What is faceting? The word facet comes from the French word “facette” or face.
Faceting is the art and skill of taking a rough piece of gemstone and
creating a stone with numerous flat planes or facets suitable for jewelry.
In this exciting workshop you will be introduced to the beautiful art of gem faceting. You will learn how to examine a stone to determine if it is facet worthy and how to read a faceting diagram to apply the instructions faceting machine, then how to cut and polish the facets. Learn to use a digital faceting machine to grind and polish precision facets on a transparent gemstone. You’ll proceed step-by-step to the completion of a simple faceted stone.
*A supply kit with Tom’s book on Faceting, a stone to cut, polishing lap, 20 faceting designs and much more are included with the class!
Organizer
Tom Mitchell is a jewelry designer in The Villages, Florida. He specializes in faceted colored gems, silver and gold jewelry, scrimshaw and cold connections designs. He is a member of the following: Ultra Tec Representative in Florida, The Villages Gem and Mineral Society, US Faceters Guild, Professional Photographers of America, Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Tomoka Faceting Guild.
Certificates of Completion from William Holland School of Lapidary Arts, Young Harris, GA: Faceting I,II, Polymer Clay, Scrimshaw, Cold Connections, Cabochons, Wire Wrapping, Photography of Gems, Gem and Mineral ID and Silver I, Silver II and Gold. Tom teaches gem faceting at William Holland several weeks each year.
Venue
The Armory Art Center campus facilities include three buildings dedicated to art classes, a sculpture garden, and an interior tented courtyard.
The Armory Art Center provides art classes for students of all ages, exhibitions, art salons, lectures, and special events. Nearly 100 courses held in 12 state-of-the-art studios are offered including
- ceramics, photography & digital media, drawing, jewelry, painting, printmaking, textiles & fiber, and sculpture.
- Youth art classes and summer art camps are offered.
- Various exhibitions are hosted throughout the year in three galleries.
- The campus, located at 811 Park Place, West Palm Beach, at the south end of Howard Park, includes three buildings—the two former Palm Beach County National Guard Armory buildings and the Young Artists Studio Facility.
