I started in Jewelry as a stone cutter in 1968 while still in High School. I grew up in an area without much in the way of apprenticeship programs or educational opportunities in the arts (Appalachia). Went on to apprentice under a Swiss master from 1975 to 1977, then into jewelry sales and management of the repair department. I have since progressed in lapidary arts to a premier faceter and custom jeweler. Some of my work may be seen at montage-creations.com; http://montage-creations.com Custom Created Jewelry