EXPLORING A Lapidary Renaissance

Digital Shift Evolves Lapidary Arts

- MARK OROS

Look around you. Do you see what is happening? There is a resurgence in the lapidary arts taking place in the United States. Everything in the rock and gem world is evolving quietly, quickly and with quality. The combination of changes occurring now may in the future be called a lapidary renaissance.

Exactly what are the lapidary arts? Succinctly put, lapidary arts are the activities involved with shaping stones, minerals and gems into decorative items such as cabochons and faceted gems.

ACCESS = GROWTH 

I have been playing and working in the lapidary world for the past ten years. I facet, cab and carve gemstones, sell rough materials to other lapidary artists, teach faceting and carving, along with selling ULTRA TEC faceting machines. From 1988 to 2000, I worked as a researcher and developer on the National Science Foundation project that kickstarted the birth of the internet. I am seeing parallels between the amazing digital communications paradigm shift and the lapidary arts' evolution. In fact, the internet is the main catalyst driving the current renaissance of lapidary arts. The other major factors propelling lapidary arts forward are design software, new equipment and materials and the ability for people to work from home - a unique opportunity for growth in our industry.