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| Recent Archives |
Established in 1947, Lapidary Journal has been the authority on what's current in the gem and jewelry world for over half a century. The vast library of issues that have been created over the years is like a diary -- a record to what was going on in the industry at any given moment. Just as it's fun to read old entries in your personal journal, we at Lapidary Journal thought it would be a good time to begin reminiscing on topics past, to see what has changed over time and what has remained the same. Starting with the June 1954 issue, each month we will take a look back to an issue 50 years old. If readers are interested in receiving photocopies of these or any past articles, please send us an e-mail with the subject line of "reprints." The July/August 1955 issue was 6-1/2" x 9-3/4", unlike today's dimensions of 8-1/4" x 10-3/4". It was not until 1960 that the size changed for the first time. It was a bi-monthly magazine and the newsstand price was $0.50 per copy. Betty Campbell of Cobalt Road
In the August 1955 issue of Lapidary Journal, Helene F. Haliday authored a piece called "Betty Campbell of Cobalt Road." It focused on her friend, Betty Campbell, whose son's illness uncovered her talent for faceting. In 1952, Betty, the mother of five children, had no idea she possessed a talent for cutting gems. When one of her sons, Tucker, became ill, he was told to stay in bed for a lengthy period of time. During this recovery, he received a silicon-carbide wheel from a relative who knew of his interest in rocks and polishing. First, Betty was devoted to helping her son learn how to operate the wheel, but after obtaining faceting equipment soon thereafter, she realized a wealth of unfounded talent and enjoyment. With no time to take a formal course in the art, Betty learned how to facet by carefully following the steps in The Book of Gem Cuts (M.D.R. Mfg. Co., Inc., Los Angeles, CA) and by devoting a great deal of time to trial. Resolved to teach Tucker how to facet, Betty worked diligently until she finished her first cut, which was a brilliant cut on quartz. Three years later, Betty was an avid faceter, having cut nearly 1,000 gems in such cuts as emerald, Portuguese, brilliant, Cairo, cushion, and six-way star. Able to complete all the different cuts, Betty made time to teach others how to facet on their own. She had also developed a unique cut -- most comparable to a type of brilliant cushion cut. At the time of the article, her largest cut stone was a 167.25 carat white topaz, and her smallest was a 0.27 carat emerald. At the time, she owned a complete faceting machine and three copper-charged laps -- 80 grit, 325 grit, and 1200 grit. She also had four polishing laps -- tin, lucite, lead, and felt on wood -- used for soft stones like fluorite, apatite, and barite. Betty's extensive collection of work was exhibited at the Eastern show in Washington in September of 1955. Every gem sparkled in her pieces, showing her exquisite cuts and remarkable skill. More highlights from our archives coming next month from the July/August 1955 Lapidary Journal. |
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