Author Archives: SnobAppeal

Searching Your Own Blog

What do you do when you have a stone you know nothing about?

Mexican Crazy Lane Agate along side an Aspenite Cabochon the day they were purchased.

I found a gemstone cabochon the other day recalling that I had purchased it in Tucson at one of the shows. I really forgot what is was, so I searched my own blog from this year’s Tucson Shows hoping to find out (again) what it is, and found a picture of the cab captioned “Aspenite“.

I searched “Aspenite” on line, and guess what? My own blog was pretty much the only information I could find on the stuff. So I answered my own question with my own answer. I guess I’m just amazing!

I was standing next to a woman at the Walgreen the other day that was talking to herself. She realized she was talking to herself, and apologized for it. I told her that talking to yourself is often OK. I , myself, do it at times when I seek someone intelligent to converse with. I mention this because, searching for my own answer, on line, was sort of like that.

When I wrap a gemstone, it speaks to me (most of the time telepathically), and whispers (hints) how it wants to look as jewelry. I just do what these little voices in my head tell me to do. Every so often I pick a gemstone that may be (how do I say this with sensitivity?) like three fries short of a Happy Meal. This Gemstone will force me to do a dumb thing, like cut or scratch a wire, ruining a pendant. After so many years I have learned to recognize these trouble making stones and I let them languish in their own misery in a seedy bucket with more of their kind. I got a little off track there for a while..have coffee and focus Don.

My blog indicated Aspenite is, according to a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) analysis, a Silicated Limonite with Chrysocolla, from Oro De Conception, in North Central Mexico. I must practice saying this, so it virtually “flows” off my tongue, with perhaps a spanish accent ala Ricardo Montalban. The GIA advised that the material had no name, so the finder named it after his home town. I am fortunate I took notes on this stuff; this made it possible to answer my own questions about it. I was not so stressed after coffee and by reading my own answer.

The claim made to me, by the seller, was that Aspenite is quite scarce (Yeah right; I’ve heard this before, so I take it with a grain of salt). From what I can determine it is indeed scarce. I recall the cost matched the scarcity claim.

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A simple two-tone gold and silver did wonders for this stuff. This piece was hand-picked by me for it’s wonderful combination of colors. Orange and green together is a remarkable combination I’d never seen before. Orange is not my favorite color, but I must like it. My Chevy Colorado is “Camaro Orange” for example. I like it not only for the color, but that we can see it in any parking lot we are in. I again got off track..sorry..

My point here is the best answers to your questions may dwell within you. At my age the only problem is finding or remembering them.

Shadow Agates, Greenstone, and Thomsonite Jewelry

As winter blasts keep us close to the fireplace, I have been busy creating new pendants with favorite gemstones and wire. Enjoy these two new Great Lakes Jewelry Treasures and two new Shadow Agates.

A beautiful and rare North Shore Thomsonite.

Unique to the Lake Superior region, I acquired a quantity of old stock North Shore Thomsonites over the summer and have started cutting and wrapping them into jewelry. These dark-eyed beauties are very rare and highly coveted. Since these Great Lakes gemstones came out of a site near Thomsonite Beach near Grand Marais, Minnesota that is now buried under a park, no others are found at that location.

Greenstone Lily Pads in Natrolite

The second Great Lakes Jewelry Treasure I recently made was a remarkable stone with Greenstone Lily Pads floating in a pink sea of Natrolite instead of floating in a sea of green Chlorastrolite. I made a pendant from the opposite side of this stone and it sold immediately. Never have I seen another Greenstone like this.

Shadow Wave Laguna Agate

I also made a pair of agates with shadow effect. In certain agates with opaque bands, the bands cast shadows on the adjacent bands as the agate is rotated back and forth. This crates what is referred to as “Shadow effect”. The bands casting shadows also have to be spaced correctly in order to “shadow”. the easiest was to explain shadow effect is if you lined up dominos and shined a light on the top of them. When you move the light back and forth over the dominos you see the shadow that are cast on the adjoining domino change. It’s the same with the lines in the Shadow Agate. This purpley-pink and white Laguna has a great Shadow effect. Laguna Agates from Mexico are famous for “Shadow”, but most banded agates, including my favorite, the Lake Superior Agate, can sport Shadow at times.

