There’s something special about watching a kid grow up in the business – not just around it, but inside of it. That’s Michael.
Michael Montoya is my son, but in this world, that doesn’t earn you anything except a front-row seat. What you do with that seat – that’s where the story begins.
The Making of a Maker
Michael didn’t come into this as a finished product. He came into it like most of us do - curious, a little unsure, and surrounded by greatness.
As a kid, he was always running around the shop. I’d hand him a stone here and there - nothing too precious, just something to learn on.
Other times, I’d sit him down next to artists who had been doing this far longer than he had been alive, “Don’t talk. Just watch. Just listen.”
That’s how this trade gets passed down. Not through instruction manuals. Through presence.Over time, you start to see it click.
The way someone holds a stone. The patience they show. The questions they ask when they think no one’s listening.Michael started to find his rhythm.
The Obsession With Precision
In time, Michael became known for something that most people wouldn’t have the patience for – rolled bead necklaces. Beautiful, clean, perfectly balanced strands of turquoise that look effortless when they’re finished.
But let me tell you something – there is nothing effortless about them. Each one of those beads can take hours of cutting to get right.A single piece can take up to 200 hours.
That’s beyond commitment.
That’s obsession.
And even when you’ve shaped the stone perfectly, you’re only halfway there. On his way up Michael hit a wall when it came to drilling. Not just drilling - but precision drilling.
The kind where if you’re off by even a fraction, the whole piece is compromised.
A lot of people would’ve settled. Called it “good enough.” That’s not how he’s wired.
Learning From the Masters
Michael went and found Larry Vasquez – a true master of his craft.
What we was seeking was more than just tips. He was taking a step that would elevate his entire craft. He didn’t merely ask a few questions. He sat with him. For weeks.
Watched. Listened. Practiced. Failed.
Kept at it until it became second nature.
That’s the part people don’t see. The humility it takes to go backwards so you can move forward the right way.
While he honed his technique, he didn’t just learn drilling. He expanded. Picked up silversmithing. Learned inlay. Started to understand how all the pieces fit together – not just physically, but artistically.
Seeing the Stone Differently
When Michael looks at a piece now, he doesn’t just see the surface.
He sees everything.The outer layer. The integrity of the stone. The way it’s going to respond to the blade.
The story hidden inside it.
Every cut is intentional. Every hole is placed with purpose. Every bead is part of something bigger.
That’s the difference between someone who makes jewelry… and someone who understands the material at a deeper level.
More Than Craft, It’s Legacy
There’s pride in watching your son follow a path like this. But it’s not pride in the outcome – it’s pride in the approach.
Nothing was handed to him. He earned every bit of it. The long hours. The mistakes. The decision to keep going when it would’ve been easier to stop.
Michael Montoya’s rolled bead necklaces aren’t just beautiful pieces – they’re a reflection of time, discipline, and respect for the craft.
