Cabbing Ice - Working With Bull "Snow" Quartz - The Polished Pebble

The Ranch in Wyoming looking out over the meadow.

Yes, it is winter. And no matter what the enviro - nut jobs say....there has been plenty of cold & snowy weather. But, we here in Bakersfield, CA have been snow free - stuck under a blanket of fog. Yesterday we finally got to see the sun...but today it is foggy again :(

We have been working on getting some cabochons & such listed on our website - The Polished Pebble and one of the pieces we listed was a cab made out of White Quartz. See the picture below.......

This is the first piece that we have had in our hands once it was finished to be able to list for sale. It seems that every other cab that we cut of this material seemed to be sold right after it was completed. A group of local wire wrappers just loved the look. And after working with this stone - We agree - it makes for some beautiful cabochons.

It looks just like ice! And to think that when we originally saw this stone, we dismissed it as too plain jane to cab. Boy, were we wrong. It seems that the plain crisp white & clear combo works well with an unlimited types of metals & other accent colors. Plus it doesn't seem to clash with anything. Making the jewelry that it is set into very versatile.

Our stone was found on the ranch in Wyoming were we go every year in Oct. They have an abundance of quartz & quartzite stone there. In fact, other than the meadow areas...it seems the whole valley is just a bunch of quartz rocks.

Once I had cut & polished a few cabochons last summer we knew that we were going to need to bring some more home to work with. So, one afternoon when the guys were in from hunting we went out to the ridge to pick up some pieces. Trying to find some stones that were a nice size to slab & were not iron stained was not as easy as we thought it would be. And as we looked around we noticed something. The white rocks that we were seeking were only in the top foot or so of the ground. There was an old rock pit & you could see that once they got past that first foot....no more solid white rocks. Interesting.....

We gathered enough to keep us in stone at least for the next year & brought it home with our other goodies from the trip. And we have been working with it ever since. You may have seen it other places called "Snow Quartz"....or if you have a mining background - "Bull Quartz". And after working with it...we are shocked that it is not offered more. But then again - it you saw it slabbed up next to a nice agate or jasper....most would pass it up.

You see, until you polished it out you don't see the true beauty of this stone. We have all heard Diamonds referred to as "Ice" - but that is just wrong....this quartz looks more like ice than any diamond that I have seen. And it is a heck of alot less money. :)

Don't forget to checkout our latest offerings of Gemstone Cabochons along with some very unique "Natural Finish" Gems at out website    The Polished Pebble

Later..........Connie  -  The Polished Pebble

Mother Natures Little Gems - The Polished Pebble

We have been cleaning & cleaning again some of our latest additions. These are some small natural treasures from our Wyoming trip last Oct. Collected in an area near the Laramie Mountains. While alot of people working with stone collect large pieces that can be cut & polished, myself included....I still continue to be drawn to the smaller pieces also.

Such detail in a little stone - and Mother Nature has already finished these beauties off with a nice tumble followed by a wind polish. No extra work for me, right? Well, sort of. The job of cleaning these pretties off can be quite labor intensive....soaking & scrubbing - over & over again for some. But the end result is worth it.

I always thought that these gems deserved their rightful place in a beautiful piece of jewelry. Recently there have been a few talented artists that have agreed with me. I must admit, I am amazed at their ability to twist & wrap wire while showcasing these smaller stones. They are amazing!

The pieces above are the most interesting dark grey metallic stones. While we are not geologists, we believe them to be manganese. The look reminds me of some iron meteorites I have...but they are different. Just think of what these would look like in a wrap - they are definitely one of a kind items.

And every now & then - while cleaning up a small gem you uncover some sparklie crystal druzy. This piece has a fracture down the middle. The plan is to make a cut along the fracture & polish the agate. They will be small - but stunning.

Connie  -  The Polished Pebble

Going Ahh...Natural With The Polished Pebble

Ok, so just what did you think we were talking about???? Natural edged or natural finished Gemstones....right? Well, that's what were talking about.  : )

The organic look & feel of natural edged stones has always intrigued us. We love the newest trend in jewelry towards this edge. Designer jewelry have come along way from the "If it isn't gold with faceted gemstones - it isn't a designer piece."