Blue Lace with shadow

In this old stock Blue Lace Agate I found wonderful shadow. Two Mercury Mist Topaz added at the top give elegance and sparkle to the glorious pale blue/white agate. What a great piece for a special holiday occasion or wedding!

All these are available at www.snobappealjewelry,com, Click on “View all our products”. With over 375 pendants, chains, and earrings on our site, we hope you will start your Christmas shopping with us now!

Lake Superior Agate Jewelry, My Favorite!

A wonderful Lake Superior Tube Agate before and after making into a pendant.

Everyone claims that certain types of agates are the most colorful, interesting, and rare, but few agates come close to Lake Superior Agates for variety and coloration. As far as rarity; yes some LSA’s are very rare. Lake Superior Agates are also my favorite stone.

Lake Superior Agate floating in a sea of Quartz.

A Laker in a sea of Citrine.

A Laker floating in Amethyst

A nice group of Lakers. 4 pair of these cabochons are opposite sides of the same Lakers.

Here's the smiley guy in the group.

This blog highlights some of the best Lake Superior Agates I’ve made into jewelry over the last 10 years. If the agate is still for sale, we have hooked a link from the picture to out website. Many are long gone, but maybe you’ll get lucky.

An amazing Laker

Painted Agates are like someone took a wind paint brush and threw on paint.

Painted Agates are like someone took a wide paint brush and threw on paint.

Floating eyes are usually at or near the agate's surface. Careful cutting develops them.

Floating eyes are usually at or near the agate's surface. Careful cutting preserves them.

A Fortification/semi Water Level Laker. I call it a fort in a fort.

Proof that Lakers can resemble other Agates. This one apes a Montana Moss Agate, but found buried in a Minnesota gravel pit.

Proof that Lakers can resemble other Agates. This one apes a Montana Moss Agate, but was found buried in a Minnesota gravel pit.

I purchase most of my Lakers rough. Most good stuff comes from gravel pits in Minnesota, and I have no access to these sites. I also use flawless or nearly flawless Lake Superior Agates in my jewelry, and believe me, with the beating Lakers took, the good majority are cracked. The agates in the Minnesota Gravel Pits were carried as glacial till from the Lake Superior area via many glaciers that pushed into this area, than receded, leaving glacial till in their wake. We now call this glacial till gravel. These glaciers pushed Lake Superior Agates as far south as Kansas. You see glacial evidence today as large rounded boulders left scattered randomly about.

Lake Superior Agates were formed in Amygdaloidal Basalt. This was bubbly basalt and the gas bubbles floated to the surface, and those that did not escape before the basalt cooled remained vacant. The bubbles are called vesicles and as the bubbles rose they became smaller and more numerous. The basalt, as it cooled, shrunk and cracked allowing silica and other minerals to enter through these cracks and fill the bubbles (vesicles). There are many theories as to how agates form in vesicles, sometimes totally opposite of other theories. I’ll let the researchers discuss these theories, my interest is in the colors and patterns that make wonderful agate jewelry! The Lake Superior area was ripe with iron, and it was common for iron to mix with the silica producing the red colors as iron oxide formed. The classic red and white Laker is referred to as a “Candy Striper”, and cannot be mistaken for any other type of agate. Sometimes Lakers can be white or clear and show a ghost banding, or the core of the agate can be just Quartz. One theory says that minerals that colored the agates ran out and whatever space was left was filled with plain Silica.

A classic Paint Agate

Sagenite Lakers contain metallic inclusions, usually Rutile. This makes them look like plant material is present.

A fine Water Level agate

I could talk Lake

An unusual Sagenite Agate.

I was very stumped on this Laker. After consulting agate expert John Marshall it was determined that this is basically and unclassifiable Laker.

