design: Many Split Mains USFG Faceting Design: Infinity Will Smith and Dan Lynch Join the Cast of Prospectors USFG Faceting Design: Straight-Sided Triangle with Step Crown and Locator Facets Tucson Show Report President s Message Editor s Corner Tom Maxwell, USFG Director of Education Symbolism in Gemstone Cutting Burma Ban Buy It While You Can USFG Faceting Design: Straight-Sided Trianble USFG Faceting Design: Straight-Sided Triangle with Step Crown USFG Faceting Design: Autumn Still Life USFG Faceting Design: Ten Star Low Angle Froster USFG Faceting Design: Ten Star Low Angle Froster USFG Faceting Design: Beginner Barion Oval a.k.a. Quake USFG Faceting Design: Pedantic Sophistry USFG Faceting Design: Happy Flower Schedule for USFG Franklin Faceters Frolic (FFF7) Rose Quartz Quality Factors Rose Quartz Photos of 2014 USFG Officers Photos of 2014 USFG Directors Tourmalines First Quarter 2014 USFG Meeting Minutes Balance Sheet Profit & Loss Statement Advertisers USFG Information USFG Life Members USFG Officers and Staff USFG Membership Application UNITED USFG STATES FACETERS GUILD 1

2 MANY SPLIT MAINS By Glenn Klein From my early faceting days onward, I have often wondered what it would be like to have a Crown and Pavilion that consisted of as many split Pavilion mains and as many Crown split main facets as I could get into an interesting design. Back in the early seventies I was able to cut such a design using Quartz rock crystal, and I was pleased with how the gemstone looked. But in those days I did not keep good enough records of gems that I cut. Now in the year 2013 I again became interested in such a design. I found that I could not duplicate what I had been able to do those many years ago. That was a time well before the GemCad computer program was invented. But being determined, I was able to experiment until I found that I needed a pretty large stone to accomplish my goal. Following are several of my designs that were part of my study to reach satisfaction with split facets. Cut One: Beauty This design and the following two designs have the same Crown, resulting in Pentagon shaped stones. But they greatly differ with the Pavilion facets..and this Beauty dramatically changes the effect you see when looking down through the Table facet. This 15mm 15 carat Yellow Synthetic Corundum stone turned out to be beautiful. Cut 2: Beauty Too This 12mm 13 carat light Pink (Kunzite color) Cubic Zirconia stone is the most beautiful of this group, in my opinion. Take notice of the many, many facets Beauty Too that are reflecting various colors from the Pavilion up through the Table facet to your eyes. Cut 3: Beauty First This 11mm 8 carat Red Synthetic Corundum stone is much prettier than my picture shows. I should have done a better job in taking pictures of this very small stone, sorry. Cut 4: Split Facets Galore This is a 15mm 26 carat dark Purple (Amethyst color) Cubic Zirconia stone. This design is best used with lighter colored material. However, when this Split Facets Galore dark stone is tilted it shows many flashes of color from all over the stone. It would be fine when used in a pendant mounting. This design incorporates many horizontally split main facets. Cut 5: Split Facet Variation This is a 13mm 18 carat Yellow Cubic Zirconia stone. It is another very pretty stone, and has a small (40%) Table facet. Note that both the Crown and the Pavilion have split facets. Split Facet Variation Cut 6: Many Split Mains You see here the design that achieves what I have been trying to present in the way of split facets all over the Crown and the Pavilion of a stone. Split Facet Variation So, GemCad has come to my rescue. Now I have cut a stone to this design. It is a 15mm 31 carat Yellow Cubic Zirconia stone. As you see in the design pattern presented here, there are many added facets. in fact there are 241 facets. Some facets are very small, which means it takes some effort to cut, re-cut, and polish those rascals. Note that the Pavilion has horizontal split mains and also some vertical split facets. The Pavilion culet facets are narrow and require some accurate work so that it will be easier to cut the following layers of well placed facets. Likewise, the Crown has horizontal split mains and vertical split facets. The girdle ends up with a slightly uneven line, not parallel, but that is no Beauty First 2

3 problem. It might improve the design somewhat if one were to choose to have a smaller table facet than what is shown. As my yellow Cubic Zirconia test stone cut to the way I show in the design and finished up, there are a tremendous amount of flashes of light coming from all around the girdle of the gem, even if one tilts it almost all of the way from the table to the girdle. Never before have I seen a design that could be tilted to this degree and yet produce great scintillation. This makes the design a very good one for a ladies necklace. People cannot ignore the many twinkling light flashes that go out in all directions. Cuts 7a & 7b: INFINITY In my opinion, this 17mm 35 carat Yellow Cubic Zirconia stone is a fantastic beauty. It shows high brilliance and it intensifies color. That is why I have two pictures to show. #7A shows Cut 7a: Infinity the entire Crown view and #7B shows an enlargement of just the culet area directly under the Table facet. Of all of the stones described in this article, this design produced the finest Cut 7b: Infinity stone of them all, in fact, I think it is the finest design that I have ever come up with. Look at the GemCad printout of this design and see the unusual Pavilion. Cut a stone to this design and you will be very proud of the results. All in all, this design does result in a gem that is highly unusual, and very pretty. URGENTLY NEEDED! Articles, diagrams, photos basically anything that can be placed into this publication. Please them to: HOWARD R. BROMLEY, EDITOR hrbmd22@gmail.com or editor@usfacetersguild.org Keith Arend Javier Beltrán Gary Billingsley Roger Campbell Rick Chapin Kevin Ellis Hamid Ettehadi David Gordon WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Henry Isern John Johnson Donald Laufer Brianna Madison Gary Madison Nickoletta Madison John Mealey John Pauley Peach Simon Hourregue Sebastien Seyedmeysam Sheikholeslami Daniel Smith Jerry Sorenson Douglas Sutherland Lynn Vezina Takashi Yabuki 3

4 USFG FACETING DESIGN C P T C B A <96> T B A L U BEAUTY By Glenn Klein Angles shown are for Corundum Critical Angle is 35 degrees. Angles for R.I. = girdles = 41 facets 5-fold, mirror-image symmetry 96 index L/W = T/W = U/W = P/W = C/W = Vol./W³ = W G1 PAVILION G CROWN A B C T 0.00 Table All facets come to a point at the girdle. All facets come to a point at the girdle. 4

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11 Ok not really but we did have a great trip to Tucson, hit a ton of shows, saw lots of good rocks, spent way too much money, had every travel problem you can imagine, and got our picture with Amanda and Dwayne from the TV Show Prospectors. After traveling to the WILL SMITH AND DAN LYNCH JOIN THE CAST OF PROSPECTORS! (Or at least they ran into Amanda and Dwayne at the 22 nd Street Show in Tucson this year) By Dan Lynch Tucson shows for the last several years, Will may not get to go again. I think he was bad luck. Our trip started with our Thursday flights being canceled and rebooked for Friday due to snow in Dallas. We were rebooked on different flights so had to work that out. When we finally arrived around 1am our time, the rental car computer was down so add another hour delay. Next to our hotel to find out they d given our room away. Took another 45 minutes to get them to give us someone else s they were holding and low and behold - 1 king bed. If I d known spooning with Will was part of this adventure... They did move us to a suite for the next two nights although I ve never had that term apply before to the type room we were in. The fun began for us on Saturday. Tucson is literally one show after the next - way more than you could cover well if you were spending the week and we had just over two days. Hotels with every room converted by dealers, streets lined with tents with everything from facet rough to 10 high quartz crystals. We hit a couple of shows, met up with some dealer friends and picked up some nice faceting rough on Saturday before heading to the Hob Knob event put on by the local area club there in Tucson. For $5 at the event we had pizza, drinks and cookies and lots of fellow faceters to connect with. Will talked all things USFG and we both entered stones into the pretty stone contest Will Smith and Dan Lynch join Amanda and Dwayne from the TV show Prospectors natural and synthetic material. I seem to recall Will winning the NATU- RAL stone category at the Frolic last summer in NC with the stone he entered in the SYNTHETIC competition in Tucson (could I be mistaken?). Alas neither of us won this year. Next year the USFG now led by Will is taking over the events and working with the club on the Hob Knob. We should see an increase in the level of seminars and dealers made available to faceters so plan now to join us in Tucson in Sunday was spent from sun up to sun down visiting shows we hit the pricey tents, and the back alley tables. Stayed away from the wholesales shows as experience has shown prices there usually tend to be higher. Good rough was available, but you had to look for it and prices were higher than in past year for the most part. If you were willing to buy in kilogram lots, some good prices were found. By the end of our trip Monday we d had a great time, good food, good time with friends, were pretty much completely broke, and came home with facet rough including Amethyst, Citrine, Mexican Opal, Ametrine, Golden Beryl, Tourmaline, some excellent Russian synthetic quartz, Zircon, Peridot, and Tanzanite. Not a bad haul for a couple of days! Already looking forward to next year. Will s post-note from the USFG Yahoo listserve The weather, American Airlines, and the hotel tried every way they could to keep Dan Lynch and I from making it to Tucson. We made it, only a day late. It had been a number of years since I was at the show 11