There are artists out there on the cutting edge using copper, brass, aluminum, right along with silver, gold and even platinum. They are mixing faceted stones with cabochons....gemstone beads with raw crystals. Polished gemstone slabs...and even 100% natural wind polished pieces. Not only as accents - but as the focal piece of their creation.

We have always picked up those interesting pieces on our trips. And they have a place in our home and our yard. But until recently, they have not been offered for sale. Currently we have a number of interesting "Natural" pieces on our website The Polished Pebble .

Natural Jasper Nodule

 Many are found while out rockhounding. But just as many are found just where ever we happen to be. We are always looking for neat & unusual pieces to offer others or for our own collections.

You never know what you will find. Sometimes you come home empty handed - other times you find some real keepers.

Wind Polished Stylized Heart

There is a large demand for natural edged Gemstone Slabs that are polished front & back. We currently only list some slices of Oco Geodes on our site. One thing to remember, not all Oco's are created equal. Just like any other gemstone...there are different grades. You can find Oco Geode slices marketed for a buck a piece. But they will be pretty junk...not colorful treasures.

Oco Geode Gemstone Slice

We are looking to expand our offerings to other slabs like this.......

Dark Cherry Jasper Natural Edged Polished Slab

But one of our latest pieces is a real treasure. And remember, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".....

This is the outside of one of our Wyoming Geode - Nodules that come from a friends' ranch. We just love that organic feel. When this end piece came off the saw it just spoke to us. And under that interesting exterior.....

Some beautiful agate. The finished pendant will be a real conversation starter. And there will never be another one like it.

On the down side....while alot of people are looking for the unusual pieces. Some balk at paying much for "FOUND" pieces. To that we reply, our costs include gas, wear & tear on our truck, time & marketing. If you want them for free - they're out there...go find them.

For those that are looking for that "One Of A KIND" piece - check out our website  The Polished Pebble

Working with Horse Canyon Agate - The Polished Pebble

We have been pulling out some awesome pieces of Horse Canyon Agate from the pile here lately. It seems that it was time to work a few.

For those that don't know this stone, you are missing out. Found in the mountains just east of Tehachapi, CA - Horse Canyon Agate is a well known - if not world known gemstone. Most will easily recognize the green to blue green moss in clear agate that comes from this location. But if that is all you think there is....you are sadly mistaken.

                                                 Horse Canyon Moss Agate Cabochon

Beautiful moss agate - in colors not found anywhere else. But, that is just the beginning. There is an unbelievable range of agate found in this area. From a multitude of different colored mosses in clear, amber, blue & even black agate. Most are the signature wispy type - but there is MORE. There is tube agate, saginite, plume & agate that has a jumble of all of them.

Now the down side - it is not available for collection anymore. Yes, I know....we seem to be hearing that with more & more of the stones we work with. Either the landowner doesn't allow collecting anymore (which is the case with this stone) or it is totally extinct, or even better - it is in the middle of a military base. Even worse are the areas that some politicians lock up in "Wilderness Areas". Oh yea, you can still walk in. But who wants to walk 50, 60, 100 miles in to carry out a backpack full of stone? Never mind that most people could not physically do that if they wanted to.

Luckily, we have a stash of Old Stock material & we will be cutting some Killer Cabs from this stone. We just recently cut up a piece. And here is what we found.......

                                                                           

   An end cut! WOW!!!!!!

A slice......

                
                                                       A finished cab....well, sort of

As we were shaping this beauty, it became apparent that the vugs with the beautiful crystal druzy were being lost in the grinding & polishing. We were on the fence about either leaving them or filling them in. Even as I am typing this....I am still thinking. But I think in the long run, we will fill them in since there is so little left...they kind of just look lost. So tomorrow this little beauty will be listed on our website The Polished Pebble for those that might be interested. You won't be disappointed.

If you want to see more of what this gemstone can look like, you need to check out Agates With Inclusions for their amazing collection of Horse Canyon Agate. The owner, Pat McMahan has a collection of unbelievable agates. It is guaranteed you will have "Agate Envy" after seeing what is there.

