Martin Guptill GG FGA started his career as a machinist.  His first job in jewelry was sizing rings, polishing jewelry and making minor repairs.  This helped him pay for his studies at the Gemological Institute of America.  Later, Marty began working in sales for various jewelry stores throughout Upstate New York.  Once he earned his Graduate Gemologist degree, he moved to Los Angeles.  After working at a few jobs in the jewelry district, he landed a job at European Gemological Laboratory grading diamonds, performing gem identification and research.  His work at EGL also included coordinating trade shows.  During this time, he earned his Fellowship of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain and then took a course in geology at a local college in Los Angeles.  A class in gem cutting at GIA piqued his interest and he purchased an old faceting machine.  He started cutting colored stones as a hobby in his spare time.  In addition, he became captivated by mining, and started digging his own rough at various public areas and mines on the west coast.  After leaving EGL, for the next few years Marty worked for Nova by Gruber and Stuller, Inc., but he was disenchanted with working in the jewelry industry in Los Angeles.  He moved to a sleepy rural town in Northern California, replaced his old faceting machine with a new one and began his own gem cutting and jewelry consulting business.  Marty now spends his days cutting stones and is interrupted on occasion by a visit from the occasional rabbit, fox, coyote or deer.  After living the city life, he is surprised at how much he enjoys the peace and solitude of his 10-acre ranch. 

Marty facets a wide variety of colored gem material, but specializes in Oregon Sunstone.  He makes several mining trips to Oregon each year, and has recently become a distributor for the Dust Devil Mine. This makes calibrated cut Sunstone available to the public directly from the mine. Along with the standard cuts and sizes, Marty also designs his own unique cuts.  His experience as a machinist helped him learn to use GemCAD, a computer program used to create gemstone faceting designs.  He prides himself on bringing a superior polish and symmetry, or asymmetry if called for, to his stones.  He also re-cuts commercial stones to enhance color and beauty.  With his well-rounded experience in all aspects of the jewelry industry, he is able to consult with clients on repairs, custom work and gem identification.  Most recently, Marty has begun adding gem carving to his repertoire.  Marty considers his work gem art and is expanding beyond only cutting stones for jewelry.  He is constantly looking for new decorative uses for faceted gemstones.  

TESTIMONIALS

"It is not easy for a gem cutter to produce a perfectly cut gemstone from rare and complicated rough but Marty has come through every time. We look forward to having many more stones finished by Marty." - The San Diego Mining Company

"The King of the Feldspars is the Oregon Sunstone and nobody can cut Oregon Sunstone like Marty Guptill." - Robert James FGA GG President, International School of Gemology



ASSOCIATIONS
Gemmological Association of Great Britain - Fellow Member
Gem Artists of North America - Associate Member
Accredited Gemologists Association - Accredited Senior Gemologist
California Jewelers Association - Member
Shasta Gem & Mineral Society - Member
Polygon.net - Member
Shasta County Arts Council - Member
Redding Chamber of Commerce - Member
Academy of Magical Arts - Magician Member - If you live in or are planning a visit to the Los Angeles area, you can ask for a pass to spend an evening at the Magic Castle.