12 and boy have things changed. We found many new friends after paying them money for rough. I think I got better deals than Dan, but he made more friends? We were not able to make it to the program session on Friday, as we were still in the air, but we made it to the Hob Nob, which has been a big part of faceting over the years. Got to meet some wonderful members of the Old Pueblo Lapidary Club (OPLC) and longtime members of USFG. Many who attended the programs were very happy with what they learned. The USFG wants to thank Roger Dery for all the work he put into the programs and John and members of OPLC for the use of their facilities. At the Hob Nob, the OPLC members had great Pizza, drinks and cake ready for those attending. It was a chance to see the faces of those I ve heard so much about over the years of faceting. More detail to come in the next USFG newsletter, but I will say that Victor Tuzlukov from Russia took home a professional Polymetric transfer as winner of the best Natural Faceted Stone. You should have seen some of his other stones. What a Faceter. How do you say WOW in Russian? Поразить We talked about what to do next year and I believe you may see more offered at the OPLC next year. More details to come during the year in the USFG newsletters. For an old man, I had a wonderful time and could not have done it without Dan. He knows where to go and who to give your money to. So start saving your money, making your plans and be a part of Tucson in USE OF LOCATOR FACETS WITH STEP CUTS By Robert Long One of the problems with using step cuts is locating each tier, since generally there are no meet points to assist the cutter. There is a solution for step cut designs with relatively small corners; the use of Locator facets. These are facets which are cut to provide a temporary meet point and which will probably be recut later in the sequence. There are two problems associated with the use of temporary facets. The meet point they create will disappear when later in the sequence the temporary facets are recut, and a feature of GemCad is that facets which are completely recut are removed from the cutting sequence. My design, Straight-Sided Triangle, Step Crown illustrates the use of Locator facets, and provides one solution to the stated problems. On the crown of the design, Locator Facet C1, along with C2, provides a meet point for placing the second tier, C3. The cutting instructions list only one facet at index 96 although the Note suggests cutting three facets, two of which will be recut at Step C4 and therefore be removed from the cutting instructions. Then C4, which will recut C1, provides a meet point for placing the third tier, C5. One of the C1 facets is not recut at this step in order to provide a meet point to be used during the pre-polish and polish steps and also to retain C1 in the cutting instructions. If all three C1 facets are recut, C1 will be removed entirely from the instructions by GemCad. This process could be repeated for the Table, but it is easy to eyeball the Table to the desired size. Design Simple Marquise in the facetdiagrams.org database also uses a similar process to locate the crown step facets. The use of Locator facets is potentially a very valuable design tool. Other designers are encouraged to explore the possibilities and limits of its use, and possibly come up with a better work-around for the GemCad documentation problem. 12

13 USFG FACETING DESIGN C4 72 T C5 C3 C2 24 U C2 W P2 P4 G1 80 C1 16 P3 P1 C P 88 <96> T C1 P3 L 8 Straight-Sided Triangle, Step Crown with Locator Facets Robert H. Long, May 26, 2013 Angles for R.I. = girdles = 34 facets 3-fold radial symmetry 96 index L/W = T/W = U/W = P/W = C/W = Vol./W³ = G2 PAVILION G Establish Size P Cut to TCP P Meet P1 at Girdle P Meet P1, P2 G Meet P1,P3 P Optional to level girdle CROWN C Set girdle thickness (See note) C Level Girdle C Meet C1, C2 C Level girdle. Recut C1 facets.except index 96 C Meet C3,C4 T 0.00 Table Eyeball it Note: At step C1, cut three facets at 32, 64 and 96, to be recut at C4 (Locator facets) Do not recut the C1 facet at index 96 to maintain the meet and keep C1 in the sequence. Work assigned to the public domain C:\Users\DERIKJ~1\Desktop\201403~1\Articles\LONG-U~1\tristep.gem 13

14 TUCSON SHOW REPORT 2014 By John Bailey Note: Reprinted with the permission of the author; posted on February 28, 2014 at Welcome to the Tucson Show Report 2014, and our sharing of the adventure and my take on the event, the locations, the market, and more. Hope you enjoy. This year, we went even earlier than usual, and took advantage of the quiet before the storm that is usually the Tucson crowd. Only this year, that storm didn t appear to ever really get thick. Even by Feb 3, the crowds weren t as thick as usual, IMO. This may have contributed to what seemed like a more casual and comfortable atmosphere and a much more friendly one from every stripe of vendor and hospitality worker we encountered. Even hotel housekeeping seemed a little less grumpy, though a tip was still welcome and cause for even greater service. High-end rough was very scarce, and prices were insanely high particularly in Tourmaline and Aquamarine with asking prices often double what they d been just a few years ago. That was when you could find these materials. there was plenty to be found in middle and commercial-grade materials. Outside mounds of Amethyst, Green Amethyst, and Citrine from Brazil Check the mountains of Amethyst, Green Amethyst, and Citrine in these two photos: Aquamarine $40/gram The asking price for this Aquamarine was $40/gram And as I ve mentioned elsewhere, dealers were asking me if I d brought anything to SELL. However, Inside a nice selection of very-good-grade Citrine and Amethyst The same vendor from Brazil had a nice selection of very-good-grade Citrine and Amethyst inside, along with quantity-priced Garnets, and more: 14

15 Another booth/room Connected with some old friends as well as a good selection of something I acquired for the Advanced Academy course on Artistic Inclusions something every student will get one of Check out the fist-sized Rubellite that Niran is lighting up in my hand and the one he s got in his hand! High-end Kunzite this time around Once you get rolling at Tucson with roomfuls of fossils and pyrite punctuated by high-end Kunzite like These kinds of connections aren t just fun. They re also especially helpful when the market is thin. And, these friends helped make the trip productive with stuff like the photos that follow. Rhodolite Garnet Mixed color Sapphire Big chunks of Topaz this: and, you walk up and heft pieces from 20-liter bins full of chunks like this Topaz, the juices really start pumping. Rubellite Tourmaline yes, it really is this color. 15

16 We looked inside: And, spent time hand-selecting: To find some Aqua Commercial and intermediate material The selections started to open up And, there were some good selections of commercial and intermediate material with the occasional nice find all around the shows. (Haven t I seen that the Academy Students will be cutting in May: And, there s stuff of every color, shape, and size until you get cross-eyed, and have to get some relaxation time and see the sights from a new perspective. You can t just look at pretty rocks all the time. Sometimes, you have to look at the pretty desert sky. guy somewhere before?) We looked outside where we found some really fun included materials. This is John just off the lower launch at Box Canyon, only 40 minutes South of Tucson. What a beautiful way to spend the day, and we got to have a view like this. This part of our trip was facilitated by Aaron Cromer of FlyingLizardParagliding.com in Tucson. What a way to see that beautiful basin. If you live near 16

17 Tucson and want to learn to fly free like this, contact Aaron. The next day, and back on the hunt, we found some nice Winza Ruby. Spent some time pondering over the few nice clean Tourmaline we could find. Here s a close-up of one piece: Some new friends Keep the trusty kit handy for checking the rough. Here, I m confirming the flawlessness of a nice Heliodor. Looks like this after I get it home: I scored a nice ingot of material suitable for student projects in the Value By Design course: And, visited with Bruce White the cat whose Corian laps I use and recommend: It s easy to get distracted by something like a nice handful of Ruby faceting rough And, here are some more, from Brazil. They showed us some very pretty new material. It looks like this close-up (extra credit for Faceting Academy Students who sight-id this from the photo) Did I mention that the dealers are fun and friendly? Really enjoyed working with these guys and will look them up as a priority next time around to the point you don t really notice the time or other things going on 17

18 There was more Tanzanite of reasonable size in the market than I ve ever seen. Here s a piece that decided it wanted to live in Oregon (at least until after it s cut). And, what s Tucson without a photograph like this? (extra credit for Faceting Academy Students who tell me why I took this photo.) We did manage to make a few more new friends like this guy, who cooks Zircon the old fashioned way He had some nice stuff Here s what it looks like in good light We connected with more old friends, including Elayne Luer and well-known faceting great Ernie Hawes. I sure wish I d have had more time to visit with these folks. We rounded our haul with a broad sampling of materials for both the Basic Training and Advanced Academy courses in May, where the students will be cutting stones from these parcels (extra credit for Faceting Academy Students who sight-id this from the first photo): That s the fun, games, and photos part of this post. Here s the business end of the Tucson Report for 2014: The show had, as I mentioned, lighter traffic than usual. High-end rough was harder to find, and prices were stratospheric. Commercial to medium rough was still 18

19 available. We found some things we don t usually see much of, like Sphene and Tanzanite (more on the Tanz in a bit). Socially, the town seemed more friendly than in the past. Trends in the Gem Market I m hearing from everyone in the trade from old friends, new friends, vendors at Tucson and vendors I know only on-line. And, the stories are all consistent and consistent with what the market is showing. Downward pressures on production (supply): I m hearing everything from restrictions on necessary resources like explosives, to increased environmental regulation, to increased government control and corruption (costs for bribery, etc). Everyone wants a piece of what they perceive as easy-come windfall. The war in Afghanistan is problematic, as is the increasing terrorist activity in Africa for these issues. I m also hearing some stories about land-use pressures like growing food instead of digging a hole. Upward pressures on prices (demand): I m hearing about prices going up at the mines faster than at the consumer end of the production stream. Some gem-producing locations are sending representatives to aggressively buy-out production in places where production is cheaper and where the new production locality may threaten the old market (Sri Lankas in Africa). Some emerging markets are tapping supply closer to the source, paying premiums to do so. World-wide fears about stability of fiat currency and the desire to store value in durable, portable, stable ways as well as the bubble in gold are leading people (back) to a traditional strategy of precious stones. The middle class in China is ballooning, and accelerating for the next decade, with consumer confidence rising and a culture that s adopting some of the West s appetite for conspicuous-consumption: These throngs of people are competing for durable, value-storing, conspicuous-consumption goods. And, precious stones are part of that. As the U.S. Dollar is weakened, and the Chinese and other markets become stronger and more hungry for precious goods we re going to see a long-term run-up of prices in the finer grades of goods, with the big buyers doing business in cash and at mining localities. The U.S. based faceter isn t even going to see the quality of goods we used to except for those who travel to the mines, or have contacts who do. If then. So, for the foreseeable future, keep the rule about not passing any potential to find quality rough and remember to ask. When you see something in the market, grab it. This is particularly true of Tanzanite in sizes significantly larger than 1 gram. If you don t understand why, then do some research All of that seems to be bad news for U.S. cutters. And, combine it with the way U.S. manufacturers of high-precision faceting equipment are shipping overseas in greater quantity than ever before. Not only is the rough going overseas (following strong currency and demand), but the machinery and some of the know-how to cut it. I just learned about a trend in the specific index gears being requested that tells me they are catching-on to some of the technology we teach in our Value By Design program. This also seems to be bad news for U.S. cutters. Evolution does not favor survival of the fittest, but survival of the most adaptable. U.S.-based cutters need to be paying attention to the aspects of the trade that we control as well as those over which we are losing control. In recent months, there has been new production at some U.S. gem mines in Maine, in particular. There has also been increasing interest in production in Oregon s mines of Sunstones in the Rabbit Basin and Fire Opal on Juniper Ridge. We have some great domestic 19

