Jewelry Making, Gemstones & Precious Metals | A Gentle Podcast for Sleep & Relaxation

Looking for a sleep podcast to fall asleep fast, reduce anxiety, and quiet an overactive mind? This calming episode of The Insomnia Project is designed for insomnia relief, stress reduction, and gentle nighttime unwinding through slow, soothing conversation.
Marco Timpano welcomes guest George Sismanis for a relaxed discussion about jewellery making, gemstones, and precious metals, offering low-stimulation, easygoing content perfect for bedtime listening. From the creative process behind crafting jewellery to the beauty and variety of gemstones, this episode creates a cozy and meditative atmosphere.
As the conversation gently unfolds, it explores tools, materials, and the artistry involved in transforming precious metals into wearable pieces, all delivered in a soft, meandering style that helps ease racing thoughts and promote relaxation. With unhurried pacing and simple, engaging topics, this calming podcast episode is ideal for sleep, stress relief, or quiet background listening.
Whether you’re searching for a sleep podcast for insomnia, calming background noise while you work, or a gentle way to unwind at the end of the day, The Insomnia Project offers a comforting, reliable escape.

​Jewlery Making, Gemstones & Precious metals

(Original airdate: July 20, 2016)

 Welcome to the Insomnia Project. Sit back, relax and listen as we have a conversation about the mundane. One thing we can promise is that our conversation will be less than fascinating so that you, you can feel free to drift off. Thank you for joining us. We hope you will listen and sleep. Follow us on Twitter Listen and sleep. Check out our website insomniaproject.com I'm your host, Marco Timpano. And joining me today, I have the pleasure of welcoming a, uh, dear friend and talented jeweler, George C. Smanis. Welcome to the store to the podcast, George.

George: Thank you, Marco. Thank you for having me with you today.

Marco:  I said store because we're in your store actually, which is 348-studio on Dundas Street West. If you're here in Toronto, that's 906 Dundas Street West. You can check out the jewelry that george [email protected] I will have that on our podcast notes so that you can uh, click on that and check out exactly what George does.


George started studying fine arts and designing jewelry at age 12

So George, what brought you to jewelry making?

George: Um, initially just the interest of, uh, uh, I just fell in love with crafting actually. Um, uh, all my career started in a pretty young age. I started from preparing for studying, actually fine arts, initiated from painting and sketching and designing. I always think that there was kind of like a curse with, uh, children that actually start really early in any type of art.

Marco:  Why is that?

George: Because I think that eventually you just get fed up with, uh, repeating the same and same and same way of training and teaching that actually applies in the world. Uh, so I think that eventually about, uh, I was about 13 or 12 years of age when I decided, you really don't want to do that anymore. Imagine that. My studies actually started with, um, private lessons with a painter, a really good painter actually from the age of six. Uh, so I've been in this for many years. Uh, and honestly, as I said, just at some point I got sick on painting. And that's exactly when almost towards the end of high school, I was preparing with more intense lessons for, um, you know, just the major examinations for the interest in the faculty of fine arts, uh, that is in Greece, uh, where my background is from actually. And honestly it's a Very competitive school to enter.

Marco:  I see.

George: Uh, and I remember I was in this, um, one of the best, probably schools that can actually prepare you for something like that. And we're, uh, sharing a big building with, uh, all the guys that were preparing their portfolios and they were actually working on projects to go abroad. And I remember that I was feeling that my side of the story didn't have an interest when they always had some project to work on and all. So I honestly just stopped being in love with actual fine arts because I felt that it was almost in an oxymoronal creativity around that. Uh, so I thought that, okay, I don't really want to do this forever. Um, I thought that I wanted to do something as a professional career as well. I couldn't see me being a professional painter whatsoever. Uh, so I ended up, uh, thinking that perhaps designing jewelry would be a good, uh, professional career choice. Uh, and uh, the only way to go through design is to actually go through crafting jewelry. There's only one actual major, like the best school in Athens. Greece as a city has a big history actually of jewelry making, which you

Marco:  notice when you're in Greece, both in Athens and on the islands, that there's a lot of jewelry stores with some beautiful work.

