Category Archives: Michigan Greenstone

Lake Superior Agates, Datolite, and Greenstones on my Workbench.

I just can’t stop cutting Lake Superior Agates; Making
jewelry from them, or digging through my buckets, looking for that perfect jewelry stone.

Big brown eyes islandlakersajlogo

Recently I’ve cut some unusual pieces. One was a very rare Lake Superior Moss Agate. It resembled a Montana Moss Agate, but had banded eyes. I had to play with my photo studio lighting so you can see this detail. Another couple featured red Islands floating in seas of clear Quartz. roundislandlaker2

Lake Superior Agate Pendants are my passion. Enjoy these few additional pieces of eye candy.

Mesnard Datolite with Isle Royale Greenstone.

A few cabochons of Datolite from the Mesnard Mine in Hancock have been sitting on my workbench for a few weeks. I look at gemstones for a while sometimes, and eventually they speak to me and tell me what they want me to do with them! This was the case with the Mesnard Datolite. Sometimes I put off wrapping these because my idea was a bit complicated and I need to be in the right frame of mind to work on them. I’m sure you will love the results, especially with the pair of Greenstone Beads I added to this free-swinging creation. The Mesnard is known for its’ bright pastel colors, but as with most of the old mines, material is scarce and getting harder to find each year.

This is a busy time at Snob Appeal Jewelry. We have taken some time off to make jewelry. In August, we have shows in Eagle Harbor, Copper Harbor, and doing demos at Copper World in Calumet (AKA the best gift store anywhere around Lake Superior). See you there.

laker1

Radial Sagenite Laker.

Made you smile!

A rare Lake Superior Moss Agate (both sides)

Greenstone Pendant Marathon

I especially like the old Isle Royale material.

My fully dressed Greenstone Army.

When we went on our road trip to Tucson via Florida last October, I, of course, took our jewelry. I took also a few hundred Chlorastrolite Greenstone Cabochons. We also took a few cases of random cabs to wrap. I’ll show you some new jewelry from the random cabs later, but right now let’s look at some Michigan Greenstones.

After flattening the backs, they are ready for dopping.

I have to be in the right frame of mind to wrap little Greenstones. I scheduled 4 days and put together 25 new GS Pendants. All of these mini-pendants fit in small 1″ plastic containers. I use custom made mini-tools to work these. The stones range from 1″ to 1 3/4″ diameter. Many of them are from old stones collected on Isle Royale many years ago. A few of them even have pink Thomsonite inclusions, like you see in the top photo.

My little greenstone army standing at attention.

I cannot say that these are easily made, but I do not dislike making them. I know how many people love and wear these miniature gemstones. Many of these pendants will be put up on line, others will be sold at art shows, or at Copper World in Calumet. Often people like to buy just the cabochon and have someone they know make it into a special ring for them. They are a perfect size and can be seen close up when they are in a ring.

Sorting the stones takes place at several stages, looking for the best. As I flatten one side I look for the most promising side to be polished. Then they get glued to nails or dop sticks. I use small nails for the smallest ones and glue them on the heads. Polishing seems to be a production line effort also. I have to be careful with the pressure on the wheels or my little Greenstone shoots off to Neverland. My shop is sort of a Black Hole where many stones disappear. My wife really enjoys when I ask her to search around on the shop floor looking under the workbench for my missing treasure. The whole business of polishing rocks consists of creating mud, and dirt that ends up on the workroom floor. Every once in a while I may find a cabochon I was working on a couple years ago, but I’d rather not lose any valuable Greenstones.

Greenstone cutting and wrapping has ceased at the moment in deference to recent purchases I made in Quartzite, Tucson, and Deming.

It's fun to pick just the right ones for wrapping.

I hope you enjoy my new Greenstone army.

Greenstone, Lake Superior Agates, and Custom Jewelry

I have been working on custom orders that mostly came from shows we did in the Upper Peninsula. These projects are always fun, as customers bring in Agates, Greenstones, and other U.P. rocks with ideas for jewelry.

The sister's Greenstones

After sitting in a drawer for 25 years, a pair of small Greenstones were rescued by Katherine and Judy. The Greenstones were already cut and polished, but needed a little extra work and TLC to bring them up to the standards they deserved. These lively sisters (and long-time customers) brought these stones to me and requested a wrap with “all gold and a fancy top”. A nice size for a Greenstone pendant, they converted into gorgeous jewelry . I love doing jewelry that has sentimental value, and these were not the only pieces of this nature I made this trip.