20 gem materials and some that are not available elsewhere on the planet. American cutters can focus more on domestically-mined gem rough, emphasizing to the U.S. market the socially and environmentally responsible and made in America factors while emphasizing to the growing foreign market the exotic attractiveness of things American, and the kitsch of mined-and-cutby-the-artist. (Means, do some fee-digging every chance you get) I think American cutters are going to need to learn stronger yield/recovery strategies to go along with our modern optical notions. We re going to need to learn better color management through design components (the Value By Design course material). The days of getting away with brilliant-cutting medium Aquamarine and still turning a profit are long gone. Americans are good at innovation and our culture is generally open to free expression things other cultures, and particularly the most growing of target markets can not claim (for now). We need to take advantage of that, and follow in the footsteps of artists like Dalan Hargrave with new styles, new expressions, and even new technologies for maximizing yield as well as presentation. We cannot sit on our hands and expect the economically-based cultural shifts coming to the most powerfully-growing economy in the world aren t going to overtake us if we sit still. The GOOD NEWS is that perhaps the biggest market for precious gems and gem art is about to explode for the next decade. And, for the moment, American technology, creativity, innovation, and even some great raw materials are still out front. American cutters need to GET QUALITY TRAIN- ING that goes beyond the raw mechanics. They need to get good tools; source quality rough in America; and get creative with their art, branding, and value-added presentation. We also need to work in unusual or new materials or techniques and especially if the primary value in the finished product is the ORIGINAL artistic presentation. Pretenders to innovation and copy-artists are going to do less well in the coming years because they will be competing squarely with people who are also good at copying, have better access to rough, and reside where the cost of living is low. Real innovators, whose knowledge exceeds basic mechanics, and who can create distinctive presentations are going to prosper. At the Faceting Academy, we focus on building these things by teaching far more than gross mechanics. We focus on fully understanding the science, unusual materials and methods, applied technology of using design to influence color, and an eye toward innovative artistic presentation with certain kinds of rough. I m going to do my best to contribute to he bright future that awaits the prepared. See you there! 20

21 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE By Will Smith What a way to start Little did I know that in the last few minutes of 2013, I would be asked to be YOUR President. I m sure I was the only person Bruce could find to take the job, but I m here and Will Smith will try to do all I can to add to your benefits as USFG members and work to promote USFG and faceting to others around the world. I will be asking YOU for help with this goal. We have right at 400 USFG members, many outside the United States, who received benefits from the USFG s Newsletter, Website, the List, Competition and have the right to vote on how USFG is run. If we work together in 2014, we can accomplish these goals. In January you approved the USFG Officers, Directors and Budget for The Board and I have many great plans for 2014: like reviewing and/or changing the By-Laws to incorporate electronic media for our method of meeting and communicating; to see what improvements are needed to update the USFG website; maybe bring the Franklin Faceters Frolic and the program event in Tucson under the authority of USFG; to promote the OPLC s Hob Nob in Tucson; to find new ways USFG can support more opportunities that promote faceting in your area and around the world. Think about how rewarding and important it would be if YOU were to decide to Give-It-Forward (GIF) by sharing your skills with others to help them learn to facet or become a better Faceter. It may be as simple as a program at a local club; a demo at a show; or helping someone learn your tricks through or phone. It s even OK to have someone come to your home where they use your machine. The Greatest Reward in your life will come when you see the sparkle in the eyes of that beginner, when they clean the wax off that first piece of glass or quartz, and see all the beauty and sparkle they have unlocked in the stone through faceting. To experience the Reward you need to remember what was going through your mind when you learned and how hard it was to understand faceting words, methods, laps, etc. Remember when teaching to keep it simple and that they know nothing about faceting and need you, with patience, to help them learn and become successful. Reach out to someone and GIF. You may be the one who teaches the next great Faceter, or who may become the next instructor at a school or club. If they teach, think how your teaching will be multiply many time into the future, so let s GIF. A great idea would be to start with your spouse, children, or grandchildren. Thank what a gift that would be! Don t forget the women, they make great students and faceters because they follow the instructions or recipe without question. Men always want to reinvent the wheel and don t read the instructions, but they too become good faceters. Feel free to share your ideas and suggestions with the Board and myself as we want to work for YOU. I want to thank Bruce for his leadership and all his hard work as President. I know it was hard for him this past year, with the workload in his business, but he managed to do a great job. Have a great one, Will Smith 21

22 EDITOR S CORNER: SPRING IS HERE by Howard Bromley, MD, MBA Who was this year all about? You! This was a year in which the USFG learned more about you, our membership. We have interacted more with you, at Tuscon, the Franklin Faceter s Frolic, and the Yahoo listserve. In all areas, Howard Bromley you asked a lot of questions and celebrated your best work. There is much, much more to be done so please engage frequently with the faceting community throughout 2014! One great way to do that is to join the Yahoo listserve. What happened in 2013? Taking a conservative estimate that, in the last 12 months, if each of you completed four gemstones approximately 1500 faceting projects happened! That is a lot. It s exciting to think about all the personal enjoyment that went into that handiwork. When did it all take place? Whenever we could squeeze it in! With day jobs, social lives and family, pretty much all our faceting production occurred during spare time. That balance is not going to change anytime soon in fact, life seems to get more hectic every year. It is inspiring to be part of a community of passionate faceters who will find time for their craft no matter what! Where did we do our work? Resourcefulness was the answer. We completed projects in every type of space from apartments, basements and one-car garages to dream shops that have required years of effort to build out. Our faceting areas are a continual source of interest, peace and productivity. Get in there as much as you can! And now, from the medical side of me Spring is finally here! It is the season most of us look forward to as we prepare for the warmer months ahead. Spring cleaning is one of the first things on my To Do list. I begin to experience intense feelings of wanting to purge everything in sight that is no longer useful. Items are tossed away, sent off to the nearest charity store for donation, or put in storage for next winter. Besides the obvious de-cluttering mode, something much deeper is happening. As my home environment becomes less cluttered, I feel this exquisite lightness of being, but not as strongly as my wife. I feel less constricted, less overwhelmed, less stressed. My thinking becomes clearer, and a sense of enjoying the space around me takes form. I m able to focus on the things that are really important. I feel energized! And, I really need a burst of energy after a depressing winter. Writer and coach, Sue Rasmussen, teaches people how to clear out what s in their way and organize their space to bring more satisfaction and pleasure to their lives. She raises some interesting points that explain the psychology behind our clutter : Our environment is a reflection of what s going on inside us. When we create environments that are cluttered, messy, stressful and overwhelming, it prevents us from living and being at our best. When we hold on to things that are no longer useful in our lives, we are also holding on to a belief that we can t trust that life will provide us with exactly what we most need. We become constricted, lose energy and miss opportunities. Holding on to things that no longer work for us is about the fear of what might happen when we let go. Surrounding yourself with lots of stuff, activities, people, etc., may also be a convenient way to keep yourself distracted from noticing the bigger issues in your life that you may be ignoring. Clutter can be a way of hiding. Hiding the dream that is drowning, the business that is struggling, or the relationship that is stuck. Whether you create internal clutter or external clutter, you will impact both when you focus on one. It s easier to address external stuff first, since it s tangible and visible. Either way, you will be sure to experience powerful results almost immediately. 22

23 Take the opportunity during spring cleaning to de-clutter your life, as the benefits will impact much more than your physical surroundings. When you are willing to let go of what is no longer useful, life can bring you what is truly needed. And even though Tucson is over, if you didn t get a chance to attend, you ll find some articles in this newsletter that should whet your appetite. Enjoy! Tom Maxwell, USFG Director of Education Meet Our New USFG Director of Education: TOM MAXWELL I attended The United States Naval Academy and the University of South Carolina majoring in math and physics. After college I entered the structural steel business as an estimator and project manager for several large steel fabricators. After 15 years working for others, I went out on my own as a contract estimator/project manager on various projects throughout North and South America and the Middle East. Around 1998, I met Joan Beckham and renewed my childhood interested in rocks, minerals and gemstones. Shortly thereafter I became a partner in Beckham s Barn Rock and Gem Shop in Irmo, SC. As I became more involved in Beckham s Barn, it became apparent that I had to choose between commercial construction projects and gems. I chose gems. I have been faceting for about 10 years and became involved in the Franklin Faceters Frolic for the last 5 years. I attended FFF3 as a dealer and have continued as a dealer and volunteer. After FFF5, Will Smith and Roy Kersey retired and with their encouragement, I decided to continue to organize and promote future frolics. As Beckham s Barn begins to slow down after over 40 years as the largest rock shop in South Carolina, I continue the faceting portion of the business as Carolina Custom Gems. I am a Dealer for Graves Lapidary, Ultra-Tec and Gearloose Lapidary along with selling fine facet rough and precision cut gemstones. 23

