Island Gold Works Jewelry Design

Information may not be reliable

Thanks go to all who voted us first Runner Up in the fall of 2008 for Hilton Head Monthly's Reader's Choice Awards,
Category: Favorite Jeweler.
It was such an honor! May we earn your vote again next year!

Island Gold Works is your eco-friendly 'green' jeweler.....We will purchase you're old broken, outdated, and unwanted precious metal jewelry for recycling!! We use 100% recycled precious metals in all our original designs. So doonly your part and recycle you old outdated, and broken jewelry to be recycled, save the Earth from poisonous, destructive gold strip mining procedures!

Cover page from Hilton Head Monthly magazine article (1998), christening Thomas Blair..........Lord Of The Rings

As the name suggest...Island Gold Works...in Hilton Head South Carolina, does exactly that........"works gold!" (and other precious metals).Whether in a castable wax process or by physical manipulation of the metal itself (called cold-forming or fabrication).
With precious metal jewelry being such an ancient art,surprisingly there have been some recent new techniques developed! One being, Anticlastic raising. Still using ancient tools, such as hammer and anvils, this new procedure turns forged metal into a seemingly "fluid" finished work of art.
See more on these new techniques, photos and more info on following pages

Thomas Blair recently completed the Jewelers of America Certification program, aquiring the accreditiation of Certified Bench Jeweler
The Bench Jeweler Certification program sets uniform standards for testing and evaluating a bench jeweler's talent, ability and proficiency.
To become certified, the candidate must demonstrate proficiency in each skill area of jewelry making and be tested for quality, speed, and imagination to an acceptable set national standard.

This is a rather long front page, but please scroll down for useful info!
We have moved ! 2/1/06
After 24 years of being the best kept jewelry store secret,
We are no longer so quiet!

WE CAN NOW REPAIR VIRTUALLY ANYTHING METAL!
Expanding into a fresh new spacious showroom and HUGE workshop area with state of the art LaserStar jewelry making and repair technology.

The LaserStar laser microwelder makes repairs and techniques formerly impossible, a simple task!
And with a much higher quality, eliminating the need to use solders!Now there are few limits to what we can do for you. From heirloom to costume to watchband repair to EYEGLASS repair including TITANIUM FRAMES and restoration of any type.
With the Lowcountry's only LaserStar welder, and having completed an intensive training course at LaserStar headquarters, we've become a... Certified LaserStar Jewelry Repair Center.
Please come by and see the difference.

"Google" Us just below for map......
http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4ADBF_enUS331&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=island+gold+works&near=Hilton+Head+Island,+S+Carolina&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&view=
text&latlng=3614149874651673111&ei=uUg5SsWIA5aMtgfk6u3eDA&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=result&resnum=3
Heading from Sea Pines Circle toward Cross Island Tollway
We're One driveway before Stickey Fingers restaurant(now closed) , and Redfish Resturant is at the end of the block, whoops, you went to far!

New walls, floors, lights, window treatments, furniture, in a very spacious serene atmosphere.

To view some of our new exciting one of a kind creations, please go to....Recent Works page. All pages on this site are more of a gallery presentation of commsioned pieces.
For ordering any item , please contact us by phone or email.... islandgoldsworks@hargray.com

Hanging On in 14 karat yellow and white gold with blue sapphire eyes

AND OUR RECENT NEWS!
Sculptor Walter Palmer and Thomas Blair collaborate!

New to this site, is our collaboration with well known sculptor Walter Palmer.
Mr. Palmer has created a series of bronze scultures for the discriminating (and quite possibly capricious) collector that the sculptor feels best illustrate his singular examination of humankind in it's more humble, humorous and sometimes touching moments.

Continuing this masterery, Walter has designed a piece of first edition jewelry, entitled "Hanging On"
Limited to 50,numbered pieces,signed by both artist,produced and sold exclusivley at Island Gold Works. AND A NEW DESIGN IS now available!!!Entitled "Hello World"......come see both birds....(not Walter &Thomas!)....the jewelry!
You can visit Mr. Palmers website at www.walterpalmersculptor.com:

Having apprenticed with German and Swiss goldsmiths early in his career, Thomas moved to San Francisco and studied at Revere Acadamy of Jewelry Arts, founded and presided by reknown educator Alan Revere. Thomas also frequently takes classes on new emerging techniques in the "art" jewelry forum, such as ...anticlastic raising with artist Michael Good, and techniques such as using hydraulic press and foldforming,,.... all have photos representing these on following pages.
For the past 23 PLUS years, Thomas Blair and his wife Deborah, have been designing one-of-a-kind jewelry in a spacious retail shop on busy Palmetto Bay Road. The studio work areas are as large as the showroom, as this is where most of their time is spent.
Showroom hours are limited to...Tuesday through Friday...10:30 to 5:00....And by appointment on Saturday and Monday (Although, Thomas could be there at any hour!) This allows uninterupted time to it takes to create one-of-a-kind pieces.
Island Gold Works 32 Palmetto Bay Rd. The Village Exchange PO Box 7644 Hilton Head Island SC 29938 843 686 6001-843 686 6407 fax
Contact by email: islandgoldworks@hargray.com

18 KARAT GOLD RING WITH 2 CARAT DIAMONDAWARDED FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF SHOW IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA JEWELERS ASSOCIATION DESIGN COMPETITION

.DESIGN YOUR OWN RING! ALTHOUGH ISLAND GOLD WORKS SHOWROOM HAS AN EXTENSIVE SELECTION OF GOLD,PLATINUM,PALLADIUM,DIAMONDS, COLORED STONES,AND PEARLS,...
OUR PRIMARY BUSINESS IS DESIGNING AND RE-DESIGNING ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS. FREQUENTLY USING GEMS AND METALS OF THEIR OWN! A NEW PIECE OF JEWELRY CAN ACTUALLY COME DOWN TO ONLY A LABOR CHARGE!
THE PHOTOGRAPH TO THE RIGHT WAS CREATED FROM A CUSTOMERS MOTHERS PENDANT, AND HER HUSBANDS DIAMOND RING.

Jim "The Gator Man" (educator of alligator fact & lore)and friends

Jim includes the story of me making his Gator ring in his educating presentation!

Jim's intaglio ring can be used with sealing wax to make a 3-D positve imprint of gator

To view some of our new creations, please got to "Recent Works" page.