**In Memorium** Barry Bridgestock''s personal jewel collection

[FrekeChild]

**A Note from the PS Moderator 8/28/2020. This thread has been reopened for those who would like to revisit the work of Barry Bridgestock, who has just passed away. This is an exception to our current policy of no trade members, and trade members are welcome to participate here or elsewhere**


Barry and I send back and forth a lot of emails about projects that I have going on, and I ask him a lot of questions. My various questions ended up prompting him to send me pictures of his personal jewelry collection. So because I was admiring them so much, I asked him if I could share his pictures and his rings with you guys and he gave me permission. This will be slow going, because I''m having to go back through my emails and hunt each one down along with the descriptions of the rings.

So if you wanted men''s rings, or men ring inspiration, here goes nothing.

"My first ring project---chrysoprase. Notice the quality(?) work on the bezel. If I hadn''t
seen Paul''s (Bensel, a jeweler in Arizona) bezel work, I would have been downright impressed with myself!"

 

[FrekeChild]

"I do have a favorite stone that I cut twice before I was happy with it. It''s an 11.1 mm round
blue/green Namibian tourmaline. I''ve cast up 3 rings for it and didn''t like what I''d done(and
you think you''re picky!). I''ll send you a picture of it. It''s not a great picture and the stone
actually is better than what you see. "

"This is my favorite---cut it in 2000 the first time, recut it in 2004."

 

[FrekeChild]

"This is a little sapphire ring I made about 5 years ago. I''ve got a bluish/green tourmaline
that''s bigger that I cut an identical wax for but haven''t gotten around to casting up."

 

[FrekeChild]

"This is a Brazilian tourmaline I cast a Celtic design ring for."

 

[FrekeChild]

Sorry. Double post. Weird that it attached the picture twice.

 

[FrekeChild]

"Well--this is an Afghan(4 ct.) that Paul made a ring for back in about ''82. I only wear it to
gemshows."

 

[FrekeChild]

"This is the ring Charles Romero made for me in ''76. It still looks great! I picked the wax and I''m sure he
could have designed something a whole lot better. The goldwork is excellent--not one
pit or bad spot.

Barry"

(Note from me: This was before he started cutting stones himself. I don''t know who cut the sapphire, but it''s gorgeous!!!)

 

[FrekeChild]

"This was one of my summer projects a few years back. It''s a tsavorite in fireagate. One
summer I bonded a piece of garnet to a piece of blue topaz with Epoxy 330 and then
faceted a ''garpaz''. I gave it away and now I wish I''d kept it! It was pretty crazy looking.

Barry"

 

[FrekeChild]

"This is a malaya garnet set in a Hopi design ring. I cannot tell a lie. I saw this ring in
silver in a catalog, ordered it, and then had Paul mold it so he could make me waxes.
I''m glad I had that done, because this design has disappeared off the face of the earth."

 

[FrekeChild]

"Heliodore in yellow gold. The ring I cast up was for an oval stone, so I had to hammer
this poor thing when I set the stone until it was round---I attended the Conan school of
jewelry arts...."

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Freke what a fantastic idea for a thread! Barry''s so talented!!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/19/2009 7:18:33 PM
Author: FrekeChild
''Heliodore in yellow gold. The ring I cast up was for an oval stone, so I had to hammer

this poor thing when I set the stone until it was round---I attended the Conan school of

jewelry arts....''

I want this heliodore!!!

 

[FrekeChild]

"This is a ring Paul Bensel made for me. I think he's the best goldsmith in AZ. You can see some of his work at www.paulbensel.com. Feel free to pass this picture around! I would love it if people outside of Yuma could see his fantastic work."

(I have to look into this guy! This bezel is amazing.)

 

[FrekeChild]

Ok. That''s it. Let me know if you have any questions...

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/19/2009 7:21:35 PM
Author: FrekeChild
''This is a ring Paul Bensel made for me. I think he''s the best goldsmith in AZ. You can see some of his work at www.paulbensel.com. Feel free to pass this picture around! I would love it if people outside of Yuma could see his fantastic work.''


(I have to look into this guy! This bezel is amazing.)

What stone is this? It''s amazing!

 

[FrekeChild]

Believe it or not (I asked the same question too) it''s a lowly blue topaz. It''s lovely isn''t it?

 

[mochi]

Freke, thank you!! There just isn''t enough men''s ring posted. I''m going to show these to my dh.

 

[akmiss]

I am really digging the chrysoprase and fire agate rings. Thanks for posting the collection.

 

[cellentani]

My in-laws live in Yuma, AZ. Hmmm, it''s been awhile since we visited them. I wonder if he takes visitors?

 

[FrekeChild]

Cell--Barry or Paul?

I''m tempted to go visit them both...Yuma isn''t THAT far from Albuquerque right?

 

[AmberGretchen]

OMG those pics are AMAZING Freke - thanks to both you and to Barry for sharing those with us - super YUMMY

 

[T L]

Beautiful gems and jewelry he has. Thanks Freke and thanks to Barry for sharing his wonderful collection with us.

I want some fire agate now!!

 

[Fly Girl]

Thank you so much, Freke and Barry! Love looking at men''s rings. One of my future projects is to set one of Barry''s garnet cabs into a men''s gold ring to make a birthstone ring for DH. Great ideas here to show him.

 

[chrono]

Barry has an amazing collection of gemstones and jewellery. Thanks to Barry and Freke for posting this.

 

[cellentani]

Date: 2/19/2009 9:20:15 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Cell--Barry or Paul?

I'm tempted to go visit them both...Yuma isn't THAT far from Albuquerque right?

Freke - do I sense a road-trip in your near future? I think Barry is in Yuma; I don't know about Paul. Just follow the map...

I used to live in Phoenix, and it was 3hrs from Yuma. I think you're looking at about a 9-hr ride. But wouldn't it be fantastic?!

 

[FrekeChild]

Who wants to do a roadtrip to Yuma?!

I can do 9 hours. Especially because I can go visit my cousin in Phoenix and then take a day to drive down and bug...I mean, hang out with Barry.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/19/2009 8:27:46 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Believe it or not (I asked the same question too) it''s a lowly blue topaz. It''s lovely isn''t it?

Definitely - love that blue.

I''d be afraid that if I ever went to visit, I''d never want to leave - you''d have to pry me away from those gorgeous gems...

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 2/19/2009 9:18:56 PM
Author: cellentani
My in-laws live in Yuma, AZ. Hmmm, it's been awhile since we visited them. I wonder if he takes visitors?

So to my BF's parents. It is such a small town they might know each other! I was wondering if he takes visitors as well. I will for sure look up that gold smith. I need a good goldsmith, and that would be a great place to find someone.

ETA: My BF laughs whenever I get a package from there. Of all the places to buy gemstones, he can't believe I am buying them from Yuma.

 

[FrekeChild]

Lol LtlFirecracker, that''s funny. It is pretty ironic though.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 2/20/2009 1:03:56 AM
Author: FrekeChild
Lol LtlFirecracker, that''s funny. It is pretty ironic though.

Freke, it gets even better (or worse), I just found out some news today. I might be moving to New Mexico, and starting a long distance relationship

. I can''t get into specifics here, but I am trying to take it all in, and work though my emotions. But I thought of you today.