Stephan Gunning:
CLASS OF 1975
Gunn High SchoolClass of 1975
Palo alto, CA
Stephan's Story
After Gunn High School I studied goldsmithing in Palo Alto with master goldsmith Donald Kleyensteuber.
5 years of training to become a master goldsmith.
I moved to South Lake Tahoe to work at Mitchell's jewelry, it is a beautiful place, where I could ski on snow or water depending on the season. Hike, Bike & just enjoy the place.
I lived there for years before moving back to Los Altos Hills to work on a movie Star Trek the voyage home, they needed the ship I was involved with just after high school "the Sioux City" part of lifeline marine research this ship was the last ship to get a whaling license on the west coast & still had a harpoon cannon & harpoons.
After that I went back to jewelry, working with Timothy Fidge & Co. In Palo Alto located at the town & country shopping center. While working there we expanded the store 200% & the store won the de beers international diamond design competition 3 times. After timothy died in a light plane crash in 1989 I stayed with the store for 4 more years but the store wa...Expand for more
s not as fun.
I started my own business studio creaius doing custom jewelry by appointment & problem solving for the jewelry trade. I found a wonderful woman Susan Bickford, We fell in love and had 12 great years together, she died of cancer.
After several years I wanted more adventure in my life, so I prepared an expedition to Guatemala to try to find the lost jade of the Olmec culture. This is the true jadeite of the Americas. I was working with profesor Dr. Karl Taube A great friend(also a Gunn high grad.)We started the hunt & after quite a lot of research and hiking & many trips into the country we found it, huge boulders in a steep river valley. Working with geologists, the local people & lawyers I started Ventana mining co. with the help of some great people like Peter Lee (also a Gunn high grad.)we have a cool web site check out ventanamining.com
I now work in Marin County as a master goldsmith, designer, stone setter, and laser welding specialist in antique restoration with Glenn Lehrer master gem carver.
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