Inevitably the first question is, “How did you get into this?” I wanted to see what was inside a piece of stone, so I got a diamond saw and a diamond wheel grinder and began to cut stones. Obsessively.

Next I dug through the Internet, coming across Henry Hunt’s books. During that first year I cut beach stones and made my own tools, including hundreds of specialty heads for the flex shaft. They sat like tiny soldiers on shelves until I found time to true them on a used Boley jeweler’s lathe I bought on eBay.

After Christmas that year I flew to Tucson for the circus of gem shows. I searched for the best carvers, miners, and traders, bought thousands of dollars worth of beautiful rough, and wore my cut stones. Some respect ensued.

My stones are better, now.

J. Houghton