A custom piece for Nancy. Lake Superior Agate

Our buddy Nancy and her family have been long time lovers of our jewelry. She annually brings Lakers, and other interesting local gemstones, in for me to evaluate and make into pendants or polish. Nancy’s husband found what looked like a rather ordinary Lake Superior Agate (although large for a local stone), but when I cut the stone, it turned out to be a fantastic surprise. The reason the Lake Superior Agate is my favorite gemstone is the wide variations in pattern, colors, and types. The stone Nancy gave me was a mostly white, crack free, laker. I (and Nancy) were delighted with this stone. What makes this one special is the sentimental value that her husband actually found it. A great project. Thanks Nancy.

Shirley's Greenstone Geode. This one 1 3/4" across. I cannot believe someone would glue this in a spoon.

Our long-time friend Shirley has one of the most eclectic collections of my jewelry. She believes in supporting local artists, and loves U.P. rocks and minerals. I have fun sometimes in my shop when I see a certain stone, cut it, and immediately get a feeling that Shirley would like this stone. I make a pendant and when I get to a show where I know Shirley will appear immediately when the show opens, so I hide this special pendant (in plain sight) in my local pendant case. Shirley’s sharp eye and discrimination tastes, invariably spots this special pendant. The next time I see it, it’s around her neck.

This year she found a Greenstone Geode at another booth. The vendor had made a pendant with the stone glued into a spoon. I know, why would anyone do this? Shirley wanted me to free the Greenstone from the spoon and make a pendant from it. I had fun making a big, bold pendant. She likes Big, Bold, Pendants; she was very pleased with the finished results. This is a real one-of-a-kind..

Greenstone in matrix I found at a vendor booth.

The Greenstone pendant I made from that rock.This pendant is almost 3" tall. That's a biggun folks.

I found another Greenstone, entrapped in matrix, at the same vendor’ booths, and made a cash exchange with him. I put together a unisex pendant, and expect to wear it myself until someone makes me an offer I can’t refuse.

Before we went to the Keweenaw, I took a side trip to Canada to look at a rock collection. I bartered jewelry (plus some cash) for some of this large collection. One of the rocks was gorgeous;

A close-up view of a beautiful, odd, mystery rock. If you know what this is, let me know.

green and white in color, and even though it has been posted on the Lapidary Facebook site, no one has positively ID’s it. I made a pendant for John, the collection’s owner, and will make more jewelry in the future. My Facebook friends are hovering to get some of this stuff, but I think I will retain the 7 or 8 slabs I have until it is positively ID’d. It has the chatoyancy of Victoria Stone, and the color and starlike quality of chlorastrolite, but much bigger. Some of the material in this collection was obtained 75 years ago, so no telling what this is. It has been a fun research though.

Bonnie's Garden.

Amethyst in a salmon colored Laker. I called this one "Samethyst"

Our 36th Wedding Anniversary was last month. In honor of that and Bonnie’s love of gardening, I created a U.P. Thomsonite Pendant that I called “Bonnie’s Garden”. It is now in her private collection.

I have to show you a couple Laker’s I recently completed for our inventory. One is a red and white “Candy Striper” which is always a popular color combo, and one a rare Salmon colored Laker with Amethyst. Every amethyst Lake Superior Agate necklace I do sells as soon as I put it out!

It is not too early to start thinking of Christmas, especially if you have custom work for me. Now is the time to get your special stone to me; so I have time to do it justice.

Now is also the time to check out this website for special Christmas gifts.

There is so much happening right now with our business. We have grown every year, and expect 2014 will be no different. We try to treat our customers as friends, and if you order from us, like our website and/or like us on Facebook, you too can be kept up to date on all our adventures and jewelry. Let me know if I can do anything for you.

A "Candy Stripe" Laker with tubes.

Greenstone Hunting Plus Fun and Funny Adventures

Chris Cooper makes a tool he calls a "Slammer". It is much more precise, easier, and lighter than a sledge hammer. I love it.

Our current trip to the Keweenaw Peninsula is fun filled with hunting rocks and gemstones that I can make jewelry from, Wire wrapping demonstrations at our retail outlet, Copper World, in Calumet, and art shows in Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor.

The awesome Copper World

The awesome Copper World hosted me for a couple days, and honestly we were selling jewelry as fast as I could make it. I love chatting with the tourists and locals about Copper Country jewelry and the local rocks and minerals that my pendants are made from. You can always tell the locals (they actually know what Datolite is) and we know many of them that are faithful customers year after year.