Superior Agates all day, but in this blog I want to just show you some different LSA types. You can scratch your heads as to how exactly these formed. I don’t fret about how agates are formed; I just cut, polish, and make jewelry from them. If you follow links to my jewelry pages you will see that I have over 50 pendants online and many more in my art show collection. It is fascinating to see how different each stone can be. The more I work with them, the more I enjoy Lake Superior Agates and the variations we find in them. The variety of types, and combinations of colors and patterns make Lakers the most remarkable of members of the Quartz Family.

Come visit us at the 2016 Agate Expo, July 7-9, 2016 in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. www.AgateExpos.com

The best Laker I ever personally found on the Shores of the Keweenaw. Loaned from Bonnie Reed's collection.

Is the Quincy Mine Haunted?

Halloween 2014

I saw something in this picture I'd not previously noticed.

I was looking through some old photos Bonnie took of the historic Quincy Mine #2 Hoist Building in Hancock, Michigan today. I saw something I have never seen in the picture. Something ghostly and very frightening. (Twilight zone music playing).

Close-up WOE! I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight.

The mine was opened in 1846 and continued operation until the early 1967. Deaths were not uncommon in all the copper mines. No one knows exactly how many miners died while mining Native Copper as records were not carefully compiled, but I assume many spirits still lurk about around these old mines. The picture certainly proves that, don’t you think?

Petoskey Stone Treasure

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Many times in our hunts for Petoskey Stones, we stumble across other fossils from the Devonian often mixed together in a sort of “soup”; Fossils that lived in the same neighborhood calcified in the same stone.

This fossil was special; a small piece of a Thamnopora right in the middle of a Petoskey Stone. The stone was smallish, but it went into my pocket and not into the bucket with the rest of the fossils. I did not want to see this cutie smashed when I threw another stone into my bucket.

I knew I was being called to make something wonderful.

I cut and polished the Petoskey and wrapped it in pink gold and silver. I love this piece! It will be up on the website tomorrow, so act quickly.

Custom Projects of a Recent Sort

Beautiful Turquoise from Battle Mountain, Nevada

I am hesitant sometimes to try new Gemstone material, but I bought a piece of Turquoise from Battle Mountain, Nevada, at one of the Arizona shows. After cutting this stuff, I found it is absolutely wonderful. I have never cut natural Turquoise so hard. It was almost Quartz-hard. You can see why I like it. it sold the first time I put it out.

Custom jewelry pieces have been a backbone of our business for as long as we have existed. I love when someone contacts me in person or via the web, with an idea for a piece of jewelry, or simply brings a rock to one of our art shows to make something for them. Unlike most people that wire wrap, I cut most of my cabochons from rough rock. I know most wire wrappers don’t cut because of the crowds around cabochon dealers at the major trade shows; all wearing wire jewelry that they made from these cabochon. Even I, on occasion, find a cabochon I cannot pass up. Pre-holidays is a busy time around here, whether it be cutting rocks people find, or making custom pieces from rocks/gemstones that patrons provide.

A quality Petoskey Stone was removed from this ugly wire pendant.

Over the years, after seeing what kind of work I do, people will bring in jewelry that some other artist has created. Generally these are what I refer to as “amateur jobs”, and they generally are from the “Lee” family. Most of you know the Lees’; Home-Lee and Ug-Lee. One time a lady had a gorgeous Victoria Stone Ug-Lee wrapped in tarnished Sterling. Sometimes I am brutally honest, and in this case I told the lady that her pretty Victoria Stone deserved better. It wasn’t long before she came back to my booth and told me to fix the Lee wrapping. I did a rush job, and she was delighted when she returned the next day. I even wrote a blog on this, if you care to take a look.

http://www.snobappealjewelry.com/blog/2011/07/victoria-stone… y-to-beautiful/

After removing the Petoskey cabochon, I re-wrapped the stone as it deserved.

yellowsaj Janet brought in a very fine Petoskey Stone in a Lee wrap. If you know anything about Petoskey Stones, they are almost pure Calcite, and Calcite is a softer stone. This particular stone was grooved around the edge with a single piece of 16 or 18 gauge Sterling surrounding the stone in the aforementioned groove. It was twisted wire, making it even more distracting from this lovely, clear, stone. This technique of “grooving” is a simple way to created a fast, cheap, wrap, and in general is used for harder Silica stones.