George: Yeah, yeah, I think it's something you can undoubtedly take for granted actually when you go to Greece. Uh, it roots back in the ancient history of the civilization. So that only said, you know, it's a very competitive and professional, uh, and high end actually production world. Uh, so as I was saying, I got to school, I got in school and uh, in order to go through designing, you could actually start making your own jewelry whatsoever. And I think this is the last time I actually touched a pen and pencil over paper. I just fell in love with creating stuff. And uh, even now, just with uh, the jewelry that I make in store, there are only very, very few occasions over which I actually need to, to draw something on a piece of paper before I actually get to.

Marco:  It seems to me like jewelry making bridges the gap between art and like an artisan's sort of workshop. Like actually, you know, creating something like in the old days, like with an anvil, you know, hammer and nail.

George: Yeah, I hear what you say, but I think, I don't think this is, uh, absolute for the world of jewelry. Okay. Um, the problem is that like any other part of the market, it's also a way of making money and making lots of money for lots of people. Right. Uh, so I think that, uh, you know, in the process of uh, mass producing and uh, showing what's sparkly and shinier and all this stuff, we actually end up getting a product that's not really made with love. So I think that the same thing applies in all crafts actually around that. Uh, like for example, carpentry, uh, you can just make furniture or you can make something awesome.

Marco:  Right.

George: And more. I don't really like saying art. I don't really like using the word art myself actually.

Marco:  Okay.

George: I think it's a big cliche. Especially in our times. Everybody wants to be considered an artist and uh, do art. I think that's initially just to tell you you begin with the urge of liking the crafts and the craft on its own and being hand in hand with the material and the products that you actually work with. Uh, and I think this is the same thing with everything. Personally, I like adding more creativity and pushing the boundaries of just making jewelry that needs to sparkle for some, someone to think it's nice.

Marco:  Right.

George: I consider the stuff that I make as objects. They can actually just sit there in a picture and look complete even without being worn.

>> Nidhi Khanna: Right.

George: Uh, and of course being worn doesn't hurt at all, of course.

Marco:  Well, you can check out some of the work that George has made on your Instagram account where you have some

George: beautiful photos of your.

Marco:  Like I've, you know, I don't really notice photos of jewelry, but for some reason the photos that you take of your jewelry is pretty awesome. And that's 348 Studio, right? At Instagram.

George: Uh, 348 Studio Instagram. And I actually think that's probably the best portfolio we have so far.

Marco:  Right.

George: Because even the website, you know, it's a very nice formal portfolio for anyone that wants to learn more information about us and all. But uh, the Instagram has a more day to day touch with what we actually make and uh, all the projects that are not just on the website and all, you know.


So what is your favorite metal to work in? My favorite metal is by far gold

Marco:  So let me ask you this. You mentioned materials before. Are there particular stones or metals that you prefer to work with? Like, is there a medium you prefer to work with?

George: Uh, I always work, um, I definitely always work with a base of metal and I always work with fine metals. Uh, it's either gonna be silver or it's gonna be gold.

Marco:  Uh, we were talking before we started the podcast and you were telling me how tremendous or difficult white gold can be.

George: Well, yeah, it could be just annoying. But that's only just because of the transition of my personal studio space. Uh, just because of white gold has its own boundaries. Right. Um, on how you are gonna cast it and what temperatures you're gonna reach and all.

Marco:  So what is your favorite metal to work in?

George: My favorite metal is by far gold.

Marco:  Okay.

George: Uh, that's also a cliche actually, because I find that 10 out of 10, uh, students that start that get into jewelry school hate gold. Is an idea. That's because in our times, we, we live in a generation where we have lots of influences of the old and uh, we're just creating the influences of the future to come. Right. Uh, so I think that the average person thinks of jewelry and you know, like the initial picture you get in your mind is, you know, the traditional stuff with some sparkling bright diamond in the middle or one very classical stone on a ring and all this stuff, you know, not uh, that there's any wrong thing with that, but I think that this is something that just as I told you before, the production world just frames creativity in a big way, you know. Right. Uh, so now we live through a time where I think, um, people prefer local artisanal stuff.

Marco:  Sure.

George: You know, from small, uh, creators and all. Uh, and I think that in the same way you get in school and you start working mostly with silver, uh, it's a very good, much cheaper, of course, medium. Of course. Right. Uh, and at the end you actually start working with gold and you get all these happy funnies which are honestly a bit too technical to explain, you know, over podcast. But, uh, suddenly you realize, hey, that's, that's actually cool. You know, that's, that's, that's really why we get to pay that much for gold and uh, why it's supposed to be, you know, technically the king of metals. Right. When it comes to at least jewelry and all. Sure. Uh, it's acoustics, it's perfect. Even the sound that the alloy itself makes. I can actually make a small clinging noise if you want just to hear that. Or, uh, even just the fact that if you polish something, you just bury it underground for like a century, you're actually gonna dig it up and still gonna look bright yellow.