24 SYMBOLISM IN GEMSTONE CUTTING By Victor Tuzlukov; Edited by Howard R. Bromley Man decorated himself by symbols since the ancient age. First it was paintings and tattoos on his body, talismans and amulets on clothes, then jewelry. And, if beads or necklaces carried images of some symbols, gemstones were just an addition to Philosophical Gemstone the jewelry pieces increasing their beauty, charm and, of course, value. Today the technology level lets one fill a gemstone proper by meaning, depicting symbols in the pattern of facets. The collection named Lapis Philosophorum or Philosophical Gemstone, created in 2009, has become my first experience of using symbols in gemstone cutting. That time it contained seven stones, now ten stones. In the design of each stone you can make out an image. And a parable was written for each stone. This parable published the image into philosophical conception. In fact, two kinds of art literature and faceting supplement each other. I refer to faceting as art it is not a mistake in this case. What is the objective of art? To call up the chain of image-bearing associations in the human mind. These associations have emotional tint and awake an occurrence of creative resonance when a man wants to be a creator. The parable gives the initial mood of the concrete image, and the gemstone, keeping this image, acts the part of a key which opens well-known chains of associations in the mind. It is important that this key-stone, like any art-object, is looked at and visualized by people differently. A naïve person sees just a simple jewelry insert, a piece of mineral which is cut into some shape. But, if somebody read the parable and saw the symbol among facets, then they take the gemstone as more than just a The World s Treasure Crown The World s Treasure Pavillion The World s Treasure Pavillion beautiful trinket. For such a person this gemstone is like a friend who could sense his thoughts about the problem touched in the parable and expressed by the symbol. And the depth of comprehension of this problem depends on the spiritual progress of the man. For example, a gemstone named The World s Treasure. It has the shape of a polished diamond seen from the side, in profile. The crown facets repeat the pattern of standard diamond cutting. But the outer layer is much different. The star shines on the pavilion, the back side which is hidden from our eyes. It means that another, much deeper thing could be hidden behind the obvious values. This idea is disclosed in the parable connected to this stone: once man must choose the main treasure for him, and a mistake could cost much more. Now in practice we can say that these gemstones have found a new niche on the jewelry market co-meditation, the place traditionally taken by books, films and paintings. The World s Treasure This was the first generation of Philosophical stones. The symbolism of the second generation has another level; the difference in this case, it is active. To understand this expression, have a look at the example to the right. The gemstone named The Ariadna thread has a round shape. There are two seven-rays stars on Ariadna s Thread 24

25 the pavilion. One star has light rays contained from one facet. Another star has two-facet rays, as if darkened by the lengthwise edge. These two stars with a common center are the symbol of Ariadna s Thread Crown our Universe the one in the duality of spiritual and material aspects. Rays of the stars alternate (or rather to say unite) by lower girdle facets symbol of pervasive unity, invisible cloth of the space. Ariadna s Thread Pavillion So, on the pavilion we can see the space. The crown facets apply to the human nature. The star heptagon (symbol of a man, his physical nature which reveals in his words and actions) is going to the girdle. The same heptagon of less size is inserted in the bigger one. This is symbolic of the inner nature of a man, which manifests itself in his ideas, expectancies and motives. It is worth drawing attention to the sides of the heptagons which are parallel it s the ideal case when a human s life is in harmony with his inner world, and his thoughts don t separate from his actions. Now have a look how human correlates with space in this stone. The corners of the human heptagon concur with corners of the Matter star on the pavilion. This is the way of an ordinary man which lives by the interests of the material world. But if we rotate crown facets when Kalachakra Mandala Stone cutting just on one ray relative to the pavilion a man represented in the stone begins to go the spiritual way. This is the road of the holies, the hermits living for the commonwealth. And the main work of the stone begins just now, when I give the gemstone to the new owner saying: This stone carries your image. Hold it and don t forget your way and your place in the Universe. What happens after that? Many of us know about thoughts materiality. And now, each time when you see the stone, take it, admire it the associations connected with its symbolism arise in your mind. And these thoughts begin to change your destiny invisibly, drop by drop. But who knows? maybe just this invisible correction, like the last straw, once will turn the scale and prevent the irreparable action That was the second generation of the Philosophical gemstones. Four years is a long time for this creative activity, and now the first Gems of the third generation have appeared. I will not talk so much about these stones, because I don t know exactly the mechanism of their action. These are world-view gems which change human consciousness. Such a stone acted with me, for example. When the design of the gemstone was created on the computer, I understood that it was impossible to facet it. But when I made a step behind the impossible I became another man. Once after I finished my work I have seen the Universe around me as this Gemstone and my consciousness also as this stone inserted into the big one. But inserted not only by corners, like square inserts into circle, but by all facets, all edges, all essence. That time I sensed that there are no people separate from me only one Mankind scattered on the facets of planet. And each man is me, with all my joys and sorrows. And the moment of this acknowledgement gave me more than all previous life. I did not understand exactly what has happened. In fact, I faceted the whole world while faceting one stone. At the same time I faceted myself and, the most important, the way of my transformation to the harmony of this world. That is the third generation. Presenting the Kalachakra Mandala Stone to his Holiness the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Mandala gemstone The Gemstone to the left was donated to His Holiness Dalai Lama because it symbolically represents the Buddhist Mandala. The Kalachakra Mandala contains 722 elements, and 25

26 Kalachakra Mandala Stone Crown Kalachakra Mandala Stone Pavillion the stone contains 722 facets as well. Each facet reflects either aspect of the Existence. And the incredible play of light in the facets gives the obvious presentation of complexity of the Universe and the aspects of interaction. This is a good illustration of the idea, which is expressed by one of the first Philosophical gemstones named Touching to the Perfection : the real Master can use any features for the creative self-actualization pen and paper, guitar and microphone, paints and canvas, stone and lap. The main thing is the Master should have something to say and his ideas crystallized in his work should bring joy to the people. Victor Tuzlukov Victor Tuzlukov Winner of the International Faceting Challenge 2010 with score of (World record) Grandmaster Competition Cutter of the US Faceters Guild Founder and Chairman of the Russian Faceters Guild Artistic Gemcutting vtuzlukov@hotmail.com Facebook.com/Victor.Tuzlukov URGENTLY NEEDED! Articles, diagrams, photos basically anything that can be placed into this publication. Please them to: HOWARD R. BROMLEY, EDITOR hrbmd22@gmail.com or editor@usfacetersguild.org 26

27 U.S. EXTENDS BAN ON BURMA RUBY AND JADEITE By Ron Nash From AJS Gems, September Newsletter On August 7th, President Obama signed an executive order that effectively repealed the ban on the import of products from Burma. A statement from the White House noted that: Today s announcement continues to broaden American engagement in Burma, including increased opportunities for trade and investment, development assistance to strengthen the capacity of the government and people to promote growth and opportunity, and principled support for political reform and national reconciliation. Americans will continue to stand with the government and people of Burma as they continue their democratic transition, and work to realize the full promise of their extraordinary country. This is good news for Burma... but with one exception. The same executive order reinstated the restrictions on the importation into the United States of jadeite and rubies mined or extracted from Burma, and on articles of jewelry containing them. Why is the U.S. fully engaging with Burma, and encouraging American investment in the country, but still restricting trade in ruby and jadeite? According to a statement from the White House, the Administration is maintaining restrictions on specific activities and actors that contribute to human rights abuses or undermine Burma s democratic reform process. The American government is apparently concerned that gemstone mining is under control of the Burmese army. The jadeite and ruby mines are located mainly in Kachin state in northern Burma, where the army has fought a civil war against the Kachin Independence Army. But it would be wrong to think that the proceeds from gemstones are funding this conflict. The Burmese government has been fighting insurgencies from ethnic minorities such as the Wa, Karen and Kachin since independence in 1948, with periodic ceasefires and treaties. It is up to the Burmese government to find solutions to these internal conflicts. International sanctions have had little effect and in fact there is reason to think that the sanctions on ruby and jadeite may be counterproductive. Burma has no shortage of customers for its ruby and jade, especially in China, and indeed the sales numbers from the June 2013 Myanmar Gems Emporium auction set a new record of USD $2.4 billion. The reason that the American sanctions may be counterproductive is that the U.S. now has no influence on Burmese gem mining. There are indications that the Burmese military is rushing to exploit the ruby and jadeite deposits, bringing in heavy machinery to replace artisanal mining. This has 2 bad effects: it displaces human labor and it means the gem resources will be exhausted much sooner. Both are bad for Burma. It seems like the military sees the writing on the wall there will be full democratic elections in 2015 and the generals may lose much of their political power. The U.S. is now the last country in the world to maintain sanctions on Burmese ruby and jadeite the European Union, Australia and Canada have all lifted sanctions. Indeed, for some reason the Americans seem to be getting more serious about enforcement of the ban, which are been in place since A U.S. government department known as OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) has recently exerted pressure on PayPal to refuse transactions for Burmese gems, even when the gems are sold to customers in countries where it is perfectly legal to sell them (Burmese ruby and jadeite imported to the U.S. prior to the ban may also be legally sold). We fail to see how these draconian measures are advancing the development of political and economic reform in Burma. 27