Doing my job at CW.

Greenstone (Chlorastrolite) is one of our staples on our website and here in the U.P. We have been concentrating on finding some of this rare gemstone the past couple days, but it is just not easy to find many good gemstones anymore. The good spoil piles from the copper era have been gradually crushed and hauled off for road fill. It is all very depressing. We were signed up this week for a paid hunt at the Central Mine, but it was cancelled because crushers and equipment have been moved in to destroy and remove the piles.

The impossibly rare Blue Datolite from Centennial #2 flies out of the display case at Copper World.

Wouldn't you think there were some Greenstones in this pile of poor rock? They are so hard to fine.

I think these waste piles are an historic treasure in the Keweenaw, and when they are gone, so is the history of them. The Seaman Mineral Museum (Michigan’s Official State Mineral Museum) sponsors hunts this week in an event called the Copper Country Mineral Retreat. We pay for heavy equipment to stir up the piles we have rented from the landowners. Treasures in them are then searched out.

This little bag of Greenstone suspects might produce a couple good ones.

Jacob's Falls

Also we went to the Jam Pot, a bakery run by the Monks (yes real Monks), between Eagle Harbor and Eagle River. We got there at 2pm, thinking there would be a good selection left..NOT. They were pretty much sold out of all their famous, big, tasty muffins. I have withdrawls for Carrot Raisin Muffins. Bonnie found sone Hermit Cookies and some Apricot Muffins, and I found the amazingly decadent rum soaked brownies with raisins and nuts. Right next door is a waterfall (Jacobs Falls) that you can walk over and appreciate.

The strangest thing that happened thus far: I swear this is true: We see a day glow sign advertising a yard sale. There was so much writing on it you would have had to stop in the road and spend 10 minutes reading the fine print. Bonnie saw the word “Copper” so we headed down the road where the sign pointed. Possible error in judgement after 5 miles. What the hell. let’s see where this goes. After 10 miles we see the sister day glow sign on a pole and a front yard landscape comprised of lots of random scrap metal things. The sign had printed (scribbled) on the bottom: (entry fee $2)..If you buy something you get your $2 back. Only in the U.P. has there ever been an entry fee to a yard sale. I spent $4 worth of gas to get there. I should have stopped and charged him $2 to make us even. I think I go up after dark and add a sign that says, “Entry fee ONLY $2”. By the way, I turned around in his drive and back to town we went.

We’ll probably get out today for some hunting and back to Copper World tomorrow. Come see me if you are up here. The adventures continue..stand by.

Greenstone, Datolite, and Michigan Wire Wrapped Jewelry

In preparation for upcoming shows in the Upper Peninsula I have been working on some U.P. Gemstones and Jewelry.

Centennial Blue Datoite (and one from the Isle Royal Mine)

First was the cutting of very rare blue Datolite for the Centennial Mine north of Calumet. The mine hoist is still there, but the piles are gone and Centennial #2 is completely flooded. Any Datolite still found from this mine has been hoarded from the 60’s.

Blue Centennial generally contains microscopic grains of copper shining through the blue Datolite. Over the last few years Centennal Blue has been almost impossible to buy from anyone.

Copper Included Datolite is very popular in the U.P.

I’ve been holding on to assorted Datolite containing Copper Inclusions. I finally cut and polished the majority of the pieces I have. These always make popular jewelry for my Upper Michigan customers. Even those snobbish jewelry buyers love Datolite with Copper.

Copper Datolite with Greenstone...BAM!!!

Could it be a new ring?

I also cut three remarkable little Cabochons for a future ring for myself. The ring will sport a Yellow Keweenaw Point Datolite with copper, A Copper Agate from the Kearsarge Lode, and a copper Included Greenstone. This ring will be over the top when it is finished. I’ve got to cut the wax for the ring and I have a friend that will cast it for me. Notice the “Thumbs Up” from the Yellow Datolite.

We’re headed up north for rock hunting and shows shortly. Check our home page for upcoming events. It’s always fun for us to see all our friends in the Keweenaw. Come see us at Copper World in Calumet and art shows in Eagle harbor and Copper Harbor or on a rockpile nearby.

A Lake Superior Agate of the "Paint" variety was a quick sell off our Facebook Page.

Greenstone Bonnie

Bonnie was the Greenstone Queen on a recent collecting trip to the Keweenaw.

The Greenstone Queen hold some of her best ones.

