It’s especially hard these days to get rough crystals of tanzanite because the Tanzanian government no longer allows crystals to leave the country. The reason for this is to keep gem cutting in the country to help the local economy of Tanzania. So, rarely do you see rough crystals of tanzanite. This particular crystal wasn’t clear enough to be cut into a faceted gem therefore our dealer had it available.

Details of the Tanzanite Pendant

The pendant showcases the tanzanite crystal front and center – with good reason. The size alone – 29 carats(!) – makes this material very rare and valuable. In addition to the size, the lavender color is incredible and the inclusions add character to the material. Stacked on top of the tanzanite is a golden topaz – adding color and character to the overall pendant. The champagne diamonds set beside the golden topaz compliment the color.

The topaz is unique because of the horizontal inclusions – adding striations of texture and sparkle. Above the golden topaz lies a clean green tourmaline that we’ve had for years and it finally found a home! The unique curved cut adds structure and geometry to the pendant. Finally, the pendant hangs from a marquise diamond that is placed above the chain. In addition to the combination of colors from the gems, we used 18k yellow gold and palladium for the settings. This piece is an explosion of color, texture, and size, yet elegantly balanced.

Making of the Tanzanite Pendant

Each component of the pendant was hand carved in wax separately, then cast into their respective metals. The topaz, 3 diamonds, and green tourmaline setting was cast into 18k yellow gold while the tanzanite and marquise diamond settings were cast into palladium. This photograph shows the components on the bench ready to be soldered together.

First, the palladium setting for the marquise diamond was soldered to the 18ky setting.

This prepared the piece for the tanzanite’s palladium setting.

This photograph shows the tanzanite’s setting being prepared to be soldered by burning off flux – a material used to clean metal to allow the solder to flow smoothly for a solid seam.

Once all the components are soldered together, you can see that it is still in rough shape. Once everything is cleaned up, the stones are set and a final polish is given to the pendant.

Then of course hanging it on an appropriate chain and the not so easy task of photographing it!

This one-of-a-kind pendant by Dennis deJonghe retails for $5,700. It features a 29ct natural crystal tanzanite, 5.5ct topaz, 2,03ct green tourmaline, and 4 diamonds at 0.49ct total weight. For more information, please call us at 518587-6522 or email info@djoriginals.com

©Dennis deJonghe 2013

2013 Jewelry Award Winner – Buyers Choice Palladium

Dennis deJonghe won this category with a custom ring featuring an Aquamarine cabochon cut by award winning gem artist Tom Munsteiner. The 3.76ct Aqua cab is set in a hand carved palladium ring. This symmetrical design boldly shows off the Aqua and is accented by 16 round diamonds with a total weight of 0.48ct (VS2 / G) pave set. It is available for sale for $4,100.

What is the Jewelers of America CASE  Jewelry Awards? 

The CASE Awards were created to honor members of Jewelers of America who create jewelry with creativity, artistry, skills, excellence to the highest degree. It is a national competition that is held yearly to recognize jewelry artists who submit jewelry with the aforementioned criteria. It offers credibility and national recognition to the jewelers who win awards in the following categories:

Past CASE Jewelry Awards

In 2012, Dennis won two CASE awards for Buyers’ Choice Palladium and Buyers’ Choice Alternative Materials. He entered a Tahitian Pearl Pendant set in palladium for the palladium jewelry category and a jewelers’ loupe featuring mokume gane metal, rubies, diamonds, and canary diamonds for the alternative materials category.

In 2011, Dennis won a CASE Award for Buyers’ Choice Alternative Materials

This deJonghe Original black onyx drusy pendant is set in palladium, accented by two diamonds, and shows off a serpentined wire. Drusy occurs naturally and is a coating of fine crystals on a rock fracture or vein. The fine crystals result in an awesome sparkle even on dark minerals (like onyx). It is most common on quartz but is also seen on other minerals. The black onyx drusy pendant is simple, yet showcases our classic style. The asymmetrical design from the diamonds and bend of the wire adds character to the piece. It’s available in our gallery for $1200.

We’re counting down the days to Christmas in style – and offering some ideas for a beautiful gift your special someone will enjoy for years. We’ll be posting an original piece of jewelry by artist Dennis deJonghe everyday until Christmas. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, YOU can win one of the pieces featured.

There are TWO ways you can win.

I remember picking out the chalcedonies with my parents at the JCK show in Vegas this past July and the look in my dad’s eyes when he saw these. I could tell he had designs racing through his mind of what he was going to create – even before they were purchased.

This, personally, is one of my favorite pieces in the gallery today. The chalcedonies are absolutely beautiful – their curves flowing like water and are perfectly mirrored images. As if that isn’t enough, the piece is made complete with an amazing 4.44ct pear shaped tanzanite – adding a deeper violet-blue to the overall blue motif of the pendant.

