It was on this date 6 months ago, a somewhat interesting thing
happened. I started to make video’s, not one or two, but 55 diamond
setting films. I began posting them one at a time, sometimes 4-7 in
series on separate series of ‘setting processes’…I watched the
viewing numbers increase by ‘leaps & bounds’ till yesterday. the
final count reached an amazing 100,000!!! I had no idea at the onset
how this would forever change Orchid. I feel that this is so much now
needed. Whenever I teach a class, the next request is have them to go
to our Orchid & look at the many video’s. I want them see how it is
done even though I might not be beside them once I’ve left the
classroom environment.
My video-editing mentor, Hanuman, has given me many
’behind-the-scenes’ help in making this editing process easier for
you to see & understand. I even bought a camera just for the many
future films, I can get my camera-lens within *1.5 inches *from the
object being taught, who needs a microscope?
Just why did I even contemplate making setting video’s? No one has
done this before. only ‘before & after’ films. I show in great detail
how it is accomplished ‘during’ the setting process.
Hanuman & I are now preparing a major series of DVD’s starting with
"Fish-Tail Setting" then followed by an Art-Deco style called
"Cut-Down".
This one style is featured in a Salvidor Dali’s work called the “Eye
of Time”, circa 1940’s! The “Fish-Tail video” took well over 36
mini-video’s to prepare or almost 1.5 hours in total viewing time. I
also have a nice little video ready for downloading, but this will be
announced a. s.a. p. am going to edit this myself into one film.
In my young age of 71, I ‘found’ a new career, mixing
diamond-setting, photography & my desire to teach! What a novel way
to help the ‘newer generation of goldsmiths’…worldwide!!!
It is not a surprise to me that your videos have been viewed 100,000
times. Having watched them myself I can attest to how amazing and
truly instructive they are. Kudos to you!
Gerry, what you have done is to begin a legacy that you are leaving
to the future generations. Whether they be goldsmiths or merely
jewelry affectionados, they will be able to see the process as done
by a master.
Thank you! And thanks to Hanuman as well for facilitating this
library.
I love your vids, and drawings/diagrams. They’ve been incredibly
helpful in allowing me to understand the basic principles behind your
actions, and therefore the underpinnings of jewelry making in
general. It’s been a tremendous resource and I can’t thank or credit
you enough!
You make it easy to ‘see’ how it works, why it works the way it
does, the necessities of various techniques or tools that aren’t
explained elsewhere, and so many of the little details that are hard
to find if you’re not already a trained jeweler.
Thank you a million times over, because those 100k plus views are
changing the worlds and lives of us ‘wannabe’ jewelers who care to
put in the time, patience and attention to detail into our work, and
who need the skills you so graciously explain how to build.
Been an admirer of your work from a far of place called India.
Namaste to you for contributing your knowledge for the benefit of all
those who can gain from it.
Have personally saved all the uploads for my team, but would surely
love to have the DVD whenever they are released.