I was scheduled to demonstrate wire-wrapping for a couple days at the awesome Copper World in Calumet. I really enjoy making jewelry and visiting with customers, many of them old friends after purchasing Snob Appeal Jewelry over the years. Bonnie went digging Michigan Greenstones (chlorastrolite) while I was busy at CW.

You never know what you have when it comes to Greenstones in the rough. She did dig up quite a few suspects. We went out together the next day and she again out-hunted me.

The spoil piles where we used to just find nice Greenstones left and right are mostly gone, being crushed up for road fill. Right now much of the crushed rock is being used for logging operations. Isle Royale Greenstones, particularly good ones, are getting much harder to find every year. We are just thankful we still have some for sale. I have also noted that these rare Gemstones are not only popular in the Upper Peninsula, but we have sold them to customers in several States. I think some savvy people are noting that these little green beauties are one of the most extraordinary gemstones on earth.

Here is the almost finished Greenstone.

I came home and cut out stones. Most were small with varying quality. Bonnie did find one Quarter sized stone that had a thin, but perfectly patterned layer. I carefully worked this stone to develop its’ pattern. Cutting Greenstones is exceptionally challenging. You have to know precisely when to stop or you will cut right through the pattern. There is a razor thin line between a perfect cut and a worthless stone. Slow and careful is the secret.

After a slight re-cut for balance, I finished this one. Pretty nice!

I ended up with a very fine, chatoyant beauty, of 4 grams. The biggest Greenstone she has ever found, and a real showpiece.

I re-cut the cab slightly to make it more uniform, than wrapped it in Pink Gold and Gold Gold. The Greenstone’s huntress was very happy.

I also found two very large Greenstones with Pink Prehnite inclusions that I purchased. These two stones came off Isle Royale between 1932 and 1942, before Isle Royale was a National Park.

At 8 grams each, these are museum sized beauties with a good story. You seldom find anything like this anymore.

I was told that the area where these were found is buried under a path that the National Park created. The stones were found by a family that rented cabins on the island back in the day. Somebody is going to acquire some nice Isle Royale Greenstone jewelry when I wrap these.

Bonnie done those Greenstones proud. You gotta love a woman that doesn’t mind getting dirty, and looks good doing it.

Not much of a city anymore, but hopping during the Copper Era.

Mohawkite, Domeykite, and Algodonite

As I look at these names, I think what an unfriendly sounding bunch of names. I make natural stone jewelry out of this? How about calling it Silver Bullet or Shining Golden Bridal Stone? Instead this mineral has a name that reminds me of a donkey.

Gold Ore or Mohawkite? A real fooler.

Mohawkite was/is one of many local names for a copper ore comprised of Copper and Arsenide. The two primary Copper Arsenides in the Copper Country are Algodonite (Cu6As) and Domeykite (Cu3As). Between 1900 and 1901, 105 metric tons of Mohawkite were taken from the Mohawk Mine. Enormous masses of Algodonite also came out of the Ahmeek Mines. This area is on the north end of the Kearsarge Lode.

A silvery slab of Mohawkite. Siver coloration in probably due to high Nickel content.

I have sort of a love-hate relationship with any of these Arsenides. Allow me to explain my love-hate relationship with Mohawkite. Mohawkite is a local name for a mixture of Algodonite and Arsenian Copper found in the Mohawk and Ahmeek area Copper Mines. This material has been called many names in the past, and even today we hear solid pieces of Mohawkite called “Butchite”, another example of a local moniker.

Iridescent Mohawkite. The picture does not do this justice with it's metallic reds and Cobalt Blues.

While I love all the Keweenaw Mining District stones, like Greenstone, Datolite, and Prehnite, I dislike working with Mohawkite or any other Copper Arsenide. After cutting Mohawkite I seal the material using a lenghthy procedure I’ve developed over the years. After any Mohawkite cabochon is sealed it becomes perfectly safe in normal use.

What I do love about these Copper Arsenides is they are absolutely gorgeous. When this arsenide is intermixed with white Quartz, the effect is amazing. It makes beautiful jewelry, and has this ability to be, and look, like several other things. For example, it’s a real fooler when the golden Mohawkite couples with the white Quartz. You would swear it is Gold Ore from California. Customers love the jewelry I make from Mohawkite, and because it is found nowhere else on earth, it is another keepsake from the Copper Country that is totally unique. I suspect that the amount of Nickel, Cobalt, or other trace minerals in the Mohawkite causes some of this stone to remain stable in color, while others change to gold. The Arsenides are the cause of the iridescent phenomenon. I have found that in stones that contain a high level of Arsenides, the color change is almost instantaneous.

