About Us
Hans Durstling
A former TV news anchor, radio and magazine freelancer, Hans Durstling became captivated by the magic of gemstones around the mid 1980's. He began serious cutting, including a stint in Los Angeles cutting for the then president of the American Opal Society; studied gemology, and combined communication and stone by writing for gem and general publications.He originated a free public teaching and demonstrating facility “The Electric Park Learning Center” at the world's top mineral and gem exhibition in Tucson Arizona. He is the originator of a 7-hour Discovery Channel series “Stones of Fate and Fortune”, and was recently featured in Readers Digest for his recutting of gems salvaged from the Fort MacMurray fire.
His jewellery has been in galleries in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Camden Maine, Dortmund Germany, and is at present represented by Secord Gallery in Halifax and Carmen Jäger Fine Jewellery in Lunenburg.
Presently based in Halifax, he offers gemstone recutting and repair, sourcing, assessment, and restoration of gems and other stone, and does private commissions in precious stone and/or precious metal. As well, he gives courses and workshops in jewellery and gem cutting.
The Eclectic Lapidary
Back in the mid 1990's Los Angeles based gemmologist and writer Carol Bova, a past president of the American Opal Society and enthusiast for all things gem and stone related, launched a pioneering internet venture – a monthly illustrated magazine devoted to the world of lapidary ... and its near-neighbours. Hence the name “Eclectic.”
Presenting a full half dozen photo-stories on gemstones, techniques, lapidary history, trips to collecting areas, tools and machines, jewellery, features with lapidary artists and more, the Eclectic under Carol's editorship rapidly gathered popularity and esteem, reaching 20,000 subscribers at peak. Being free of course helped. And yet – this was a one-person project. Can you see it coming? The energy begins to fade.
By dint of writing several stories for the Eclectic, I had struck up a friendship with Carol. We arranged that I should come to Los Angeles, cut opal for Carol & help in reviving the Eclectic. Part one happened. Part two did not. Next winter, same story: this time life got in the way in the form of an offer to work at Tucson.
And so things rested, indeed for two decades.