The initial responses we’ve gotten is that it resembles a winged creature, but I think it goes beyond that. Its resemblance is noticeable and adds to the boldness of the pendant. Bold, yet elegant. Just imagine how awesome it will look on some lucky girl!

The two blue chalcedonies have a total carat weight of 28.08ct. The hand made palladium pendant also features the pear shaped tanzanite, two diamonds, and pearls. It sells for $9,800 and available in our gallery downtown Saratoga Springs, NY. Email info@djoriginals.com or call 518-587-6422 for more information.

The moonstone makes this one-of-a-kind ring very unique with its tones of blue and purple in addition to its size. The big prongs holding the gem in place help make this piece a statement – drawing even more attention to the centerpiece. The two prongs are just part of the setting and form in one fluid motion up from the bezel. The pave diamonds in the setting add sparkle in an organized clusters of 3 diamonds. Notice the subtle curves of the bezel flowing with the gem and diamonds, and the simple notch in the middle. It’s these details that aren’t noticeable immediately but add to the overall style of the ring.

The Palladium one-of-a-kind handmade ring is available in our gallery for $5475.

Moonstone (Feldspar)

Rainbow Moonstone is very rare – usually mined in Sri Lanka and Southern India. The shimmer that moonstones create are also called schiller or adularescence and is caused by two different types of feldspar – each with a different refractive index.

It was originally mined in the early 1900s for lithium for use during the Industrial Revolution. After the long days of mining lithium, the Chinese immigrant workers would trek to the other side of the mountain to mine the bright pink Tourmaline to send home to their empress Tz’u Hsi. As discrimination intensified, they collapsed the mine with hopes of returning later. 

Seventy years later, when the mine was re-opened (this time for Tourmalines), the original Chinese tunnel was accidentally found when a new shaft was being dynamited perpendicular to it. The Chinese workers had left behind many things in that tunnel; decades old teapots, bamboo mats… and a mine car overflowing with gem quality Green Tourmalines! They had tossed aside the Green Tourmalines as only the pink ones were worthy of the empress. Had the original tunnel never been found, the rich Tourmaline deposit would have been completely missed and possibly never discovered in the future.

The mine has been in operation for the past 40 years as one of the major suppliers of rough tourmalines in the world – all from expansion of that original tunnel.

Colors

Tourmalines come in a variety of colors. The most desirable are bright pinks and deep greens. They can even be found as bi-color, combining the pink and green – often called Watermelon Tourmaline. Most Pink Tourmalines are treated to get a richer color, however the ones mined from the Stewart Lithia Mine are untreated.

This impressive amethyst was purchased nearly 30 years ago and put in the safe along with ideas of how it would be incorporated in a piece of jewelry. That is the beauty of gems – they’re timeless. Dennis was able to reach into the safe, grab a gemstone that he bought decades ago, and create a piece of jewelry that is featured in the gallery today.

The pendant of course features the signature deJonghe curves which in addition to style, play a role in the option of taking it off the chain and being able to interchange it with another pendant. I personally like the use of the fantasy cut amethyst and how the diamonds play a role in the flow of the piece. The diamonds don’t align with one another but rather flow with how the gem is cut. It’s as if the amethyst was cut to allow for diamond accents.

The piece is for sale for $3100 and can be viewed in person at the store.

New York, NY – Jewelers of America (JA), the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry retail marketplace, has awarded Dennis deJonghe, owner of Saratoga Springs-based deJonghe original jewelry, with two Buyers’ Choice awards in the 2012 CASE Awards, the association’s annual jewelry design competition. deJonghe competed among more than 25 jewelers in the competition. The CASE Awards recognize the creativity, artistry, style and excellence in jewelry design from top jewelers across the nation. It was held at the JA New York trade show, January 22-24, 2012, in New York City.

“Jewelers of America is honored to recognize the exceptional talents of jewelers, like Dennis deJonghe, whose design demonstrates the remarkable jewelry available from JA member stores nationwide,” says JA COO Robert Headley.

deJonghe won a Buyers’ Choice CASE award in the Alternative Materials Jewelry category for a jewelers’ loupe used by jewelers to magnify and view gemstones and jewelry elements – that features handmade copper and brass mokumé gane. The piece is accented with 16 yellow and white diamonds and a ruby.

He received another Buyers’ Choice CASE Award in the Palladium Jewelry category for a Tahitian pearl pendant set in palladium with a round diamond. The Buyers’ Choice winners are determined by the popular vote of JA New York Show attendees.

This isn’t the first time deJonghe brought home a Buyers’ Choice CASE award in the Alternative Materials Jewelry category. Last year, he won the 2011 award for his Mokume Gane earrings.

deJonghe original jewelry is located at 470 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. For more information, call 518-587-6422 or email info@djoriginals.com.