By sealing the stone, any potential toxicity is eliminated. The possibility of the stone tarnishing is prevented by my sealing process also. I think of Mohawkite as a Chamelion of sorts. When I get a cabochon shaped, I never know how it will react to oxygen. I cut some today that became iridescent within 5 minutes. I wanted a golden color so I went back and re-ground off the rainbow. The metal was silver in color when it came off the grinder. I put the cabs in water, and rushed them to my sealing area. I rapidly removed them from water, dried them. When I wiped them dry, they immediately changed to a golden color. I sealed them in time to inhibit them from changing to iredescent colors. I did leave several cabs to for a few minutes and sealed them when they rainbowed.

You see very few people making jewelry from Mohawkite, but I love the unusual look of it, and we sell many pieces of it. After my sealing process, the stone is perfectly docile and safe to wear.

My Mohawkite jewelry is popular at Copper World in Calumet, Michigan, I also sell this material on line. Mohawkite is challenging to find anymore, but occasionally I stumble over a good piece while exploring the piles. Remember that these Mohawkite mines are all on private property and should not be hunted without permission.

We specialize in jewelry made from rocks and minerals of Michigan, and Mohawkite is one I love to hate. You on the other hand will love it, especially when you get all those complements.

Snob Appeal Jewelry-The Good and the Bad

April 11^th was so good, yet so bad.

One of our new shirts. Pretty sharp I think.

I picked up new Snob Appeal Jewelry Logo shirts today from our favorite business apparel manufacturer, Alfies, in Traverse City. We will be looking sharp at all our shows this year. (Good News)

Defrosting April 12th.

On the way home it started to rain and freeze, and fortunately I made it home before all the roads really fell apart. As I write this on April 12^th all the roads are iced and all the schools are closed. We are expecting 10″ of snow tonight and tomorrow; “Inconceivable” This means a good jewelry making, sit by the wood stove, watch TV (unless the power goes off), type day. (Good and bad)

After I got home I checked the E-mail and found a wonderful note from a new customer in California that recently bought an Isle Royale Greenstone Pendant:

Don and Bonnie,

Just wanted to let you know that I received the Baby Alligator Greenstone Pendant yesterday and absolutely love it!

My family is from northern Michigan and both Grandfathers worked at the Calcite Plant in Rogers City. My Mother was an avid rock hound which rubbed off on me. Family lore is that my Dad’s paternal Great Grandmother was the first white woman to be buried on Isle Royale. The greenstone from Isle Royale is, for me, a remembrance of this family member.

I found your website while looking for Petosky stones, and am enjoying your interesting blog.

Thank you for your quick response in filling my order. I will definitely be back for more.

Andree

Andree’s testimonial was wonderful, and represents the feedback we always get. I cannot remember that one of our customers has ever been disappointed with what they purchased on the Internet. You can read more feedback in the “Testimonials” section on our home page.

Royal Imperial Jasper. I'll remember this as the one I broke my favorite pliers while making it.

I had an inspiration today for a couple Royal Imperial Jasper cabochons I cut after I got back from Tucson. While wire wrapping this complicated pendant I broke my long-time favorite wire wrapping pliers. While pinching wire together I heard a loud “SNAP”, looked down, and saw shockingly saw one of the jaws broken right off. These were an irreplaceable pair of pliers I bought years ago, made of Damascus Steel, and just the right size. I would give anything to have them back, having made over a thousand jewelry pieces with them. (Bad) My intentions are to find someone that can make custom pliers and duplicate this set.

Made me cry. Broke after over 1000 pieces of jewelry.

The pliers broke in the middle of making the aforementioned Jasper pendant, so I continued with another pair. After 15 years of using the same pliers, you develop a “feel” for them, naturally gripping your wire perfectly. I was not used to the new pliers and they slipped off a wire and cut my thumb. (Bad) (OUCH!). Ok, bandaid and back to work.

I finished the pendant, and it turned out perfectly.

One of my best buddies, John, gave me a geode cab to make a pendant for him a while back, and I have found I put it somewhere safe and cannot locate it. (Bad) While looking for this cab today, I located three trays of my best Greenstone cabs that have been missing since I came back from Tucson. (Really good) Many of these stones were from Isle Royale from years ago. Now I have to catch up on wrapping these.

Greenstone/Thomsonite from Isle Royale.