28 Maxims of the Gem Trade: BUY IT WHILE YOU CAN By Ron Nash, AJS Gems, February 2014 Newsletter One of the best pieces of advice we can offer to gem buyers is a maxim that we follow every day in our own business: buy it while you can. You never know when you may find it again. The only thing you can count on is that the price will be higher later, if you can find it at all. If you re a diamond buyer, this probably seems like odd advice. That s because diamonds are widely available in standardized cuts, grades and sizes. Colored gems, especially in the finer grades, are quite a different story. Mining Alluvial Sapphire in Madagascar About 130 million carats of gem quality diamonds are mined each year in large scale mining operations, mainly in southern Africa, Canada, Australia and Russia. Colored stones, on the other hand, are mainly mined by independent miners working in a host of far-flung locations, from Sri Lanka and Burma to Madagascar, Tanzania, Zambia, Afghanistan, Colombia and Bolivia. Colored stone mining is mostly carried out with pick and shovel, and only rarely with mechanized equipment. Colored gems reach the market through channels that usually involve small deals between independent traders. The reality of the colored gems business becomes obvious when you go out in search of specific gems. If you look for a fine sapphire in a specific size, color and shape, you have to be very lucky to find exactly the gem you re searching for. The supply of fine sapphire is so variable that not every color, size and clarity grade will be available at any given time. The lack of supply is just a testament to the rarity of these gems, and the supply problem is now exacerbated by rising demand from emerging markets like China. Though the shortage of fine gems can be frustrating, the gem business can be exciting when interesting new stones come on the market. Many of the finest gems in our collection were acquired when we were early buyers of material from a new deposit. That is why we still have outstanding examples of Nigerian spessartite and Mahenge spinel in our inventory. Though the deposits of those gems are now exhausted, we bought rough stone when it was still available, knowing that this was a wise investment for the future. Sometimes we are lucky to buy fine material that was mined years ago. It happened last year with some beautiful gem silica from the Inspiration Mine in Arizona. Due to copper mining practices at the mine, no gem silica has been extracted in more than 20 years. We jumped at the rare opportunity to acquire some rough material that had been stored for many years. There s a story behind nearly every gem in our collection, but every story tends to repeat the same theme when the opportunity arises to buy a buy a really fine gem at a fair price, you have to take it. Gem dealers and gem collectors too have to be opportunists. Mining alluvial Sapphire in Madagascar 28

29 USFG FACETING DESIGN 29

30 USFG FACETING DESIGN 30

31 USFG FACETING DESIGN Reprinted from the North York Faceting Guild newsletter, issue #102, October

32 USFG FACETING DESIGN 32

33 USFG FACETING DESIGN 33

34 USFG FACETING DESIGN I D H A G F C E B U C W C <96> T D A 6 B Beginner Barion Oval a.k.a. Quake311 by Michiko Huynh (March 2011) Angles for R.I. = girdles = 73 facets 2-fold, mirror-image symmetry 96 index L/W = T/W = U/W = P/W = C/W = Vol./W³ = P 1 8 L PAVILION Optional Optional CROWN A B C D E F G H I 0.00 Table 34

35 USFG FACETING DESIGN 35

36 USFG FACETING DESIGN 36

37 Schedule for THE USFG FRANKLIN FACETERS FROLIC (FFF7) July 24, 25 and 26, 2014 This year, we have expanded to a 3 day format to include more speakers and programs along with a broad array of dealers. Admission to FFF7 is free this year thanks to a generous donation from the United States Faceters Guild. USFG President Will Smith will be in attendance and explain the goals of the USFG to encourage new people to join our hobby/avocation. Thursday, July 24, 2014 GemCad classes taught by Robert Strickland, the author of GemCad and GemRayWin 9:00 am to 11:00 am GemCad for Beginners 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Intermediate GemCad Dealers open for business in the Depot Room from 10:00 pm to 4:00 pm Friday, July 25, :00 am 12:00 am Diane Eames Gems of the Hill Country - Diane is a fine jeweler, Graduate Gemologist, and gem faceter in Mason, TX. She will hold a workshop on designing gems for making jewelry. Learn how to design gemstones to be set in custom jewelry. She will lead a discussion program on planning your jewelry designs entitled Measure Twice, Cut Once Frustrated with trying to get your gems set in jewelry? Let a couple of jewelers help you understand how to plan your jewelry and create a beautiful piece of jewelry for your loved one. B. Diane Eames, GG, has 29 years fine jewelry experience, and is a Graduate Gemologist and gem cutter. Brad Hodges, is a goldsmith as well as an engineer and computer wizard. Together they are Gems of the Hill Country, a jewelry store in the Texas Hill Country specializing in the Texas state gem, topaz. How to plan a piece of jewelry, and how the jewelry affects your gem cutting. Learn the major ways jewelry is manufactured, how gems can be mounted, and how that can affect your gem cutting. Discuss ways your cutting affects the setting of the gem, and how to keep the goldsmith happy. How to plug into the jewelry industry long enough to see your jewelry to completion. Demonstrations of simple gem setting methods. If time permits, Diane will have faceting machine set up and demonstrate polishing gems. Gems of the Hill Country Lapidaries & jewelers 200 Texas Highway 39 Ingram, TX Texas-topaz.com 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Advanced GemCad Dealers open for business in the Depot Room from 10:00 pm to 4:00 pm Friday afternoon program to be announced 6:00 in The Depot Room The Faceters Meet and Pretty Stone Contest. Bring a stone that you have cut and enter in either the Natural or Simulated Gem division. Prizes will be awarded to the winner in each category. This is a Beauty Contest and voting will be by those in attendance. Pizza and soft drinks will be available for $5.00 per person. Come and enjoy meeting with the dealers, speakers and other faceters. Saturday, July 26, 2014 Dealers open for business in the Depot Room from 10:00 pm to 4:00 pm 10:00 am to 11:00 am AGTA Award winner Lisa Elser of Custom Cut Gems will present Buying Gem Rough in Africa. Lisa and her husband Tom travel the world to purchase fine faceting rough. Lisa will explain the do s and don ts of traveling in foreign countries where gem rough is purchased at the source. 37

38 Picture this: you re dying to buy gemstones at the source, but unsure about where to buy and how not to be taken advantage of... enter Lisa Elser who travels the world to buy rough gems. Learn the do s and don ts of buying overseas. Lisa Elser, GIA GG, is a professional gem cutter living in the Vancouver, BC area. She spent 25 years in IT working for Bell Labs, NCR and Sun Microsystems in addition to consulting for banks and insurance companies. Lisa began cutting gems as a hobby when she moved from consulting to managing consultants, finding that it gave her satisfaction to create something with her own hands. Lisa trained in gem cutting in Monteux, Switzerland. After a number of years of cutting as a hobby, she and her husband Tom founded Custom Cut Gems. They work with custom goldsmiths, jewelry designers in North America and Europe, and they travel the world to buy rough gems. As their business grew they began making grants to support economic development in gem producing countries and continue to put a percentage of the profits into projects such as walls, sanitation, women s business cooperatives and education. In 2013, Lisa was awarded a prestigious AGTA Spectrum Award. She was recognized for her ct. oval red tourmaline, in the Faceted Gemstones category. This award winning gem is now in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution. Other speakers and programs will be announced later. Dealers for FFF7 Equipment and Supplies Marsh Howard: Lightning Laps and Polishes Marsh will have a good supply of all of his latest laps and polishes. The original Lightning Lap, The Beast Diamond Polish, and the Mag-Dop Tom Maxwell - Carolina Custom Gems www. carolinacustomgems.com -Tom will have the Graves Mark 5XL digital faceting machine set up and available for demonstration and immediate delivery. Tom is also a representative for Ultra-Tec and will be demonstrating the latest V-5 digital faceting machine. Another Ultra-Tec rep, Gerry Boykin will be demonstrating the ultra-tec Fantasy Machine. In addition, Tom will have a complete line of Gearloose Polishing Laps and Polishing Products and fine facet rough. Charlie Musitano Jersey Instruments Charlie will have the Omni-E and Patriot faceting machine on display, Faceting Rough Lisa Elser Custom Cut Gems - Lisa will have rough from her latest buying trip to Tanzania and other locations. In addition, Lisa will present her program on buying rough in Africa. Kins Ndoh Choice Gems Company - Kins will have a nice selection of rough from Nigeria and other locations. He will also be speaking on the topic - Gem Mining in Nigeria. John Garsow John E. Garsow Gems and Minerals - John will have a large selection of fine facet rough from all over the world. You will find almost everything you would want in the way of faceting equipment and supplies along with facet rough not available anywhere else all in one place. All of these dealers are great people and have the highest ethical standards. Without their support, the Frolic couldn t take place. There will be door prizes each day donated by the dealers along with a Grand Prize on Saturday donated by The Frolic. Raffle tickets will be $1.00 each and the more tickets you buy, the better your chances of winning some nice rough or faceting accessory. The proceeds of the sale of raffle tickets goes a long way in supporting The Frolic and helping it grow. The Frolic is the only event of its kind for the faceting community in the Eastern United States. 38

39 ROSE QUARTZ QUALITY FACTORS From the GIA Newsletter The soft translucence and pale pink to deep pink shades of rose quartz appeal to gem lovers as well as crystal collectors. This faceted rose quartz briolette weighs carats. Its pastel color is a lovely example of the soft pink this gem is known for. - Robert Weldon, courtesy The Greenwood Group Color Rose quartz gets its name from its delicate pink color, ranging from very light pink (almost white) to medium-dark pink. Tiny fractures can cause a cloudy appearance, even in fine-quality faceted rose quartz. - Robert Weldon Clarity Tiny inclusions are responsible for the translucent appearance of most rose quartz. Finest-quality rose quartz is often transparent, so it s usually faceted. Gem designer John Dyer s Regal Radiant cut shows off the pastel pink color and large size of this ct. rose quartz. - Lydia Dyer, Gem courtesy John Dyer & Co. It s not uncommon to see some quartz varieties with color zoning. This rose quartz exhibits rich purple-pink areas of color. Cut The inclusions in rose quartz can create a display of asterism when the gem is cut as a cabochon. It might also be faceted or fashioned into beads ( com/search?q=beads&f=sls&p=wtigca). The cabochon cut promotes a striking star effect, called asterism, in this 170-ct. rose quartz. - Ricardo Cardenas Carat Weight Rose quartz is available in sizes large enough to inspire gem designers and carvers. Fashioned gems in larger sizes often display more intense color. An exquisite viola carved in rose quartz with 18K gold accents is featured in the Symphony in Gemstones collection. The gemstone orchestra was carved by Lothar Hermann of Idar-Oberstein, Germany. Robert Weldon, gift of Art Sexauer 39