Looking for that special Gemstone to complete your latest jewelry project? Or maybe you want to add to your collection of beautiful & rare Cabochons. The Polished Pebble could have just what you are looking for. If not, we do custom orders. Check it out!

Back Into The Blog - Gemstone Cabochons And More With The Polished Pebble

We are making an effort to keep up with all the different facets of this "social networking" aspect of our business. And sadly, our blog has been lacking....so from here on out we have a "NEW" commitment to start posting interesting info daily.

Discussions on gemstones and their influence on our daily lifes. Our current projects & stones we are working with. Rockhounding field trips with lots of pictures of where we go & what we find.

We are also going to bring alittle mystic perspective into our daily posts. If you are a believer or not, we think it will be an interesting addition. And those who are making and marketing their jewelry can add another layer of info to their pieces.

So, to our longtime friends who have followed our blog - We're Back. To our new friends -  Welcome!

As always, please check out our website for our lastest offerings of Designer Gemstone Cabochons in beautiful & unusual designs and materials. Many types of stone that are not available anywhere else - our "Polished Pebble Exclusives".    The Polished Pebble

 

Wind Polished Agates & Other Natural Stones.........The Polished Pebble

As a lapidary - one who cuts, grinds, shapes & polishes gemstones - I have also continued to collect & use "Natural Finish" stones in my personal projects. Heck, I even drag home rocks that I never intend to cut. They are just Pretty Rocks, and they are just as important to me as my other stones.

When I was young, on vacation, my mother would bring home unique looking rocks. Driftwood, bits of rusted metal & anything else that caught her eye. She would use them inside & out for decoration. So, I guess it was not surprising that I did much the same as I grew up & looked for inexpensive items to decorate my home & yard.

Now, don't get me wrong - my home & yard don't look like a junk yard or something like that. It is just that I tend to use rather unconventional items in different ways.

That brings me to my latest topic - the use of wind or stream polished stones in jewelry. Truth be told, I have been using such items since I was in high school. Even then looking for something different, natural & beautiful. Something that no one else had - or could just go to the store & buy.

I did a couple of Google searches, looking to see if anyone was marketing such items. The pickings were pretty slim. But not everyone even know what I am talking about so here are some pictures.........

Botryoidal Black Agate Pocket

The above picture is one of quite a few pieces I picked up on our last trip to Wyoming. Notice the natural polish. It is a sweet little piece 1" tall by 3/4" wide. There is some host rock attached to the back that I plan on triming. This little beauty would make a great centerpiece for a pendant.

  

Blue - Black Agate with a Druzy Pocket

Another Wyoming find, this piece has one of the most desired centers around. Druzy is "Hot" right now in jewelry designs. The demand for good pieces is thru the roof. Right now this piece measures 1 3/4" long by

1 1/4" wide. There is also some host rock to trim on this piece. It could also be split in half, depending on its final design.

  

Blue - Black Agate with white accents

One of my favorite pieces I brought back. When you hold it in your hand it looks like a heart that has kind of melted & deformed slightly. The only thing this little pretty needs is to be put into a pendant that will highlight it's unique natural design. It measures 1" tall by 3/4" wide.

What about something different?

Botryoidal Agate Nodule from the Geode local

This little bubbly ball needs some more cleaning, but it shows the fun design that could be worked into a unique jewelry piece. It measures in at 1" by 1" by 3/4".

And this?

  

Flat Jasper Nodule

This very earthy piece was found in a jasper local. There were large broken nodules pieces littering about a 100 ft area. Nothing really spectacular about the big pieces. But I found this little guy in the rubble. The chip was already there. This piece measures almost 1 3/4" tall by 1 1/8" wide and 3/8" thick.

Pieces like these are one of a kinds. And for the most part, unless you are the one out there looking for them, not available to buy. Until now.........

We are going to start listing some unique "Natural" pieces in our website. Pieces that will allow those up for the challenge, to design truely one of a kind works of art.

The pieces pictured here were from our latest trip to Wyoming. They were being sorted for use. I have additional pieces that we will also feature for sale starting 11-15. Until then, you can just dream.

