Maker Faire Happy Valley 2025
Lapidary: Crafting Gemstones, by Nittany Mineralogical Society
Home: Pennsylvania, United States
Lapidary is the craft of shaping and polishing gems and other decorative items from rough stones. Three principal methods are cabochon cutting of rounded-top gems, tumble-polishing of free-form or pre-formed shapes in batches, and faceting of transparent gems to maximize sparkle and fire. Carved figures and polished slab assemblies may also be made. Nittany Mineralogical Society will discuss and demonstrate the machines used in the making of cabochons and tumble-polishing of stones, and discuss the other areas of our interest in earth science.
https://www.nittanymineral.org/maker-faire.htm
Maker
Nittany Mineralogical Society, Inc.
Nittany Mineralogical Society is your local mineral, gem, fossil, and earth science club in the State College, Pennsylvania, area. We meet once a month with programs by knowledgeable speakers, and encourage education and interest in the field of mineralogy and the earth sciences. Our members include professionals and amateurs, and all are welcome at our meetings. The maker aspect of our group is the creation of polished gems from rough stones, known as the craft of lapidary. We host an annual Minerals Junior Education Day (usually including lapidary) for children, and meetings for children.
https://www.nittanymineral.org/What Inspired You to Make This?
Robert Altamura, lead presenter for this demonstration of the craft of lapidary, is a trained geologist, and learned to admire the exterior and interior beauty of rocks. As a student Bob gained an appreciation of the geological significance of rocks and their natural beauty. Such beauty can be expressed as: colors, textures, and patterns that help define the wonderful things one might envision when studying a rock in detail. A rock from the field may have one appearance, and an artistically shaped and carved rock exposing perhaps different colors, patterns and textures of the interior, yet another. The art of lapidary dates back to prehistoric times, and the methods of making a finished gemstone have remained similar through time, although mechanization of most steps has expedited the entire process compared to lapidary of early man.