Marco:  Right.

George: And shiny.

Marco:  And that's the properties of gold.

George: Yeah, yeah, it's. Plus, uh, it's super hypo allergic. Um, and uh, to be honest, for any commission that I might get personally because we, we mostly work with custom made stuff actually. Um, nothing is, nothing supports the well paid money that you pay a craftsman to make you something that's going to be fully handmade than the element of gold.

>> Nidhi Khanna: I see.

George: You know, in the long run, you paid a Fair amount for the craftsman. For the craftsman job and time. Right. Might as well be set in gold and be eternal in a way, right? In a way.


There is something to be said about sitting with a jeweler and designing jewelry

Marco:  Well, there is something to be said about sitting with a jeweler and designing, say, your engagement ring or your wedding ring. And there's that personal touch that you were talking about versus going into, you know, these big, big box jewelry, uh, stores and picking something that has been sort of stamped out. There's a personal touch both on the part of the person who's going to be wearing it or you purchasing it for a loved one and the actual jeweler who touches the, let's say, gold, silver, platinum, whatever it might be.

George: Yeah. And, uh, the nice thing is that I like to think of me of it as I like to treat my profession the same way. I always thought about doctors might sound funny, but I always thought that whenever I felt sick and I went to my doctor, um, my favorite type of doctor that I like to speak with is a guy that's gonna sit down with you and explain exactly where the problem is and why we're gonna do this stuff to cure it, like whatever process we need. And, uh, in a funny way, no matter how bad things could be, it's always more satisfying to actually be explaining in simple words.

Marco:  Right.

George: What your problem could be at this point. Right. So that's the exact same thing I find is nice in the process of getting a, uh, pair of wedding bands, for example, uh, that I sit down with, uh, my clients and, uh, I always explain exactly what the process is through, uh, you know, to make them. Uh, so what is the process?

Marco:  Explain to me. I want, I want a ring. So I come to you and I'm like, I want gold and I want a stone in it.

George: So technically, we already have a small, uh, showcase just for the simple shapes and all our designs, of course. But, uh, the nice aspect of that is that we have to understand that stuff that are made here, the way that we like approaching jewelry is, uh, fully handmade. So this means that the alloy actually is made from us.

Marco:  Oh.

George: Uh, so the metal itself is created in the same space that we sit now. Okay. It's not something that I will go get cast and then just clean up and file in sand and make it presentable. Uh, it's something that we create literally here.

Marco:  Okay.

George: So what we do is we melt the metals, producing an alloy. An alloy. Um, everybody knows the term carat. What a carat actually is 20, uh, four cards speaks out for pure gold. I'm going to give an Example with gold, uh, and, uh, from then on, lowering the carats is not necessarily bad. And it's not just about the cost. It's also because all the pure form of the fine metals like silver and gold is super soft.

Marco:  Right.

George: It's a super soft material that we need to make a bit harder.

Marco:  Yeah. Because if you have a 24 karat ring, you're gonna break it, bend it, nick it. Yeah. Dent it.

George: And you know what? And the funny thing is that in the long run, it's actually gonna start dissolving on your finger.

Marco:  Right.

George: By dissolving, I mean, like, consider your hands and your skin has a very soft sandpaper.

Marco:  Right.

George: It keeps on rubbing the metal. Eventually it's gonna wear off.

Marco:  Sure.

