Free Form Design and Faceting by David Hudson
Artist Profile
David’s first introduction to faceting was in 1980 when an old school friend showed him his new hobby. Fascinated, he was unable to learn the craft but stored the memory of that first gemstone encounter for years later. Six years ago, forced into early retirement from injuries suffered in a trucking accident, David got his wish and quickly picked up the art. Without turning back, he has been working in the field for six years.
David now recuts damaged stones that come from old family heirloom jewelry as real source of enjoyment and a little income, as well as custom stones for several local jewelers on special order. He also specializes in stones that challenge his skills as a designer and faceter.
“When I take a piece of rough and study it to decide what the best or most appropriate design will be, I try my best to make the finished stone more than a just a piece of faceted rough. Faceting is an art that I am still working on and probably will never truly master. I look at faceting as an art form not just an ability to operate a faceting machine and cut different angles on a piece of rock. Every stone has its own personality. I enjoy discovering the heart of the stone and enhancing that beauty through the process of producing a one of a kind jewel.”
David’s favorite works are one-of-a-kind designs. “I really enjoy it when I design a piece of jewelry or cut a stone for someone knowing they will never see a copy of their jewelry on someone else’s hand.”