I also have purchased several nice Greenstone Cabs from an old collection in the U.P. I cabbed them and made a very nice pendant. Greenstone and Thomsonite combinations instantly sell, and especially ones that were actually found on the island years ago like this one. Greenstones from Isle Royale are commonly lighter green with finer patterns than most from the Keweenaw, and are very coveted. (Good)

I am hopeful that only good things happen today.

Greenstones on the Workbench

Isle Royale Greenstones (Chlorastrolite) are so striking with their stunning chatoyancy and handsome alligator-like pattern. People think of diamonds as rare, when, in fact, they are artificially scarce due to lack of free market sales and cartel controls.

A recent batch of Greenstones and Thomsonite turned out to be amazing. This photo has not been enhanced. I'm thinking poster!

Michigan Greenstones on the other hand are a one-source gemstone. Nowhere else in the world are Greenstones found other than in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula and on Isle Royale National Park, where they are illegal to harvest. Chosen as Michigan’s State Gem, the Greenstone represents Michigan uniqueness due to this limited accessibility, but also means it is not well known outside of Michigan residents. In fact many outside of the Upper Peninsula are not familiar with it! Having said that, we are amazed at the wide range of locations across the country that order our Greenstone jewelry and cabochons for jewelry.

Recent depletion of many of the mine waste piles in the Keweenaw to use as road fill is making the Greenstone supply even scarcer. Two of my all-time favorite piles are gone now. There are very few, non-private waste piles still available for the Rock enthusiast to pick up a Michigan Greenstone. Not all piles are worthy of seeking Greenstones in. I expect a big spike in the Greenstone prices over next five years. Now is the time to buy Greenstones, especially quality ones with good patterns and coloration.

This "Michigan Miracle" Pendant is one of our popular used of Isle Royale Greenstone. Also included in this one is Datolite, Lake Superior Agate, and Jasperlite.

Our Greenstone Pendants and Greenstone cabochons are very popular and we continue to sell both on line and at art shows. I cannot say I am the largest Greenstone dealer in the U.S., but I am one of a handful of large volume dealers. I cut all my own stones. I find stones and purchase quality stones from other miners.

Michigan’s State Gemstone should be on everyone’s bucket list. You will never regret having and wearing these lovely and rare treasures.

I have been working up greenstones I just brought back from the Keweenaw, and today I have to dop up another hundred for the lapidary work. Some of these recent stones are absolute killers. I’m going back UP in the next few weeks and I’m going to search for a rumored secret spot to dig Greenstones. Unfortunately the old guy that told me the general area where he used to dig Greenstone has passed away. This will be a treasure hunt for sure.

Be assured I WILL BE watching my rearview mirror to see if YOU are following me.

Greenstone from the Junkpile

I promised you something special on May Day, and here it is.

I have a BVD (Better View Desired) pile in my shop. Rocks that I’m just not sure of, as well as gemstones that need further time-consuming work go into that pile. Stones that are without promise go in the trash bucket, but when they don’t look real promising, I’ll give them a toss in the BVD pile. When I’m feeling patient, I pick through that pile for something to work on.

I placed several possible Greenstones in that pile a few months ago, and today I re-discovered my BVD pile under some other material. I decided to have a little fun and see what I could make out of the BVD pile.

I immediately discovered a large Greenstone that had a small patch of pattern. The rim of the Greenstone showed mostly Calcite. Experience told me that Calcite could be a good sign, or then again maybe not. Calcite often means copper in it. Some of the finest copper crystals are found embedded in Calcite.

When you have Calcite you have to be extra careful. Calcite can sometimes be fragile, and at other times it is very solid.

As I carefully proceeded into the stone, I noticed that fine Greenstone appeared just on the outer layer of the Calcite gradually appearing under the stone’s dark green crust. A beautiful unusual stone began to emerge from an ugly duckling. Greenstone is very striking on pure white Calcite, and this one has fabulous contrast. As a bonus, I noticed that the Calcite was accented with fine copper particles. I love how my close-up photo shows the copper.

Close-up detail reveals fine copper within the calcite.

This is what makes rock collecting and lapidary so satisfying–every stone has it’s own look. This one is WOW!!!

Another amazing Greenstone-I'm So lucky!

The finished Greenstone ended up being a 5.4 gram beauty, one inch tall and about 3/4 inches wide; the largest Greenstone I’ve cut in a while. I was so thrilled about this Greenstone, I wire-wrapped it right away. Gold with a bit of twisted silver was the perfect choice. The regal looking wire top is an ideal enhancement to this beautiful and scarce gemstone. The first person that saw it now owns this dream, so if you want your own greenstone, browse our pendants or cabuchons.