We have also recently purchase a new camera & will be working on replacing the current pictures on the website to ones that give better detail. Please excuss our mess during this change over.

For your designer gemstone cabochons - ThePolishedPebble.com

 

Hey, what is that stone??????? The Polished Pebble

OK, so we have touched on the importance of knowing the actual name of the Gemstone material your are working with. And if you are a lapidary, letting your customers know so that they can pass that info on to their customers.

And at times that can be challenging. Because most of the rough stone is purchased from others. At Rock & Gem Shows, estates, online sellers - the list goes on. While I personally love to go rockhounding, I could never justify only working what I found. So, the quest goes on.

There are a number of ways to uncover the identities of different gemstones or minerals. Some are as easy as looking on others websites. Venture out and look around. On alot of the available material the names & origins are easily found. Other times the info you seek could be difficult to find.

Once you start handling assorted material, it is best to expand your resources. There are a number of books that will help you in your quest. And an added bonus, you may just learn alittle more about the stones you are working with.

One of my favorite sources of info is theimage.com . It is the website of Ron Gibbs. He shares his love of gemstones & photography with all that care to visit. Along with the most unbelievably beautiful photos, Ron sneaks in a lesson or two on just what make that stone so special. All in easy to understand text.

Ron has recently published a book - Agates and Jaspers.

A fantastic look at those wonderful works of art that could have only been made by mother nature.

This full color book is - in my opinion - a must for anyone that works with agate & jasper, in lapidary or in jewelry.

Check out Ron's website at TheImage.com or for more info on his book, go to TheImageBooks.com

Be sure & tell him Connie @ The Polished Pebble sent you!

A Rose By Any Other Name.........The Polished Pebble

OK, so I don't really work too much with roses. I think I have a dozen or so in my yard. All bought by my husband for my birthday or our anniversary - since I don't like paying $$$ for cut flowers. Stop booing & hissing, I am entitled to my opinion! I just prefer a living plant to something that will stay pretty for a week or so. Give me the plant & it can bloom again & again.

But, that is not what I really want to talk about anyway. Names, that's it - I want to talk about NAMES!

Here in the lapidary world, a name can mean a lot. There are tons of agates, jaspers, minerals & such that are used in many different forms of Jewelry. And it is important as a lapidary artist & jeweler to know them  not only their name - but their Hardness, Workability, Stability & also their Chemical Makeup. Why? Well there are lots of different reasons - but here is my take on this issue..............................

Names - this topic can get very interesting very quickly. Especially in the lapidary world. Since there have been stones that I have gotten thru estate sales, rock & gem shows, and other rockhounds that the location and or name of the stone is lost. Either the person forgot or they never even knew the name or location.

I mean, it's not like I can't tell you that it is an AGATE - but, does it have a name & where does it come from? Now, I see you rolling your eyes & thinking "What difference does it makes?" It CAN make a great deal of difference. Some agates, just from their name, comand a premium price. For example: Horse Canyon Agate.......

Horse Canyon Moss Agate Cabochon

Just by it's NAME you know the it is a quality agate from a known source. It is limited in supply due to the fact that it is located on private land & that the owners do not allow collection of the rough stone anymore. But there are many other moss agates that are in plentiful supply, so in this case the NAME says a lot.

Another problem is when people call a certain stone by more than one name. It can get very confusing. I had an older couple tell me about a jasper that they found in an area & their club started calling it "Halloween Jasper", since it was mainly black & orange in color. They ran into another rockhound that had some of this same stone from the same location & he was calling it "Pumpkin Jasper". Yes, the names were kind of close - and the two parties knew it was the same jasper. But when it hits the market, people think they are two different jaspers. This can happen a lot, and for the most part the end user or wearer buys the piece for it's beauty - not it's name.


The real problem is when a known name is used to sell or promote a stone & that stone is NOT what they are saying it is. Since the demand for natural stone beads & cabochons has increased, so has the abuse of misnamed product.

