Don't miss out on the colorful world of enamel! Learn to work with enamels on metal sheet and add a touch of texture with raku firing, or add enamel to a silver and copper metal clay pendant. Looking for a really unusual gemstone? Find out how to prep and bezel set fossil ammonites as cabochons for a timeless pair of spiral earrings, or create a partial prong setting for a piece of freeform petrified wood. Learn what gives charoite its characteristic swirls of purple and its enchanting chatoyance, then set a free-form cab along with a round cab, faceted gem, and sparkling drusy in a luscious silver pendant with gold accents for a touch of richness without breaking the bank. Discover the newest agate source and the banded and blue material it produces, and see an expert demo of cutting a cabochon from some of the banded agate. Stay ahead of the fashion curve and find out why cuffs are hot. Then, with the right inventory, take advantage of free information Google offers that can help you hone and boost your online jewelry sales.  

It’s the combined Special Gem Issue and Annual Buyers’ Directory – new for 2013, suppliers listed in the directory who are Tucson show vendors are identified as such for your convenience. See the winner of the Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist 65^th Anniversary Faceting Contest and find instructions to cut the design yourself.  Learn the ins and outs of great stone setting tools, then learn to gypsy set stones in a silver ring or create a custom setting with wire and prongs for a one-of-a-kind gem pendant with tube-set diamonds. See the amazing large-scale gem carvings of gem photographer Harold Van Pelt and jewelry size carvings of Naomi Sarna and Larry woods. Discover Margaret De Patta’s far-forward-looking jewelry from the past, and see how contemporary couture jewelers are incorporating this spring’s fashion colors. Plus, find some easy ways to promote your jewelry online using Instagrams.

Loaded with editors' favorites, the special Tool Issue focuses on an outstanding disc cutter, riveting tool, lathe, dust collector, chasing hammers and pitch, forming mallet and stake, faceting machine, hydraulic press forms, height gauge, and the value of the iPad in the jewelry and lapidary workshops. You'll find classic and unusual vises, clamps, and other holding devices for both metal and stone, best finishing films for metal polishing, and step-by-step instructions for making an exceptionally useful bench pin that is also a work of art in itself, a new faceting design, the facts about zircon, and a jewelry-making project using torch-fired enamels. See the winners of a tool-inspired jewelry design contest and learn how the pieces were made, and learn how to keep hackers out of your online jewelry sales efforts. Plus tips, news, and more for jewelry makers and gem cutters.

Discover the jewelry designs of three outstanding jewelry artists who bring a surprisingly fresh perspective to ancient metalsmithing techniques that include chasing, granulation, and mokumé gané. Create a contemporary chased silver cuff, and find chasing basics, chasing punches, and chasing tips galore. See which designers are devoted to Argentium Sterling Silver and find out why they love how easily it fuses, its lack of fire scale and tarnish, and its hardening characteristics. Discover the new look for diamond - sliced and set - and other gem slices, with a demo on wire wrapping tourmaline slice "sunglasses." Learn about common and exotic alternatives to traditional ivory, and how to set an oddly shaped ivory gem. Plus do's and don'ts for email marketing your jewelry.

Discover the hottest new gemstone, Sonoran dendritic, and learn how to bezel set one in a silver pendant - plus learn to cut this stone yourself or find out what you need to know when buying a cabochon. See what new jewelry pliers are on the market and find out what's cool about them. Learn how Pinterest, StumbleUpon and other image sharing sites can help you promote your work and gain new inspiration for your jewelry designs. Meet the inventor of fold forming, Charles Lewton-Brain, and see how this amazing technique has inspired other jewelers - plus learn the technique yourself through a mermaid pendant project. Make a silver metal clay ring inspired by nomadic houses while learning dry construction techniques. Find tips for cleaning your tumbler's steel shot and using a new craft knife on the market. Plus celebrate Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist's 65^th Anniversary with two contests: a giveaway drawing and a faceting design competition, both with great sponsored prizes!

Take advantage of Argetium Silver alongside Betsy Porter. Master this new sterling silver alloy and learn how to: anneal, make granules, fuse, polish, harden, and more!

Use your new skills and tricks to create projects with step-by-step instructions that feature Argetium Silver: Use lightweight fused wire and granules to create a delicate pair of fanciful earrings and make a funky double band ring with a cool centerpiece using metal clay.

Create your very own e-commerce site and learn how to stand out in a crowded online market.

Discover surprising jewelry from the world of fine art in the article "Picasso to Koons: Art to Wear" by Cathleen McCarthy. Experience the beautiful jewelry made by the expected and unexpected artists including Yoko Ono, Frank Stella, Pablo Picasso, and more that were featured at New York's Museum of Arts and Design last year.

Incorporate natural features from the mine in your next cabochon with a step-by-step cabbing demo!

Learn how to set gems in new fascinating ways and practice your skills by creating stunning designs with the December issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist.

Prepare for the holidays with 5 projects that are perfect for gift giving! Learn how to make easy yet sophisticated holiday-tree earrings, create a sparkling crystal cross pendant using a pastel quartz gemstone, use a classic spring mechanism to create pretty pins, and more!