By grooving a Petoskey Stone, it makes a weak edge, and two things can happen. 1. When you tighten the wire, the edge can (and often does) flake or break. 2. Because of the soft stone, the wire cannot be tightened enough to secure the stone in its’ grip tightly enough. Glue can be used, but then you see glue around the edge. In this case Janet’s pendant was literally falling out of its frame. Some related advise–I recommend no one buy a Petoskey Stone Ring. No matter what you are told by anyone selling you a Petoskey Stone Ring, they do scratch. I am constantly re-polishing them for people, but you can only do so much. Never buy any ring with soft material in it. Petoskey Stone Pendants are generally great, but still if you are wearing them, they can be scratched by zippers, metal buttons, or other harder objects. Pendants, unlike rings, can easily be re-polished. pinkbeadpendant1

Another customer brought in a couple large rectangular beads with holes drilled through them at the top with a mediocre finish. I cut across the beads just below the hole, re-shaped the cabochons so they were thinner, and less harsh. By rounding the edges and re-shaping these, I was able to produce a more pleasing shape to wrap. After reshaping them, I polished them and was pleased at how much better they looked. You can see the finished results.

I am also including a couple other recent projects for your viewing pleasure. Did I mention the 22 9mm Greenstones I made for one discriminating lady?

Nancy always brings me interesting projects. This is an example of a Laker she brought me for cutting and wrapping. It turned out so wonderful.

Greenstone always looks great with pink gold.

As Christmas approaches, I become more and more busy, so get your custom suggestions to me as soon as you can. At my age, I can’t take the stress of rush jobs like I could in my younger days. It’s not too early to start your shopping. Why do the big box stores have to put their Christmas stuff up before Halloween? I guess you could, theoretically, buy a Santa Costume and wear it for two holidays!!

Feathery Thompsonite from the north shore.

Pink Petoskey Stones don't come much better.

Hey! that’s just the way I think!!

Keweenaw Point Datolite Pendant

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A cute little unit, this pendant is exactly Quarter sized. I used both pulled wires and prongs to secure the gemstone. This is a rare opportunity for you to own this rare little gemstone beauty.

Out of all the endless colorations of Datolite in the Keweenaw Peninsula, arguably the most rare and coveted are the almost canary yellow ones. These are found at the northern point in the Keweenaw (and the northernmost point in Michigan).

The two in the middle are not dateline, but the ones on both sides are.

The best ones were harvested by divers that knew where they were in the basalt. This area had been silted over for quite a few years now, making finding these yellow beauties almost impossible. There are some exposed in outcrops in the area, but very few of any size.

Rare is an understatement with regards to yellow Keweenaw Point Datolite. What makes these unusual is that most Datolite in the Keweenaw is colored by copper, but these yellows derive their colors from Manganese.

The unusual story of this particular Datolite is that I found it in Tucson, in a small tray of Datolites at Gary Wilson’s booth at one of the wholesale shows. (Just look for the hub of eager buyers–it is the busiest sales booth at the show.) He sells cabochons that are coveted by the wire wrappers. (This is what makes me different than most wire wrappers; I actually cut most of my own stones). The Datolite tray was picked over, but others did not recognize the sweet yellow one.

This Datolite is NOT from Lower Michigan, but it acts that way.

Snob Appeal Jewelry-Cleaning the Barn

Just a few of the many buckets we sorted today.

I'm pretty excited about this job.

“How do you know what’s in this barn?” is asked regularly by Bonnie. The answer is usually vague. I know mostly what is in the barn, but there are rocks in there from many old collections I’ve bought over the years. I have no idea what exactly is in some of those buckets. Sometimes you just have to have a look.

These are some nice Lakers.

It's always nice when you re-find a whole bucket of Lakers.

Fossils

We hauled out random buckets and began sorting. I found stuff I had forgotten was there, and a few rocks I had no idea I had!

Binghamite before and after. It's a shame you cannot see the tigers eye like colors in this beauty from Minnesota's Iron Range.

