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Sonoma Gems

Cheryl and Roger Dandridge live and work in northern California’s wine country, where they have converted an old farmhouse (old by California’s standards-1850’s) into their workshop. Although both studied the arts in college (Roger graduated from San Francisco State and Cheryl from UCLA) they feel that the beauty and vitality of the area is a greater source of inspiration than their academic background.

The technique they specialize in is pure-metal electroforming.

About Electroforming – A technique using positive/negative charges in solution to form metal objects. C & R specialize in pure metal electroforming. The silver is .999 fine silver bullion quality. It is whiter in appearance than .925 sterling silver and tarnishes less. It does not trigger allergies in people sensitive to nickel or other alloys. In most other kinds of jewelry fabrication, alloys are used to strengthen smithed metals, but in electroformed metals the internal crystalline structure is very strong. Which is why this process is used in industrial applications producing precious parts in the aerospace and airplane industries and in medical equipment.

Electroforming was one of the first commercial uses of electricity. Tsar Nicholas 1st, together with his son-in-law, Maximillian Bonaparte established "Max’s Electroforming" to produce Russian icons and statues. In 1969, in honor of the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales, a 24K gold electroformed crown was made for him.

Cheryl and Rogers work is shown in galleries and stores throughout the US and in Europe, Japan and Canada.

info@sonomagem.com

Sonoma Gems
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