Being a Navy Pilot wasn’t exciting enough for Chris McConnell, so he added excitement to his life by becoming a jewelry artist as well as a creator of fine wood products!

After ten years of flying H-60 helicopters for the fleet and Search and Rescue out of Patuxent River Naval Air Station, plus a few fixed wing chores, Chris realized that he had "rocks in his head". After cutting open an unassuming rock to reveal a completely unique swirl of organic color, he became hooked on the lapidary arts and has been pursuing rocks ever since.

Aside from ten years flying with the Navy, Chris has a B. S. in Chemistry, is a certified goldsmith and silversmith, and is a self-taught lapidarist and woodworker.

Realizing that most painters try to imitate the colors they see in nature with pigment on canvas, he chooses instead to replicate the "Old Masters" original paintings with the colors found directly from nature in rocks and minerals. Through an elaborate process of cutting, grinding and inlaying precious and semi-precious stones into gold and silver, Chris re-creates a small wearable version of some of the world’s best known works of art.

In addition to the recreations of the work of well- known artists, he creates his own beautiful originals. These original pieces capitalize on the natural beauty of semi-precious and precious stones. Like most artists, Chris is unaware as to how the piece will evolve until the stones reveal their treasures within.

Chris' Work

Oyster and Gold Silver Sapphire Pearl - $375.00

Pearl Slide blended 14k white and 18k yellow with pearl $700.00