ULTRA TEC
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FOR GEM DESIGN SPONSORED BY
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BY A M Y G R I SA K
apidary artists have been around since humans walked the Earth and the field continues to grow. “This field is never going to go away. There’s always going to be an opportunity for someone to craft a jewel,” said Robert Mendoza, the production manager for ULTRA TEC. “I was in high school when Joe Rubin, ULTRA TEC’s president and leader for over 50 years, allowed me to work side by side with him. He taught me so much.” Robert said he can spot someone with what he calls the “gem-cutting gene” because of their questions and the way they examine a stone. These creative souls view the intrinsic worth of an object of beauty. REACHING YOUNGER ARTISTS Robert says they have noticed a younger demographic’s interest in cutting gemstones. Apprenticing to learn the skill is no longer a must. It’s now possible to learn from a myriad of sources granting more access for everyone. Part of the reason so many gem cutters turn to ULTRA TEC is because of its solid foundation.
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“We help them achieve the ideas they have in their mind. At the end of the day they have something tangible,” noted Mendoza. ”Joe Rubin started with a good design that we’ve been perfecting over the years. The ULTRA TEC V5 is the best machine to cut gemstones. It carries all the precision to cut gemstones.” CONTINUING TO PERFECT The ULTRA TEC team enjoys hearing from its customers and often innovates based on suggestions. An example is when they created a digital angle display (DAD) that reads to one-one hundredth of a degree. “When you are gem cutting, you deal with a lot of angles. The key is to be able to repeat the angle every single time,” noted Robert. “No one else has one that dials down as precisely. We are very proud of this device.” QUALITY & VERSATILITY Besides the quality and versatility of the design of