A lapidary is a craftsman who creates designs and sculptures with stones, gems, minerals, and shells using a variety of motorized and hand tools. They use specialized techniques such as tumbling, carving, and faceting to create custom pieces for customers or for commercial sale. Lapidary schools offer hands-on instruction for enthusiasts and future professionals.
A lapidary is a master craftsman or woman who creates designs and sculptures with stones, gems, minerals, shells and other hard raw materials. He cuts, shapes, and polishes items used in jewelry, fine art pieces, and freestanding decorative displays. A lapidary uses a variety of motorized and hand tools when practicing the craft, including saws, sanders, and chisels. Professional lapidaries often work in specialty shops, producing items for commercial sale and creating custom pieces for customers. The faceted craft is also popular with many enthusiasts, who dedicate hours to fashion their own jewelry and decorative pieces.
There are many types of highly specialized tools and techniques used in lapidary work. A professional can polish rough, uneven rock using a tumble machine, which looks and operates like a miniature clothes dryer. The rocks are oiled and laid on top of each other so that they rub and smooth the edges. Stones may need to be tumbled several times over the course of a month or more to achieve the desired smoothness.
Lapidaries also use saws, knives, drills, and delicate chisels to shape and sculpt materials into their final shapes. Some traditional artisans insist on carving the pieces entirely by hand, although many specialists take advantage of new technologies and automatic tools to make the work easier and more precise. They usually draw templates for their projects and carefully follow them when cutting and carving.
Many lapidaries are experts in faceting, the process of grinding a series of flat faces into gemstones to increase their attractiveness and allow them to reflect light. Most professionals use specialized lapping machines to help them ensure flawless results. A gem or mineral is attached to the end of a metal rod and lowered onto a grinding wheel to create each facet. The operator must take exact measurements to ensure proper angles, spacing and depth of each facet in a gem. The process is often time consuming; some finished gemstones have over 100 perfectly formed facets.
An individual interested in trying lapidary work can find information online about lapidary schools in their area. Many schools offer both enthusiasts and future professional craftsmen the opportunity to learn the craft through hands-on instruction from trained lapidaries. Program lengths vary, although most take anywhere from six weeks to three months to complete. Graduates receive estimated certificates and information on where they can obtain minerals, tools and jobs. With enough dedication and experience, individuals can learn to create masterful, compelling and highly desirable pieces.
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