 

Natural Turquoise Gemstone Cabochon

One very easy one is Turquoise. Real turquoise in the desired "robin's egg blue" is rare, and most that is on the market today is stablized. There are a number of simular hardness white stones that are dyed the desired color & sold as REAL TURQUOISE. This is fraud & any jeweler or lapidary that sell such items that are misrepresented in such a way causes the trade great harm. We all need to just be honest & tell the consumer that it is say "Howlite" & dyed blue. If the customer just likes it for the color & design it won't matter to them. But, if the buyer is really looking to buy REAL turquoise - there in lies the problem. It is like selling someone a CZ, but you tell them it is a Diamond.

Colored & Stablized Turquoise

Other stones, because of their popularity & demand are often faked or another stone is passed off as the real thing. Ocean Jasper comes to mind. I have seen many strings of stone beads that the seller was claming that they were "Ocean Jasper" when they were made of a no name jasper. They didn't even have any of the color or orbs that Ocean Jasper is well know for. With most imported stone beads & cabochons it is "buyer beware".


Oh, and most beads & such that are called "something - quartz" are generally glass. I don't know about you - but I like to know what I am paying for. And if I am making something that takes time, effort & money. I want to use the best available.


Let's take this topic up tomorrow........

Don't forget to check our website ThePolishedPebble.com  for your gemstone cabochon needs.

The Polished Pebble - Working With Stone

Most people, when you talk about Gemstones, think Diamonds, Sapphires, Rubies & such. Faceted stones. Few will think - Agate, Jasper or any of the other wonderful stones used to make Gemstone Cabochons.

Faceted Gemstone Parcel

Truth be told, the first Gemstones used for personal ornamentation (jewelry) were these agates, jaspers, lapis, opals, quartz, jade, etc, etc.......... Rounded & polished to show of their rainbow of colors & designs. And only for the royalty. It wasn't until recent history that faceted gems became the standard for Gemstones.

Far from the signature "Bolo Tie" Cabochon. Today's Gemstone Cabochons come in many shapes & designs. While they still may be made of agate or jasper - they are just as likely to be made of unusual and beautiful minerals that until recently would never have even been considered usable in jewelry. And many of the new "Artist" style cabochons can stand alone as a Work Of Art.

Birdseye Rhyolite Gemstone Cabochon

And because of advanced mining & transportation thru out the world, we have new finds of beautiful stone available for use. Ocean Jasper - Madagascar, Royal Sahara Jasper - Africa, Condor Agate - Argentina, Cherry Creek Jasper - China and the list could go on & on. Not to mention all the wonderful stone right here in the US - old standards & new discoveries.

Royal Sahara Jasper Gemstone Cabochon

Finally it seems, that the lowly Cabochon is being seen for the true beauty it has to give. Being natural does not have to be drab & boring. There are many stones that offer MORE than just sparkle - check them out! ThePolishedPebble.com

The Polished Pebble - The Long Drawn Out Process.......

Welcome to the newest facet of "The Polished Pebble"! We have been working to expand our presence on the WEB. So, here is a little background & the direction we are working towards.

"The Polished Pebble" is the heart & soul of our fledgling Lapidary Business. A lifelong love of beautiful stone lead to the start of this adventure.

We uncover mother nature's artwork by carefully cutting & hand polishing the most amazing agates, jaspers & other wondrous stones. Finding just the right cut to highlight the natural design in the stone. Providing designer style Gemstone Cabochons for jewelry artists. Pieces that are simply not available anywhere else.

Natural stone adornments have been used thru out history for their beautiful colors & designs. Most of what we work with is classified as "Semi-Precious" Stone. A lot of the pieces come from locations that make acquiring rough stone difficult & dangerous work. Some stone has been completely mined out (extinct) or the location may not be open to collection (private, military base, wilderness, etc.) so what is currently available may be it. Making it more RARE than diamonds.

In addition, the designs are ONE OF A KIND. That is the true beauty & sometimes heartbreak of working with stone. It is never boring.

There are thousands of different stones that we will be working into beautiful pieces of art. To that end, we will use this space to update you on our journey & share what is going on. Along with a little education & background on specific stones.

Please feel free to join in. And if you have some stone you think we might be interested in - please drop us a line at ThePolishedPebble@yahoo.com

Be sure to check out our website too. ThePolishedPebble.com