I found a bucket of unsorted Lake Superior Agates I recall buying from a friend that owns a gravel pit in Minnesota, as well as another small selection of what appeared to be grade “A” Lakers I must have sorted years ago. I took a picture of the sorted stones in water. Are they nice…great jewelry potential!

A bonus bucket of nice Jaspers.

Another bucket was assorted Jasper and Jasperlite and other interesting quartz material from Minnesota gravel pits.

I found a bucket of Petrified Wood and one of fossils. On top of that bucket was a floating rock.

There were lots of jewelry grade stones, specimens, and a few garden rocks. One larger rock piqued my interest, so I cut that one. Although the inside was colorful, I donated it to Bonnie’s rock garden. I found an old piece of Binghamite that is always an exciting stone to work with. This particular rock was very discreet, and it was fortunate I was sorting in the sun, or I would have missed the telltale golden flashes from the stone.

Petrified Wood.

Dinosaur Bone, Ruby in Zoisite, Ruby in Fuchsite, and Kammererite.

I think my favorite find were a few rocks I knew I had, but have not seen them in a year. The closed bucket. A large piece of Dinosaur Bone, a piece or Ruby in Zoisite, one of Ruby in Fuchsite, and one specimen of Kammererite (and Bonnie remembered how to spell it) that I got on a recent trip to Russia; no, wait that was the trip to Tucson where I bought it from a guy from Russia! Just seeing if you’re paying attention. I’m sure pleased I found these. I have other stuff to look through, but I think I have to wait for Bonnie to ask me “How do you know what’s in this barn?” again.

A large rock I found in a bucket. Let's cut it!

It looks nice, but not jewelry. Next stop; Bonnies Rock Garden.

Keweenaw Mineral Hunting

Central Exploration (remember the big piles?).

Happy Datolite diggers.

bridgeup

Why would the bridge be up when rock hunting is beyond it?

This past week, as is our norm, we made our annual trek to the Keweenaw Peninsula for a week of rock hunting. Every year it seems that the mine spoil piles continue to become extinct because they are being crushed and used as road fill. Where giant piles of rock used to be are now fairly open, flat empty spaces. I expect within the next few years that rock and mineral hunting activity here may be a thing of the past. Many of what used to be county-owned, or easily accessed hunting grounds are now privately owned, or gone. Due to liability issues private owners do not welcome groups of rockhounds. Only a few years back we used to come up for rock hunting events sponsored by the AE Seaman Mineral Museum, including hunting various spoil piles, lectures and demonstrations by the experts at Michigan Tech. This was formerly known as Red Metal Week, then the Keweenaw Mineral Retreat and lasted an entire week. The local rock and mineral club has put in many volunteer hours over many years to make these events happen. Now the event is co sponsored by the AE Seaman Mineral Museum, and Keweenaw Gem & Gift. This is a shortened week, with the hunts starting on Wednesday and end on Saturday.

Datolite/Chlorastrolite. My best find.

My best find was a large seam Datolite that appears covered with Chlorastrolite.

After staking my claim, I dig it.

Rock hunting during these events consist of fee digs each day at different sites. These different mine sites still have copper, easily found with metal detectors. I am normally not interested in Copper but will pick up a piece when I see one, often giving them away to interested kids. What peeks my interest are the many stones I can make jewelry from. Some of these are Isle Royale Greenstone, Datolite, Prehnite, and agates.

Bonnie sees a pile where there may be a Greenstone.

Finding a Greenstone in spoil piles is like looking for a needle in a haystack. You start with a large like of rock. On the hunt at the Central Exploration these piles were crushed ore ready to be hauled out for road fill. Where high piles of large rock chunks used to be are now flat barren areas. The only piles left were the final crushed tailings piles. How depressing this is to see.

Bonnie did find many Greenstones by meticulously digging and searching. She out-hunted me. I did find a few Greenstones, but my best find was a large Datolite seam. The Datolite was covered with Chlorastrolite. Jewelry is in the planning stages.