40 ROSE QUARTZ From GIA Insider, 12/20/2013; Edited by Howard Bromley Faceted Rough Rose quartz is a quartz variety that gets its name from its delicate pink color. Overview: About Rose Quartz View Gallery The color of rose quartz ranges from very light pink (almost white) to medium-dark pink. The most appealing color typically occurs in larger sizes; small rose quartz specimens with good color tend to be scarce. Rose quartz is usually found in massive form, so well-shaped crystals are highly prized. Rose Quartz Description Rose Quartz History and Lore Birthstones & Anniversaries Rose quartz has been recognized as the gem that commemorates the fifth wedding anniversary. Delicate Color The deepest colors often occur in large sizes; small specimens with good color are rare. Translucence This pastel gem often features internal fractures that give it a cloudy translucence. Six-Pointed Star When rose quartz contains small, well oriented inclusions, it can sometimes show asterism. Facts Mineral: Quartz Chemical Composition: SiO2 Color: Very light pink to medium-dark pink Refractive Index: to Specific Gravity: 2.66 (+0.03/-0.02) MOHS Hardness: 7 Treatments There are a number of processes used to alter the color, apparent clarity, or improve the durability of gems. Synthetics Some gemstones have synthetic counterparts that have essentially the same chemical, physical, and optical properties, but are grown by man in a laboratory. Imitations Any gem can be imitated sometimes by manmade materials or by natural materials chosen by man to impersonate a particular gem. Why We Love this Gemstone 1 Delicate Color The most appealing color typically occurs in larger sizes. Small specimens generally display lighter shades of pink. 2 Phenomenal When rose quartz contains numerous small inclusions, it can show a cat s-eye or the more common star effect. 3 Carvings Rose quartz has been popular with Color Clarity Cut Carat Weight 40

41 gem carvers for producing figurines and other small decorative objects. QUALITY FACTORS The following factors combine to determine rose quartz value. Color Rose quartz comes in a range of delicate shades, from very light to medium-dark pink USFG OFFICERS Clarity Rose quartz often has internal fractures that give it a cloudy translucence. Cut Transparent material is usually faceted; translucent material is cabochon-cut or carved. Carat Weight Gem size makes a difference: Large gems generally show the most intense pink shades USFG DIRECTORS Will Smith, President Lorne Grossman, Vice Pres. Keith Wyman, Secretary Jim Clark, Director Jenny Clark, Director Paul Newman, Director Jeff Ford, Treasurer Howard Bromley, Editor Jeff White, Director Michiko Huynh, Director Tom Maxwell, Director 41

42 January Guild Presentation Tourmalines By Sylvia LaCroix from Facets 468 2/2014 Tourmaline Lore Ancient legend says that tourmaline is found in all colors because it traveled along a rainbow and gathered all the rainbow colors. It was believed to give you a strong body and spirit. It would help with creativity to become an artist or writer. In the 18th Century a Dutch scientist claimed that if you wrapped tourmaline in silk and placed it against the cheek of a sick child with a high fever it would help them sleep better. In Africa they used tourmaline to awaken one from lithe dream of illusion". The alchemist thought it was related to the philosopher's stone,which was a stone to grant power over the spirits and change metals to gold. Tourmaline History Tourmaline's name comes from the Sinhalese word "turmali", which means mixed". Bright colors of gemstone collections were called "turmali" parcels. In the 1600's and 1700's the Dutch Traders introduced this gem from Sri Lanka then know as Ceylon to the Europeans. Tourmaline occurs in more colors and combination of colors than any other gemstone variety. There is a tourmaline that looks like almost any other gemstone. Many stones in the Russian Crown jewels from the 17th Century once thought to be rubies were actually tourmalines. It is said that some of the gemstones of The Crown of Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich of Russia contained some tourmaline. The Golden Throne of The Tsar also contained some tourmaline which were originally thought to be ruby. Gustaf III of Sweden gave a large " ruby" as a gift to Catherine the Great in It was actually a stunning red Burmese Tourmaline carved in China. In appearance it resembles a bunch of grapes. The Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi, the last Empress of China, loved pink tourmaline and bought almost a ton of it from the new Himalayan Mine. The mine was located a long way from China, in California. That mine is still producing tourmaline today. It is said The Dowager went to rest eternally on a carved tourmaline pillow. There is a story concerning the discovery of Maine tourmaline. In 1820, Elijah Hamlin and Ezekiel Homes were hiking near Mt. Mica near the town of Paris, Maine, when they spotted a green crystal lying at the base of an uprooted tree. The night before there had been a terrible blizzard, howling and blowing winds, which may have caused the tree to be uprooted. A short distance away they found some more crystals. The exploration of the gems had to wait until the spring of 1821 when the snows had melted. The crystals were finally sent to Yale University where a geology professor, Benjamin Silliman, identified the green crystals as tourmaline Many people have heard of the famous Hamlin necklace commissioned by Augustus Hamlin in the late 1800s; it is composed of Maine tourmalines and currently is owned by Harvard University. Very few knew of the second necklace he had made. It was part of a suite named "the parure of American gems, featured in the 1869 Harpers Bazaar Magazine. Parure is a set of various items of matching jewelry. In 1876 a young man went into Tiffany and Company to show Charles Tiffany a beautiful green stone with strong pleochroism. George Kuntz was a young man employed by Tiffany. It is told that Kuntz was intrigued by this strange gem and fell in love with it. Thus Mr. Kuntz did much to promote the use of tourmaline in jewelry and became Tiffany's chief gemologist. Robert E. Peary, noted Arctic explorer and Maine resident, had this necklace made for his wife, Josephine, for her 50th birthday in It contains ten perfectly matched tourmalines mined at Mount Apatite and set in gold panned from the Swift River. The necklace was donated to the state by the Pearys' daughter, Marie Peary Stafford, in

43 The colors of Tourmaline are: White, Colorless, Red,Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow, Brown, Pink, Purple, gray, black, and Multicolor. Tourmaline occurs in every color of the rainbow as well as combinations of two or three colors. It has the widest color variation of any gemstone, more than 100 hues are available There are bicolor and tricolor tourmalines, with bands of color. Sometimes the colors are at different ends of the crystal, and sometimes there is one color in the center of the crystal and another around the outside. One color with a pink center and a green rind is called "watermelon tourmaline", seedless, of course. Varieties 1. Elbaite- pink-green 2. Schorl- black 3. Dravite- brown 4. Verdelite-green 5. Rubellite- pink-red 6. Indicolite-blue 7. Siberite- violet to red purple 8. Achroite- white or colorless Chemical Elements which cause colors Manganese - Pink-Red Titanium - some pink Chrominium or Vanadium - Green Iron and Iron Oxide - Blue & Green The chemical formula is XY 3 Al 6 B 3 Si 6 (OH) 4 The X can be Na or Ca The Y can be Mg, Li, AI, or Fe+3 The rest, Al 6 B 3 Si 6 (OH) 4, is aluminum boron silicate. Indicolite is the proper name for Blue Tourmaline. These come from Brazil and Sri Lanka. Indicolite is typically a clean gemstone and ranges in shade from medium light to medium dark blue. It is a highly valued collectors gemstone. Paraiba Tourmaline was discovered in Brazil in It was called Electric then Neon. It has a copper content of up to 2.3% by weight CuO. This was said to contribute to its rich color. In 2001 another copper-bearing tourmaline was discovered in Nigeria. The most expensive tourmaline is this 192 carat Paraiba valued at 25 million dollars. It is set in this famous necklace, Ethereal Carolina Divine Paraiba. Red Tourmaline is called Rubellite because the deepest shades appear to be Ruby-like Red. It has strong pleochroism. Rubellite usually has visible inclusions. If the stone is clean it may be a pink tourmaline. They may have been cobalt irradiated to enhance and stabilize the color. This is a permanent process and does not in any way affect the stone. The Chrome Tourmaline is an intense green similar to some emeralds of tsavorite garnet. It is more expensive than green tourmaline. Green is valued at about $20-250/ ct, Chrome at about /ct. Purple tourmaline is not well-known. There is also Orange and Yellow Tourmaline. Pure, saturated yellow tourmaline is very rare. It is sometimes called "Canary Tourmaline. There is gray and black. The black is almost opaque. The colorless is achroite. There is also Watermelon Tourmaline, because the inside is pink like the inside of a watermelon. Liddicoatite is parti-colored, meaning more than three colors can be seen. It has calcium and lithium, which produce violet and red colors. It may also be colored by manganese, chromium and titanium. These elements create the banding 43

