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 It
was my father who instilled in me a love
of our Canadian lakes and forests. When
I was a boy I spent countless hours with
him on fishing expeditions, camping trips,
treks through the woods, and long hikes
along mountain cliffs. He taught me about
the beauty and mystery of nature.
He taught me to hug trees and keep exploring.
My father also taught me about craftsmanship.
I spent much time with him in his shop,
watching eagerly over his shoulder, as
he constructed fine furniture and did
upholstery work. My father was my hero
and I have always strived to make him
proud.
 Mountains,
jungles’ lush green growth, inky black skies blazing with unfamiliar
constellations, deserts and rivers, have always drawn me in. It was natural for
a jeweller with the heart of a Marco
Polo to visit gemstone mines whenever I had the opportunity. Mexico for
opal, Thailand for sapphire, ruby and pearl. India, with more people than you
ever thought possible, for amethyst, moonstone, and aquamarine.
When you think sapphire, you think blue. Emerald is green, and topaz looks like
brandy before a cozy fire. Sapphire is corundum and comes in every colour of
the rainbow. Next to a diamond, sapphire is one of the hardest gemstones
in the world.
 When
it is red, it is a ruby. Sapphire, yellow and green, look like summer. When sapphire
is orange, it is called Padparasha, and very rare. In its larger size, the Padparasha
rivals fine diamond in its value. Emerald and aquamarine are both beryl. It is
the chromium-oxide in the beryl that gives it its green colour.
Sometimes a tired-looking stone can be coaxed to life by man. Some emerald is
soaked in a hot mixture of beeswax and pine oil. Sapphire is often placed in
a borax bath and heated. This sometimes results in a deeper colour or a clearer
sparkle. Like one of us applying hand cream after a day in the garden, we look
and feel better.
As a gem’s size increases, so does the price. With small goods, the price per carat is much less.
I learned early in my career as a jeweller, the difference between buying something just
okay because it was inexpensive, and paying a little more for gem-quality— the
difference is that one of those choices is alive, scintillating and magic.
 WeeGems
is a new experience for me. I have never worked on anything at miniature scale
before; the work is actually more demanding. Miniature jewellery re-awakened
something in me which had dozed off over the years. One example is the Royal
Regalia line of miniatures. To make a crown in full-size today, would cost
millions. Then, who could buy it? A one-twelfth scale crown however, can be made,
with the exact same skill involved, and sell for well under one thousand dollars.
The work is fun and challenging. Thank you to the world of miniatures for the
inspiration, and the inspiration yet to come. Thank you for visiting weeGems.net
!
Very sincerely,
Charles
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