Becky Thatcher Designs continues gemstone talks
By Marc Boissoneau
Sun contributor
Glen Arbor jeweler Becky Thatcher’s Tuesday Tea & Talk series — now in its 17th or 18th year (even Thatcher herself is no longer sure how long it has run) — is a creative enough idea, but its origin is a story all of its own.
“We had a chance to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the business, and it happened that one of the guests at the anniversary tea was a man who was trying to get a date with me,” Thatcher said.
“And of course, we ended up getting married,” she added with a laugh.
Thatcher and her guests enjoyed themselves so much at the party that she decided to have another the following year. “[My husband] David came up with the idea that since some people weren’t in town for the one, we could turn it into a series for him to talk about gemstones.
“He didn’t have much knowledge about gems, but he’s got a doctorate in chemical engineering. So he’d do research on a stone, and then we’d have a talk where he’d present what he’d learned,” she explained. “It was also a way that he could meet my suppliers so he could draw information from them, instead of just knowing the dry science.”
Since that time, the talks have grown to include stones quite literally from around the world.
“We take different angles each year,” Thatcher said. “A couple years ago, we did a geographic trip through the stone world. Each week, we took on a region or continent, like Africa. It gave a sense of what stones came from what areas, and how African tourmalines may be different from South American tourmalines.” Other areas covered have included China and Sri Lanka.
But it’s not only exotic gems that are discussed. “We cover local stones every other year,” Thatcher explained. This year, Petoskey stones will be discussed, along with other types of fossils, on August 14. “And we always include some of our favorites, like opals and pearls. We try to work with things that are easily available, though that doesn’t always happen.”
Nevertheless, Thatcher tries to discuss stones that are less familiar to patrons. “Sometimes people know a little bit about a certain stone, but because we specialize in lesser-known stones, we’ve made a niche out of stones that you don’t usually see.” For instance, this year’s series includes programs on chrysocolla, a blue-green stone, and sunstones, a kind of translucent gem.
“It’s fun to work with things that people didn’t already know about, and learning about them. It also means we can provide more unique options for our customers.”
Attendees can expect to learn quite a bit about each week’s featured gem. “Usually we discuss the stone’s origins, sources, and availability, and what stones are similar,” Thatcher said. “You learn about hardness and other characteristics, like their quality range, color range, and mineral composition.”
But the talks aren’t limited to dry statistics. They also include stories, history, and lore related to each stone.
“Generally, we discuss things that are happening in the world of gemstones, whether it’s new finds, or mines being played out, or things that are being discovered,” Thatcher explained. “David tries to help people stay a little current, and sometimes that will influence which stones we talk about.”
Each talk is presented in the garden beside the store’s Glen Arbor location. “It’s a wonderful garden; Jane Eccleston has kept it beautiful for almost 20 years. But we have to keep the gate shut to keep the deer out,” Thatcher chuckled.
There is no admission charge for the program, but attendees are asked to RSVP. Programs are occasionally divided into two sessions if merited by the expected attendance so that patrons can hear the presentations more easily.
And Thatcher has one other request for attendees: “We’d love for people to bring questions,” she said.
The series runs Tuesday nights through August 14. Other topics this year include turquoise, pearls, rubies and African sapphires. For more information or to RSVP, call (231) 334-3826, or visit www.beckythatcherdesigns.com/events.