George: So what we do is we lower the cards. Uh, the most common and what we actually work with is 18 cards. We work with 18 cards because it's closer to purity. So this means softer. This means it allows more elasticity. And all because we need to shape and form the metals into the shapes that we need to before we start filing down the sculpting. Actually, from then on, the problem is that the lower go cards is going to get like, the metal itself reacts negatively to any change of shape and all. So it might end up showing up cracks and, uh, you know, just being strained in a bad way by shaping. So what we actually do, as I said, we make the alloy, uh, 18 carats. And, uh, then from that, we actually shape by forging and hammering. Hammering is the, uh, process of hardening metals. Uh, I bet everybody has this picture in their mind of, uh, an old metalsmith hammering a piece of metal to make it into. Into sword. Okay. That's what actually makes the sword reliable, of not breaking and bending, you know what I mean, through any situation, you might need to use your knives or anything. So the same thing, the same process actually is, uh, used here. Uh, less, let's say. Less. Less. Amazing. Doesn't look as, you know, awesome as a guy forging a piece of metal to produce a knife, you know, over fire, uh, but still in the same way, what you do is you heat up and then you hammer again, and you heat up and you hammer again, and eventually you stop heating up and you keep on hammering. So this actually, it's, let's say, makes the metal itself more compact. You know what I mean? Like, very hard. This hardens the metal enough. So this, of course, uh, results to a tougher, uh, more enduring piece of jewelry, of course, because especially wedding rings, wedding bands is something we really enjoy making. Right, because. Exactly. Because of the process that we use. Actually it's a more long lasting, uh, piece of jewelry. And if you think about it, it's a very important one. Right. Of course, anyone who comes in here trusts us to deliver something that's going to be worth enough to wear for their right for the rest of their lives.

Marco:  And it's symbolic, of course. Yeah.

George: And symbolic. So uh, yeah, like it's an, it's an altogether process. We get to produce, we get to craft and we uh, get to satisfy and be part of this really nice situation actually like wedding and all. And you know, here's how to stay alive longer so you can enjoy Boost Mobile's unlimited plan with a price that never goes up. Do not mistake a wasp nest for a pinata. Stay alive and switch now at boost mobile, after 30 gigs, customers may experience lower speeds. Customers will pay $25 a month as long as they remain active on the Boost Mobile unlimited plan.


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George: so. Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Forging and then technically, all rings initiate from the same visual point. It's just a hammered wedding, you know, like a hammered ring band. Right. And from then on, depending on the design that you actually want to apply that, uh, you start filing and sculpting technically, just by, you know, you take off chunks of metal to end up to the shape that you actually desire to.


Are there stones you don't like working with? I personally never liked diamonds

Marco:  Are there stones you don't like working with?

George: I don't like diamonds at all, really. Yeah. I personally believe that although, yes, they are bright and they. Technically, it's carbon.

Marco:  Right.

George: It's just a version of carbon. Could be the same thing as your pencil tip, you know. Sure. Uh, like graphite. Uh, I personally think that's very. It's. It's a commercial, you know, like bubble.

Marco:  Okay.

George: Uh, trying to sell something that's going to be eternal and all.

Marco:  Right.

George: But I personally never liked working with diamonds. I think that, uh, in the gemstone, everything is made by nature.

Marco:  Right.

George: We've got beautiful colors, we've got beautiful characteristics of other stones of other gems, uh, that, uh, I personally find much more magical.

Marco:  So what's an underrated stone, would you say? A stone that you're like, I wish more people really like this stone because it's such a beauty.

George: Uh, I think tourmaline, uh, is one of these stones. Actually, it's one of my personal favorite stones. Stones. If not my personal favorite, actually, uh, it's a stone that is actually precious. It's a. We're talking about a precious stone.

Marco:  Right.

George: Not even a semi precious, almost to the grade of a good sapphire and ruby, you know. So, uh, the beauty about that is that you can actually find lots of colors of tourmalines.

Marco:  Okay.

George: Uh, in their crystallic form, they can still be used. And they're quite beautiful. By crystallic, I mean just the raw, small crystals. Crystals, you know, the small crystals that you get from nature and are just beautiful. And, uh, in a funny and sad way, actually, they start running out. Oh, really? So good dromons are less likely to be found, especially in perfect birds and all. I see. Uh, so eventually we know we're not gonna be able to find anymore.

Marco:  Right.

George: Uh, and, uh, the beauty I find about that is that a natural stone actually carries cracks. Carries A story of its own that m. It doesn't need to be perfect.

Marco:  Right.

George: Of course it is perfect in its own sense. You know what I mean? Sure. But like emeralds for example, the more perfect they look, the more artificially delivered they are to you. Uh, the perfect emerald for example, is supposed to have so many cracks that you think it's actually going to break in your hand.

Marco:  Right.

George: And that's.

Marco:  They have a lot of little spots and a little inclusions or whatever.

George: Inclusions, exactly. Inclusions are very nice, um, phenomena phenomenon that happens, uh, to stones actually. Uh, you can find it pretty commonly actually in tourmalines as well.

Marco:  I see.