44 and the triangular pattern This tourmaline is found almost exclusively in Madagascar. This variety of tourmaline is marked by color banding and a three-ray star resembling a Mercedes auto logo. This tourmaline was named in honor of Richard T Liddicoat. Phvsical and Chemical Properties The hardness is 7-7.5, the luster is vitreous and the density ranges from 3.0 to 3.12, depending on the color of the tourmaline. The RI or Refractive Index is The birefringence is.02. This is the difference in the RI range. The Specific Gravity is about 3.10 and this also varies with color. There is no cleavage such as in Topaz. The fracture is concoidal. The crystal form is hexagonal or trigonal. All tourmaline crystals have a rounded triangular crosssection. The crystal structure is hexagonal or trigonal. The hexagonal is any mineral that has four axes, three are the same length and lie 120 from each other. The fourth is longer or shorter but must be at right angles toward the other corners. Density or Specific Gravity depends on color Pink Pale Green 3.05 Brown 3.06 Dark Green Blue Yellow-Orange 3.10 Black Pleochroism can be seen in a double refractive stone. In this slide a bluish green is seen along the vertical axis and yellow green along the horizontal. Piezoelectric & Pvroelectric Properties Tourmaline is of interest to the scientific world. The pyroelectric effect occurs when a crystal is heated and a positive charge is at one end and a negative charge is at the other end. It becomes like a polarized crystalline magnet and can attract light objects. These crystals can attract dust in a display cabinet. This property was noticed about 1703 in the Netherlands. Tourmaline were called "aschentrekkers" or ash drawer because they attracted ashes and could be used to clean pipes. The piezoelectric effect occurs when pressure is applied to opposite ends and develops charge between the ends. This was important in diving instruments in World War II. It has been used as a calibration standard for the manometer. Another crystal that acts like this is quartz. The New Age members may believe that these two properties can produce powerful psychic energy and neutralize negative energies. There is also color changing tourmaline, which depends on the color of light hitting the gemstone. Just in the last decade the Usambara Effect color change tourmaline was discovered. Notice the different colors in this crystal. These crystals are only about 1-4 mm in size, only magnified several times to study them better. The crystals appear green, but in transmitted light show a sharp color change to red when the crystal reaches a certain thickness. This is not the alexanderite effect which depends on the type of light. These were discovered near the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania near the border of Kenya. Mining sources Most tourmaline gemstones come from Brazil, in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia, found mostly in pegmatites, and some igneous and metamorphic rock. The pegmatites have the common boron-bearing silicate crystals. Granite pegmatites occur all over the world. A few contain good quality gem-bearing material. These sources are Brazil, California, Maine, Ural Mountains in Russia, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Namibia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Mining the pegmatites can be difficult due to erosion and weathering of the surrounding area. Most mining is done by miners who use picks, shovels and other tools. Treatments Pink or red may be heat or cobalt irradiated, which is a permanent process. However rubellites have inclusions and it isn't always safe to heat treat them. Heat may make dark shades paler but may cause crystals to lose water and may make crystals more brittle. Irradiation: maybe pink and red, maybe yellow or orange. Care of tourmaline jewelry Tourmaline can withstand years of wear. One should avoid steam cleaning, ultrasonic cleaner, or heat. Store the tourmaline in jewelry bags to prevent scratching by harder gemstones. It is recommended that one use warm soapy water and a soft brush to clean. The best way is to use a soft cloth to wipe the jewelry. Rough and cutting tourmaline The rough may determine how the tourmaline will be cut, shall it be cabbed, elongated, oval or round. If the rough has small parallel fibers, it probably should be cut as a cabochon as a cat's eye. Small pea size may be cut as oval or round. Watermelon should be cut perpendicular 44

45 to the long axis. Axes The crystal may displays two distinct different colors. One color is viewed through the "A/B" axis (flat side of the crystal and the other color is seen through the C" axis (lengthwise down the crystal). When tourmaline is cut in a standard round brilliant, the color that reflects out of the top will be a mix of all the colors. Sometimes it can be a problem because the two axes can have different colors. Sometimes the C axis can be black or too dark. If the C axis is too dark, it is best to cut the stone in a rectangle or square shape. Orient the stone so the pavilion facets that are in line with the bad C axis can be cut at a high angle such as degrees. The steep angles may reduce the reflection of the C axis. The crown can have a different design such as opposed bar, cushion shape or emerald. In 1912 the American National Association of Jewelers adopted the pink tourmaline for the October birthstone. Tourmaline is also the 8th Wedding Anniversary Stone. Composed by Sylvia LaCroix Edited December 2013-January 2014 The Candelabra Tourmaline was mined in 1972 by Bill Larson at the Tourmaline Queen mine in San Diego County s Pala District. What a sight, he recalled years later, over a foot long. (It actually is about a foot and a half.) It now is on public display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. (Photo: Harold & Erica Van Pelt) 45

46 FIRST QUARTER 2014 USFG MEETING MINUTES by Keith Wyman Keith Wyman USFG Secretary President-elect Will Smith called an meeting of the USFG Board of Directors on January 13, He presented a proposed budget, the 2014 slate of officers and to conduct a 2013 yearend meeting. After a bit of discussion and several minor changes the Board unanimously vote to accept these items. President Smith then requested that the budget reports and slate of officers be presented to the membership on January 28, 2014 with an vote scheduled for January 30, The voting requested that members approving the budget, officers and committee reports signify by doing nothing; those opposed were to send an to the secretary and if possible, voice their reasons for disapproving. There were no nay responses and a number of s that gave their hearty approval. President Will Smith sent out a proposal to the board on February 12, 2014 that the USFG sponsor both the Franklin Faceter s Frolic (FFF) and a similar program during the annual Gem and Mineral show in Tucson. He also proposed that Tom Maxwell continued to be in charge of the Frolic and take on the responsibility of the Tucson event. After some discussion and debate, the Board unanimously voted to proceed with the projects. The Reports sent out to the membership for approval are Appendix A, the request for a vote is Appendix B and the FFF and Tucson event proposal is Appendix C. Respectfully submitted by: Keith Wyman USFG Secretary Appendix A: Reports sent out to the membership Reports 2014 Annual Meeting United States Faceters Guild Reported by President Will Smith for your review before the January 30, 2014 meeting date. You have received the Notice for the Annual Meeting. The following are the reporting outlined in the Agenda. REPORT OF COMMITTEES Historian Glenn Klein will be providing more history of faceting and guild activity on the website in Adviser Charles Moon will continue to assist all of us with his many years of experience and will be dealing with special assignments in Membership Jeff Ford will continue to handle the membership for USFG in He reports that we currently have members as follows: 347 US, 12 Canada, 33 from other Countries, with a total of 392 paid members. At this time 36 are not current with their dues. 16 have attained Life memberships (see website for more details) Webmaster Dan Linder is who keeps the website updated and who will be working a group to update the looks and information available on the website in the future. Assistant Editor Derik Johnson helps our Editor and is ready to assist as needed in an emergency. REPORT OF TREASURER Treasurer Jeff Ford provides the following report for the 2013 financial information: Total Assets in Checking, Savings, PayPal, and CD...$34, Total Liabilities...$ Income from Interest, Donations and Dues... $5, Expenses Competition Expense... $2, Newsletter Expense... $ Operational & Web Expense... $ Sponsored Activities... $ Corporation Tax Preparation $ Total Expenses... $3,

47 Report Action Taken by Board During the January electronic meeting, the Board approved the following 2014 Officers: President Will Smith Vice President Lorne Grossman Secretary Keith Wyman Treasurer Jeff Ford Editor Howard Bromley 2014 Directors: Jim Clark, Jenny Clark, Paul Newman, Jeff White, Michiko Huynh, and Tom Maxwell During the same meeting the Board approved the 2014 Proposed Budget 2014 Estimated Income from Interest, Donations, & Dues...$7, Estimated Expenses Competition Expense...$2, News Letter Expense...$ Operation Expense...$ Web Expense & Upgrade...$1, Sponsored Activities...$1, Donation William Holland School of Lapidary...$1, Promotion of USFG...$ Liability Insurance...$1, Corporation Tax Preparation...$ Total Expenses... $7, The Board reserves the right to use money not used from one item to where it may be needed for another budget item. Any expense over $500 not included in the budget will require the approval of the Board. As you can see the Officers and Board of Directors have done an outstanding job in It is anticipated that 2014 will be a year where USFG offers more benefits to members and the public. More of the assets will be used to promote membership, education, and communication with the faceters around the world. Remember we represent you the members of USFG. A place where you can find designs, information, Q&A on the Faceters List, assistance from other members, a place to compete, and the world s greatest jam-packed Newsletter each quarter. Appendix B: Ballot sent out to membership Your President, Will Smith 2014 Annual Business Meeting - Electronic ( ); Date: January 30, 2014; Time: 9 AM (cst) from the office of Will Smith the President (Will Smith) I call the meeting to order. This Annual Meeting is being communicated to you the member using because the officers, directors and members are located all over the world and it has become impossible for all to attend a meeting in a single location. Voting will be by regular and life members who are in good standing as of December 31, On January 20, 2014, the Secretary sent a NOTICE OF MEETING by to all eligible members which informed members of the date and agenda of the meeting. On January 28, 2014 the Secretary sent by to all eligible members: Report of Treasurer for 2013, outlining Assets, Liabilities, Income and Expense Presidents Report of Action Taken By Board outlining the 2014 Officers, Directors, and 2014 Budget approved by the Board of Directors, and the Report of Committees. These reports were presented early by , giving you time to review before today s meeting. In this meeting you are ask to vote to approve the reports as presented. The method for voting will be as follows: If you vote YES, you do not need to do anything. No action by you will be recorded as a yes vote. If you vote NO, you will need to reply to this indicating and your vote will be recorded as no. So we may learn from your objection, we ask that you help us by giving specific information for your no vote. 47

48 At 10 PM (cst) today, the President calls the vote closed and the meeting adjourn until the next called meeting. Many thanks for you participation. Appendix C: Frolic and Tucson Program Proposals Vote required for the following proposal: Establish Director of Educational Events 1. It is proposed that USFG incorporate what is known as the Franklin Faceters Frolic (Frolic or FFF) into a new annual Educational Events program and make it a part of the annual budget. 2. It is proposed that the model used for the Frolic be used to create an annual 2 or 3 day faceting event at Tucson leading up to the Old Pueblo Lapidary Club s (OPLC) Hob Nob. That this even be incorporated in the annual budget of USFG. That USFG President work with OPLC to rent their facilities for the USFG event, with the understanding that the Hob Nob remain a function of the OPLC. 3. It is proposed USFG establish the position of Director of Educational Events, with an unlimited term, who will answer to the President and Treasurer. The position will be proposed by the President and approved by the USFG Board. This person may be a USFG member, officer or director. right to create other items in the USFG budget to financially assist in the success of the event. 7. It is proposed that the Director of Educational Events will answer to the USFG President, as it relates to record keeping, planning, advertising, budgeting, and annual reporting. The Board may at the end of any year, vote to terminate any or all of the projects established under this proposal and eliminate the position of Director of Educational Events. 8. It is proposed that the Director of Educational Events maintain a checking account that has USFG as owner, is authorized to make deposits and write checks as needed, where the USFG Treasurer is included on the account to make deposits and write checks, during the absents of the Director of Educational Events. 9. It is proposed the goal of the Educational Event program is to promote faceting using education, cutting contest, demonstrations, and classes and develop a dealer base. To give the President authority to work out an agreement with OPLC, for the use of their facility, where the OPLC will continue to hold the historical Hob Nob with USFG helping to promote their event. The Proposal passed. 4. It is proposed that Tom Maxwell be made Director of Educational Events. 5. It is proposed that Tom Maxwell and his team continue to manage the Frolic and to make sure it is self-sustaining under the USFG budget. USFG reserves the right to create other items in the budget to financially assist in the success of the event. 6. It is proposed that Tom Maxwell, Will Smith, and others establish the first Tucson program using the same model used for the Frolic, making it self-sustaining in the USFG budget. USFG reserves the 48

