With the sale of Gearloose Lapidary LLC, the new owner assumes ownership of all the Gearloose sites, and sooner or later the email adresses there will sunset.
To keep in touch with everyone, we are starting this new site. There will be a BBS where I hope to archive all the faceting information I had posted, and add new tips and tricks, answer questions, and tell jokes.
Like talking sexy to a sheep in Llanberis
Contact Me
Jon Rolfe (born circa 1943–1945, North Easton, Massachusetts) is an American materials scientist, inventor, and pioneering figure in modern lapidary arts. Best known by his moniker "Gearloose", he revolutionized gem faceting and polishing through proprietary tools developed for hobbyists and professionals. His career blends high-level materials engineering — including over 20 patents in biomedical and advanced materials — with a lifelong passion for gem cutting that began in his teens.
Details about Rolfe's early years remain private, but he started cutting and polishing stones (both cabs and facets) at age 17, sparking a lifelong fascination with lapidary work. His professional training in materials science equipped him with expertise in alloys, crystal structures, thermoelectric properties, and surface engineering — skills he later applied to gemstone polishing.
Rolfe spent decades as a materials scientist and inventor in industry. Key roles included:
Senior Scientist at Tecomet Inc. (2000–2007), where he focused on biomedical implants and surface texturing technologies.
Earlier positions at companies like Thermo Electron Corporation (now part of Thermo Fisher Scientific) and others in advanced materials.
He holds more than 20 patents (including international filings), primarily in biomedical applications:
His inventions improved implant biocompatibility, reduced failure rates in spinal fusion devices, and enabled innovative pulmonary treatments. Collaborators often included engineers and scientists at firms like NuVasive and Geno LLC.Transition to Lapidary Innovation and Gearloose LapidaryWhile employed,
Rolfe's faceting hobby exposed frustrations with existing polishing laps (tin-lead alloys that wore quickly, warped, or failed on hard materials like sapphire) . Drawing on his metallurgy expertise, he experimented in his home shop.In 1997, he developed the BATT™ lap ( refined to non-toxic alloys), a directionally solidified tin-bismuth alloy with columnar crystal structure that embeds diamond abrasive exceptionally well. Initially for personal use, word spread rapidly in faceting circles, turning his side project into a business almost accidentally.
His laps became legendary for durability, flatness, and performance — often called the "Stradivarius of polishing laps." Over 18,000 BATT laps sold, with secondhand ones commanding premium prices. Rolfe contributed technical articles to the International Gem Society (IGS) and co-authored historical pieces on lapidary technology.
In the mid-2020s (around age 80), Rolfe announced his retirement from Gearloose Lapidary. Longtime friend Sam Baar took over ownership and operations, ensuring continuity (some manufacturing partnerships, like with Ultra Tec, also expanded) . Rolfe cited a desire to wind down after decades of innovation.
On a personal level, 2024 brought profound loss with the death of his wife; he has described this chapter as "Life v.3.0 — Doing OK."
A devoted cat lover (once sharing a home with a tuxedo cat that lived to 17.5 years) , aviation enthusiast (with experience in planes like the Ted Smith Aerostar) , and holder of international affinities (reflected in flags for the US, UK/Wales, Canada, Mexico, and France) ,
Rolfe maintains an active, witty presence on X as @JonRolfe8 (joined 2023).
His posts blend dry humor, conservative commentary, nostalgia for "back in my day" tools like slide rules, and occasional scientific insights.Jon Rolfe's legacy endures in operating rooms (via biomedical patents) and faceting studios worldwide (via laps that outlast their owners). As one community member put it, he turned materials science into art — making impossible polishes routine and elevating lapidary from craft to precision engineering.
Jon welcomes messages from longtime customers, colleagues, and anyone interested in his work. If you have questions, stories to share, or would just like to reconnect, you can reach him through the email link below. He appreciates hearing from the community that has supported his work for so many years. Thank you for taking the time to visit — Jon looks forward to staying in touch.