George: Uh, what it actually is just to explain that, uh, for whoever's listening is, uh, as a crystal is formed, sometimes you might get just air, gas, whatever trapped in it. This. Uh, of course there's lots of much more science behind what I'm saying now, but I'm just saying in a very simple way for everyone to understand. Uh, so technically what happens is that these particles of air that get trapped here, uh, or dirt or anything else that might be small enough to be included in the creation of, you know what I mean, a molecular structure that actually going to form our crystal.

Marco:  Sure.

George: Uh, could be, um, could be brought under certain conditions, um, which is uh, that actually help it create another stone, uh, another crystal in the. The already existing crystal.

Marco:  Right. Because it'll modify in a sort of characteristic.

George: Exactly. Because something else, many things might uh, be part of that creation like pressure and heat and you know, minerals. Like you have a very, very simple stuff.

>> Nidhi Khanna: Stuff.

George: But yet again, you know, in the length of the years actually.

Marco:  Right.

George: So. Yeah. So this way you actually, for example, you might see a quartz crystal, um, with uh, tourmaline inclusions in it.

Marco:  Oh.

George: So there you see. Yeah. Then you see a crystal that actually has tourmaline raw inclusions in that. That's.

Marco:  That's pretty neat.

George: Yeah.


Is there a semi precious, uh, stone that you think is underrated

Marco:  Is there a semi precious, uh, stone that, that you think is underrated or that you think is a neat one to have in jewelry?

George: Uh, to be honest, there's lots of semi precious stones that are beautiful.

Marco:  Right.

George: I do not think there's anything would actually be underrated. Sometimes, you know, the price comes with quality. So if the stone, if you know the gem itself doesn't show quality, there's no reason to be more, you know, overrated or all fair. But I think there are connections, people with stones, initiates from uh, this, you know, the feelings that they actually create in us when we look at them could be pretty the color could be stunning, you know, and all this stuff. I, I would never think that, uh, a less precious stone is a less important stone.

Marco:  Right.

George: The only difference that it actually makes is that usually if you get a commission of something that's expensive, say for example, a $5,000 ring.

Marco:  Right.

George: Well, of course, it's not that he has to go on. There has to be precious. Sure. The amount of work that's going to go into that should be sustained by something that's actually more worthy.

Marco:  Right.

George: Of sitting on a piece of jewelry like that. At the same time, you know, you can always just make anything. You know, in a funny way, cheaper gems are more approachable gems.

Marco:  Right.

George: So they can always, you know, um, enhance our life, let's say, of course, in an easier manner, uh, than just something super expensive.

Marco:  And if you, if, if one likes a semi precious stone and that's the stone they like, there's no reason why you can't have your jewelry reflect that.

George: My. No, I find no reason why I shouldn't do that. You know, as I said, the only thing that I find dull is diamonds.

Marco:  Okay.

George: Like just plain sparkling crystals doesn't make it for me.

Marco:  Fair enough, fair enough. Isn't that funny to hear jeweler say that diamonds are their least favorite gemstones? What about creating larger pieces? Is that more difficult? Like, I see some of your necklaces are very elaborate.

George: Uh, the only problem with that is that, um, just because I run a business now of my own, right. Uh, it goes without saying that, uh, business requirements are time consuming.

Marco:  Sure.

George: So unfortunately, the romantic idea of creating something awesome, uh, unless it's something that's actually commissioned to me, so I'm actually going to get paid. And that's part of the business world, right, for me to just sit down and make something super complicated. Unfortunately, there's not a time frame good enough, I see, to go for it. And unfortunately, the bigger you get, the more your creativity suffers.

Marco:  Right.

George: Because you keep on, you know, you're on a rat race with time and, uh, you know, it's, it's, it's just, as I said, just so time consuming. The creativity can actually be set aside for a while. Of course, the urge of creating always is there and the thirst for it is going to get you back on track for sure.

Marco:  Well, all I can say is that your creativity is not suffering based on what I've seen here in the studio. George, I want to thank you for being on, um, the Insomnia project today.

George: Thank you, Marco. It was a pleasure speaking with you. Tonight.

Marco:  Thank you. And you can check out what George creates at 348Studio.


We're recording today's show on Dundas street in Toronto

We're recording today's show on Dundas street in Toronto, which is a busy street. You may have heard some traffic rolling by. And as always, we're produced by drumcast Productions.

George: Mhm. Sa. Sam. Mhm.