49 9:01 PM United States Faceters Guild 01/20/14 Balance Sheet Accrual Basis As of December 31, 2013 Dec 31, 13 ASSETS Current Assets Checking/Savings 1000 Checking FCFCU SFX9 12, Savings FCFCU SFX Savings Money Fund SFX1 4, PayPal CD FCFCU 16, Total Checking/Savings 34, Total Current Assets 34, TOTAL ASSETS 34, LIABILITIES & EQUITY Equity 3000 Equity 19, Retained Earnings 13, Net Income 2, Total Equity 34, TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY 34,

50 9:00 PM United States Faceters Guild 01/20/14 Profit & Loss Accrual Basis January through December 2013 Jan - Dec 13 Income 4010 Interest & Dividends Membership Dues 4110 USA Membership 4, Canada Membership Foreign Membership Total 4100 Membership Dues 5, Donations Total Income 5, Gross Profit 5, Expense 5000 Competition Expenses 5010 Judging SSC 1, Awards SSC 1, Postage SSC Total 5000 Competition Expenses 2, Newsletter Expenses 6010 Printing Newsletter Office Supplies Newsletter Total 6000 Newsletter Expenses Operational Expenses 7140 Treasurer Web Expenses Total 7000 Operational Expenses Corporate Expenses 7240 Tax Prep Corp Total 7200 Corporate Expenses Sponsered Activities 9010 Hob Nob Symposiums Total 9000 Sponsered Activities Total Expense 3, Net Income 2,

51 Rob Kulakofsky: Color Wright Faceting accessories at discount prices and select faceting rough. Also slabs, cabbing and carving rough, cabochons, beads and more! Visit our warehouse at the Tucson Show (toll-free) Marsh Howard: The LL Lightning Lap Lapidary solutions for the 21st Century John Franke: Facet Shoppe Since 1990, we have promoted the art of gem cutting by offering information, rough & cut gemstones, lapidary equipment & supplies for faceters of all skill levels. Write or call for free price list Jerry Newman: Gemart Services Custom gemstone faceting and lapidary service including repair/recutting of damaged stones. Exclusive dealer for the Vargas Pol-A-Gem laps for superior scratch-free gemstone polishing John Kilian: The Kilian Collection Faceted gemstones, gem rough and crystalized mineral specimens. The web site is being revised and currently unavailable. Modification in process CJP Gems Natural and synthetic faceting and cabbing rough and lapidary equipment ADVERTISERS Glenn Klein, G.G. Author, Historian, Competition Faceter To learn the history of Faceting, and what equipment and methods were used through the centuries check my website, Faceting History: Cutting Diamonds & Colored Stones, and my brand new book, Evolution of Faceting Machines, which has information and lots of pictures of various faceting machines that have come about, especially in the past 75 years. EVOLUTION OF FACETING MA- CHINES (Centuries ago to present day) FACETING HISTORY (Cutting & polishing gemstones) LUCK & TIMING (Risky flying experiences) Devon McRorie: Rock Peddler Visit Prettyrock.com for faceting rough, Gemological identification tools, & Tutorials, Ultra-tec Faceting Machine, and Lapidary Supplies. Get listed in our free Faceters Gallery! Jonathan L. Rolfe: Gearloose Online articles illustrate how to build your own laps, faceting machines, digital angle readouts for existing production machines. Some examples of Jon s gem cutting appear as well as information about his BATT Lap. There are links to other gem cutting sites and organizations. battpage@battlap.com L. Bruce Jones, G.G., F.G.A., D. Gem.G: Gemscientist Gem research work and electron microprobe quantitative chemical analysis and inclusion identification. Raman confocal microscopy and x-ray diffractometry studies. Free gem IDs on colored stones for USFG Members. Currently authoring book on gem instruments. bruce@gemscientist.com Jean Marr: MystiCrystals Gifts from the Heart of the Earth. Our searchable website features information about our show schedule, gemstone jewelry, faceted gemstones, custom faceting, gem trees, gem tree supplies, facet rough, and contains articles by Jean on gemology and faceting. sales@mysticrystals.com John Wright: Gems by John Step by step faceting photos & instructions, faceting rough, faceted gemstones, custom & handmade jewelry with colored stones. JohnWright@gemsbyjohn.com Paul Head: GemCadWin Tutorial The file is in PDF format, consisting of 116 pages and 240 figures. If sent as an attachment the price is $50. If sent as a CD by surface mail the price is $55. Pay by check, cash, or money order. Free on line assistance will be available for registered buyers. dmhpah@cox.net IMPORTANT INFORMATION Please note that advertisements throughout the issue are provided for your information only, and do not represent an endorsement by the USFG. Any USFG member with a faceting related business may have their site listed for free. Please send your information to: Charlie Moon cmoon822@gmail.com Include: Name of business, web address, address, telephone number and a brief (25 words or less) description of your business. You may also include a logo or design. 51

52 USFG INFORMATION DUES AND NEWSLETTER POLICY Membership cards are no longer being issued. Need to know when your membership expires? Your membership expiration date will be within the containing your newsletter notification. All members receiving a DUES DUE issue will receive one more complimentary issue bearing a FINAL REMINDER notation. For ALL members who elect not to renew their membership (and death is really the only acceptable excuse), the FINAL REMINDER will be your final issue. The USFG Newsletter is a quarterly publication of the United States Faceters Guild, published in March, June, September and December. It is delivered by only, to all paid members of the Guild. Membership dues are an incredibly reasonable $18 per year (USD) and are payable to the USFG Treasurer. Please help us grow the organization by recommending membership in the USFG to fellow faceters. Opinions expressed are those of the editor, contributing members, or quoted authors, and do not necessarily represent the United States Faceters Guild or its membership. The newsletter is for the express purpose of sharing information with the members and other faceting guilds, and has no intent to show preference to, or cause damage to, any person, group, product, manufacturer or commercial company. Officers 2014 Will Smith, President Lorne Grossman, Vice President Keith Wyman, Secretary Jeff Ford, Treasurer Howard Bromley, Editor Board of Directors Jim Clark Jenny Clark Paul Newman Jeff White Michiko Huynh Tom Maxwell Newsletter Submissions Correspondence concerning the content of the newsletter, exchange bulletins and newsletters should be sent to the editor. Items submitted for publication in the newsletter should be sent to the editor as well. The address for the new editor is: editor@usfacetersguild.org. We re always looking for new ideas and contributions to the content of the newsletter, so if you would like to make a suggestion or a submission, please the editor. Please try to submit newsletter items no later than the 20th of the month preceding the publication date. UNITED USFG STATES Appointed Staff Jeff Ford, Membership Dan Linder, Webmaster Derik Johnson, Assistant Editor Membership/Treasurer Jeff Ford 2410 N. 2nd St., Kalamazoo, MI USA jeffinkzoo@sbcglobal.net FACETERS GUILD USFG Website CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR USFG LIFE MEMBERS! Alexander Wolkonsky Billy Stringfellow Brain Maxwell Charles Moon Don Dunn Dr Vincent Bishop Glenn Klein Jack Gross James Clarke Jean Marr John Bayer John Cassity Ralph Mathewson Richard Golden Robert Long Sylvia Czayo William Wilkie Juris Peterson Only two qualifications to become a life member be a member in good standing for 5 years & be 80 years of age or paid up thru that date. If you believe you might qualify, please contact Jeff Ford. 52

53 USFG MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Membership to the USFG is open to faceters or people interested in faceting everywhere. Our primary goal is to improve the art and science of faceting through our newsletter and correspondence. Our secondary goal if to improve competitions and competition rules both in the U.S. and internationally. Officers are elected every two years for two year terms, taking place in even years. Members will receive our Quarterly Newsletter usually about 20 pages each, and the right to participate in USFG activities. the By-Laws of the USFG may be reviewed at our website: UNITED FACETERS USFG STATES GUILD Name Date Street Address Telephone City, State, Zip E mail I am interested in becoming a faceter I have been faceting for yrs I have a display case 12 stones 20+ stones Educational Other Competition experience/ Certi cations: Junior Novice Intermediate/PreMaster Master Which machine(s) do you cut with? Do you cut commercially? Are you a dealer? Have you given talks or wri en articles on faceting? Special talents or interests to share? ** Membership (all locations) is $18 USD for one (1) year please remit US funds only. ** As a convenience members may choose to renew for multiple years at $18 per year Please make checks payable to the USFG Mail this form with payment to: USFG Treasurer c/o Jeff Ford 2410 N 2nd St Kalamazoo, MI for the Treasurer: treasurer@ usfacetersguild.org Newsletter Delivery Format Downloadable via the web Adobe PDF - Portable Document Format March June September - December notification will be sent to current members with password to open the document. for the Editor: editor@usfacetersguild.org Please feel free to copy or use the back of this form for additional information or special instructions. Membership questions may be sent to Jeff Ford or membership@usfacetersguild.org Please circle one New Membership Renewal Returning Member September