Stoned, that’s, with turquoise, lapis lazuli, moonstone and obsidian. Armagost creates pendants and rings from silver and treasured stones.

A retired licensed monetary planner, Armagost spends hours at his basement workbench or in his workshop in his storage, which is supplied with energy instruments and equipment and a small heater to remain heat on chilly winter days.

“I take pleasure in chopping and sprucing the stones and particularly working with high quality turquoise. Creating one-of-a-kind customized rings and pendants has been my current focus,” he stated.

Armagost nonetheless has rings he made years in the past. He picks up a blue stone of lapis lazuli courting from round 1966. “Lapis lazuli comes from Afghanistan. Afghanistan has extra gems than another place on earth,” he stated.

He holds up an oblong silver pendant displaying a coronary heart. “This piece has twin layers. I lower it out with a jeweler’s noticed. It’s virtually 60 years outdated, however I’ve saved it round, and (my spouse) Betty Jo has worn it,” he stated.

He added, “It took me about eight hours. I’m not as quick as some individuals.” He’s not apologizing. He enjoys his laid-back schedule and his capacity to work when he pleases.

He owes his artistry to Maynard Envick, now deceased, who taught industrial arts at what was then Kearney State School from 1955-75.

A local of David Metropolis, Armagost grew to become fascinated with lapidary within the Sixties when he took a number of courses with Envick whereas majoring in industrial arts at Kearney State (now the College of Nebraska at Kearney). These courses included lapidary and jewellery.

Envick was a “rock hound,” Armagost stated. “Being a rock hound, Envick had a number of issues we might use. He had constructed a number of his personal gear. He had a 16-inch slab noticed, and you possibly can lower something with that.”

Armagost taught industrial arts for 9 years. Then, returning to Kearney State to earn a grasp’s diploma, he did impartial research with Envick that gave him time to work with jewellery. Subsequently, he taught leather-based crafting and jewellery making at Millard Senior Excessive Faculty for 3 years.

From 1970 till 2016, Armagost put aside his stones to work as an authorized monetary planner and lift three sons with Betty Jo. When he retired in 2015, he returned to creating jewellery. “I wished to have one thing to maintain me busy,” he stated.

He buys stones and cuts them right into a workable measurement and grinds and polishes them into gems. Then he makes use of instruments to form and polish them.

Displaying items for a customer, he picked up a pendant of Bisbee turquoise with a stone that price him $250. A few of his items are “free kind,” whereas others are lower and designed.

He has Kingman turquoise stones that got here from the nation’s final full-time manufacturing mine in Kingman, Ariz. He reveals off a tiny white moonstone ring, which has a blue-to-white billowy, moonlight-like sheen.

“Turquoise is a reasonably gentle stone, in order that they stabilize it with a resin to make it extra strong,” he stated. Actual turquoise has copper in it, he added. He additionally has items of spider net turquoise, which is a lighter blue, and lapis lazuli, a blue metamorphic rock prized for its intense coloration.

In January, Armagost and Betty Jo traveled to the distinguished Tucson Gem Present to buy stones. In addition they stopped at Rio Grande Jewellery Provide in Albuquerque.

“I purchased a number of stuff, however I introduced dwelling issues I shouldn’t have, however reside and be taught. Some didn’t prove like I wished them to,” he chuckled.

“I wished to search out some actually good turquoise, nevertheless it’s changing into extra uncommon. It’s getting actually, actually costly,” he stated. He stated Navajo artist Dean Begay confirmed him a “little stone” he had bought for $3,000. “He was prepared to purchase it as a result of he knew he’d get it again after which some with jewellery he made,” Armagost added.

He makes items from what he known as “white coronary heart,” fabricated from white buffalo turquoise, one of many rarest stones in the marketplace. He additionally makes use of obsidian, a black-patterned stone which is fashioned from shortly cooled lava.

Prior to now, he has made belts and different leather-based items, however he now concentrates solely on jewellery.

Armagost offers most away to family and friends as presents, however subsequent Saturday, he’ll show 25 items on the ColorFall present on the dwelling of Betty and Steve Streff at 550 E. 56th Avenue. Armagost can even take orders for customized items. He may have them prepared earlier than Christmas.

Some days he doesn’t contact his jewellery. Different days he sits down after breakfast and works till dinnertime crafting a brand new piece or just sprucing a stone.

“Not all the things is completed,” he stated, which is simply the best way he likes it. It’s a pastime, not a full-fledged enterprise, and Armagost is having time in retirement.