Holiday Weekend - The Polished Pebble

So, the last big weekend of the summer is upon us. I am soooo ready for the weather to start cooling down  so that we can get back to enjoying working outside! It seems that the older I get, the less I like the heat.

I was going thru some pictures we took in Yellowstone & figured it would be nice to end the week with some pictures of one of the greatest natural wonders.

Enjoy..........

 

Aaaahhhhhhhh.........Green & LOTS of water!

Have a great holiday weekend - me, I'll be cleaning out the oil in the rock saws - YUCK!

Be sure to checkout our website - ThePolishedPebble.com

A Rose By Any Other Name 2...........The Polished Pebble

I went thru & did some editing on my last post "A Rose By Any Other Name" (cleaning up mispelled words or crazy phrases) & it was very evident that I need to add to what I said.

On the topic of imported stone beads & cabochons - I didn't intend to come off that EVERY imported stone bead or cabochon was junk. While it is hard to find a good dealer that sells quality imported stone - there are a few out there. My favorites is MagpieGemstones.com , Szarka is very picky about the stones she offers & hand picks most of her stock so she gets the best available. Check out her webstore - you won't be disappointed!

Rutilated Quartz

On the topic of "something - quartz". There are natural quartz gemstones that are used in beads & cabochons. Like Rutilated Quartz, Lodolite or Garden Quartz. Not to forget Rose Quartz & any number of quartz included stones that make beautiful stone jewelry. But, don't be fooled by fancy names like "Cherry or Ruby Quartz". They are just glass. If natural stone is what you are looking for you need to be very careful. And if you use a synthetic or manufactured stone - be sure & note it on your sale info. That way everyone knows exactly what they are buying.

Lodolite - Garden Quartz

So, the challenge is this - try to know exactly what your working with & be honest with your customers. Working with stone can be challenging at times, but the end product is work it.


Looking for quality hand cut Gemstone Cabochons for your jewelry? Check out our website: ThePolishedPebble.com

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 - Day Off To Can Tomatoes

Well, I have officially taken the day off from the lapidary part of my life today. I am instead, Canning Tomatoes - Pasta Sauce to be official.

So, I will leave you with some pictures from my garden..........................

A large group of dragonflies call my garden home. They are quite the sight to see when they are all inflight over the garden.

The finished product - got pasta & bread?

The Polished Pebble - Living With Stone

We are surrounded with stone in our daily lives. From the granite counter tops in our kitchens & baths - to the stone walkways we traverse. Stone columns, stone accented planters & more.

Now imagine that your chosen path in life it to work directly with stone. To choose, cut & shape, grind & polish. Our life here at The Polished Pebble is consumed with stone. And we love it - most the time.

Working with stone teaches you many life lessons. So we thought we would take some time to share..........

Never judge a rock by it's outside appearance. Kind of like the saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover". With stone it has much the same meaning. Oh, we do look for certain signs on the outside. But, most the time, you need to look past the outside coating to see the true beauty within.

Perfection is a myth. We all strive for perfection. And you should always do the best you can do - no matter what. But, flaws are sometimes unavoidable. Work with them or around them. I have yet to find a rock that was truly perfect in every way. Same with people.

Quality in - Quality out. Remember the old saying "You can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear"? Well, that holds true with stone or gemstones also. If you start out with fractured or pitted rough stone you will end up with junk. And it takes just as much time to work junk as it does primo rough - so why waste your time?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just because you think a piece is beautiful doesn't mean that everyone shares your opinion. We all have our own likes & dislikes, favorite colors & styles. Try to see beyond your own world. Reaching more people or customers takes effort & imagination.

Cheap is NOT best. The equipment that we work with is expensive & things have to be replaced often when you are using them a lot. Trying to cut corners or substitute poor quality or cheaper made items (ie - diamond saw blades, diamond grinding & polishing wheels, motors & such) never seems to save us money in the long run. They always end up not lasting as long or not working as good. I guess you could go back to the "Quality" issue here too.

Follow Your Heart. Sounds corny doesn't it. But if you spend your life doing what others want you to do & never do the things that you love - what's the point? Don't get me wrong, there are many thing throughout life that we HAVE to do. And many are NOT fun. But you need to make the time for the things you love - you & you alone are responsible for your happiness.

Remember to check out our website at ThePolishedPebble.com

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