Gemscapes Blog

For many years, Sherris has had close partnerships with select jewelers around the country. Together they host “gemstone roundtables” that are held by the jeweler. These provide their customers the opportunity to have a “hands on” experience with her spectacular carved gems and a chance to visit with Sherris herself and learn more about her carvings. After a couple years off, Sherris started her roundtables again this year in high style. Sherris unveiled her new gems (carved from the rough we had aquired from Tanzania) in April at Knowles Jewelry in Bismark, North Dakota. It was the first time customers were able to see pieces carved from spectacular, huge iolites, chrome tourmalines, spessartite garnets and golden scapolites. Many of these gems were of sizes unheard of in the U.S. “Chrome tourmaline is quite rare generally, and particularly rare in sizes over one carat. A stone of fine quality over one carat is very rare. Therefore, the collector should expect a large percentage increase in the price of stones in carat-plus sizes. The next jump in rarity occurs at five carats. Stones of fine quality above ten carats are extremely rare, so rare in fact that I have never seen one.” (as quoted from Richard W. Wise on the website: Ganoksin, The Gem and Jewelry World’s foremost Resource on the Internet) In the April show, Sherris unveiled a 10.39ct Chrome Tourmaline, along with many other breathtaking pieces. In June, Sherris was invited to do her first European show by Atelier Staehli AG, in Bern, Switzerland. Lisa Elser, of Custom Cut Gems in Vancouver, BC, Canada, was also invited to present her unique faceted gems. This small “group” show was put together by Michael Staehli, director of Atelier Staehli AG because we’d all been in Tanzania together in January. After spending her summer in the studio carving almost non-stop, Sherris embarked on the fall roundtable season with a gusto. First stop was Christopher’s Fine Jewelry in Champaign, Illinois, where Christopher Jupp and Lois Wacholtz are the gracious hosts. Three nights (and one afternoon) of roundtables helped to reconnect her with customer’s who’ve been in love with her work for years, as well as offering new folks the chance to get familiar with a world-renown gem carver. The atmosphere is one of a relaxed, fun social gathering – with great tidbits of food, good wine, and lots of energy. People come to the roundtables to enjoy stunning, beautiful gems and to have a good time. Ideas about designs are discussed while stones go around the table. People anxiously await “their turn” with a specific stone so they can day dream about how it might be set and worn. Overall, it’s a very unique experience that allows people the chance to have a personal relationship develop with a gem artist and a jeweler. Enjoy these photos from two of the nights at Christopher’s!

Roundtable 9-11-09	Sherris at a roundtable
Socializing before the roundtable begins	Christopher sharing design ideas

Some of the new Tanzanian gems, and several stunning Oregon crystal opals have new homes after these shows including:

58.46ct Hydrogrossular Garnet	10.17ct Crystal Opal	9.81 ct Iolite

Just two weeks after her stop at Christopher’s, Sherris was on her way to T Lee’s in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In her two nights of round tables there, several more of the Tanzanian gems were discovered by people who fell in love with them, including a huge malayan garnet and a rare Tanzanian fire opal that actually had play of color within it.

41.96ct Malaya Garnet	10.65ct Fire Opal

Sherris is now back in the studio working on more carvings to present in Boise, Idaho, in February of 2010. Wink Jones will be hosting her roundtables at Winfield’s, on Overland Road. This is her first time to Idaho and she’s working on some brand new styles especially for this show! If you’d like information about this upcoming set of roundtables, please contact Winfield’s.