There are hunters up here that look for relics from the copper era. I located a Maul. I used it on the Connecticut pile to pound in the ground to “Stake my Claim”. I then dug a large worthless hole looking for Datolite. I did have fun digging though. It’s bizarre how we rockhounds will work like dogs to fine a pebble. In normal society you would get real money for doing the same thing (or are in a penal institution), while WE actually pay for the privilege of being allowed to dig a hole; go figure.

A closer look.

Here is the hidden treasure.

The swap meet is a tailgate event. Great fun.

Another fun thing during this mineral hunting time is the annual swap meet at the Quincy Mine Hoist. For three hours vendors will set up in the dusty parking lot and peddle their wares. I left much money in the parking lot with various local vendors. I have some really nice Greenstones, colorful Datolite, and particularly amazing Lake Superior Agates. None of these come cheap, but I was happy with my deals.

The swap meet is also THE spot for meeting old friends and fellow rockhounds. Rockhounds appear from around the country. I think they realize the clock is ticking on these hunts, and the minerals of the Keweenaw are becoming more scarce each year.

My intentions are to make great jewelry from my recent finds and acquisitions. I will keep you in the loop on this blog. If you really wish to see more, and hear more of what we do, friend our Facebook Snob Appeal Jewelry site.

A selfie with a happy Bonnie with happy large Greenstone.

A selfie with a happy Bonnie and a happy large Greenstone.

Thomsonite-The Amazing Pink Gemstone of Lake Superior.

Selecting Thomsonite and having coffee..can't get much better.

A few weeks ago I got a call from Grand Marais, Minnesota from a man I immediately liked. He said he was going to open a storefront and having seen my Greenstone Blog with the little Greenstones lined up on dop sticks, he thought I may be interested in selling some. He mentioned he had some very nice Thomsonite. I think we were on the same page, when I suggested we may be able to work out a barter; Greenstone for Thomsonite.

We met half way between his house and mine, in the Keweenaw. I looked through some very fine Thomsonite, while he looked through my Greenstone stash. I think we ended up with an equitable trade thus far. The trade is not complete as I need to get up to the North Shore and get more Thomsonte from him since he promised that there was lots more still at home. Who can carry all there rocks with them?

A selection or Thomsonite that are going to be cabbed and made into jewelry.

I recently cabbed the larger pieces, with great results. I even made a couple pendants from these gorgeous gemstones. These wild-eyed beauties of amazing pink are very popular. You know that Snob Appeal Jewelry specializes in Great Lakes rocks and minerals. Lake Superior Agates and Greenstones are our best sellers, followed by Thomsonite, Datolite, and Petoskey Stone jewelry, especially the rare Pink Petoskey.

Thomsonite is a copper-associated zeolite, and many of these gemstones sport little crystals of copper. Thomsonite is also found in the Keweenaw, but normally not with the dark eyes seen in North Shore stones. Both gemstones are highly coveted, scarce in good quality, and difficult to find and extract.

After cutting and wrapping the Thomsonite shown in the previous picture, I put them back near their same location in that picture.

If you look at the piece in the bottom left of the picture, you will notice a large “Feather” Thomsonite. This form shows no eyes and is comprised of tiny silky needles showing a chatoyancy, or sheen, that cannot be captured in a picture. If you ever get a chance to see one of these feathers, don’t pass it up. It is really amazing gem material.

The finished gemstones in the second picture were all cut in one day. I’ve been making cabochons for a lot of years, but I cannot remember a single day that my cutting has produced a more beautiful collection of gemstones. I had a smile on my face during the whole process.

Pink eyes are indicative of Thomsonite. Pink gold with gold or silver enhance this gemstone.

As I make Thomsonite Pendants from these stones, I discover even more beauty. It amazes me how no matter what color precious wire I use, the jewelry still looks fantastic. Two tone wire wraps of gold, silver, and pink gold show off these fantastic gemstones. I like to give them a little bling with an elegant top, but as always, I am careful not to distract from the amazing Thomsonite stone.

I am trying to get a few more pendants made, but I just had to take a break and show you the ones I made thus far. I think you will love them as much as I do.

Every Thomsonite lover looks for a dark eyed beauty. I expect this one to sell fast.

Every Thomsonite lover looks for a dark eyed beauty for their stone jewelry collection.