The flash of diamonds on the third finger, left hand, is only the beginning. Maine jewelers indeed offer superbly crafted wedding sets made with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and other precious gems.  Creative talents throughout the state also use beach glass, seashells, and other natural materials to give wedding jewelry a decidedly local twist. Sometimes being “made in Maine’ really does begin with a gift from Mother Nature.
Tourmaline – Maine’s Signature Gem
Most of the world’s tourmaline deposits are in South America and Africa. In 1972, a discovery in Newry, at the Dunton Mine put Maine on the tourmaline map. The deposits, some of the largest on Earth, contain a special bi-color tourmaline that, when cut and polished, mimics the pinks and greens of a ripe watermelon. Maine tourmaline offers more pastel shades than deposits elsewhere. The gemstone is crystalline in form and found in varying degrees of blue, green, pink-red, nearly clear, and black. Tourmaline was adopted as Maine’s official state gem in the early 1970s.
Watermelon TourmalineOther Maine Jewelry Making Materials
Local beach debris has a significant influence on Maine’s handcrafted jewelry. Mother Nature recycles the tons of bottles, glasses, marbles, and other man-made glass objects that end up in her oceans to create sea glass, also known as beach glass. The constant pounding of the waves breaks the glass into smaller pieces and eventually creates a natural frosted glass with fairly rounded edges.
Think of the ocean as a giant rock tumbler. In go pieces of sharp edged glass, out come pieces that can easily be handled. The jewelry maker may or may not give the sea glass a high polish in his own rock tumbler. Sea glass is used not only in jewelry making, but also for creating stained glass windows, mosaics, and other decorative works of art. Mussel, oyster, clam, sea snail, and even lobster shells show up on Maine’s beaches. Jewelry makers craft one-of-a-kind pieces, sometimes combining a shell with precious gems, bits of driftwood, or sea glass.
Maine Jewelry with a Nautical Touch
In a state blessed with more than 5,500 feet of coastline and countless lakes and ponds, it is not surprising to find jewelry in the shape of sailboats, starfish, lobsters, fish, dolphins, and whales. Imagine your wedding party gathered on a sandy beach, adorned with whale’s tail gold or silver necklaces. Lighthouses make interesting and classy earrings and cufflinks, not to mention suitable mementos of your special day. Harbor seals, Atlantic salmon, the famed Brook Trout, eagles, herons, and the Common Loon have all been immortalized in precious metals. Some designs include diamonds and/or other precious or semi-precious stones.
Maine Specialty Jewelry Makers
Stonewood Jewelry in Portland is one outlet that offers custom designed jewelry out of all natural materials for special occasions. This is one place that will color match specific shells or bits of beach glass to match bridesmaid dresses, or create special necklaces, bracelets, and/or gifts for the bridal party.
Cross Jewelers in Portland and Shaw Jewelers in Northeast Harbor also offer custom made jewelry in both traditional and locally influenced designs. Cross Jewelers offers an extensive collection of Maine tourmaline, including the prized watermelon, Eureka blue, and the newly discovered Sparhawk variety. The latter is a rare mint green color that, when polished, is almost translucent. Shaw is known for its filigree metal work, sometimes combined with faceted or cabochon tourmalines or pearls.
A.G.A Correa & Son, in Edgecomb, specializes in sculptured gold jewelry enhanced by set stones. This firm offers special orders on everything from money clips to handcrafted pendants and pins. Correa specializes in nautical and animal themed designs. One special necklace, called the Deck Prism Crystal Pendant, uses a single quartz crystal. It is cut to resemble the deck prisms used on old ships before they were able to use electricity. The deck prisms would be built into the ship’s deck, sitting flush with the surrounding wood. The prism would collect sunlight and direct it to the areas below deck, providing light. This is a true Maine original and a memorable wedding souvenir with a tale to tell.
