Granite is one of the most commonly found rocks in many areas of the world. Because of its innate strength, beauty, and variety, it is also one of the most popular rocks for amateur collectors and for decorative use in building. Many similar rock types are often described as ‘granite’ but there is actually a …
One of the most common frustrations we have as rock collectors is identifying the cool rocks we find. It’s fun to discover a cool-looking rock and add it to your collection, but it can often be difficult to know exactly what it is you’ve found. I have found that there aren’t a lot of great …
Dopping a stone with wax is a valuable skill for any lapidary artist to learn. It will result in your cabochons being better overall finished products while saving your fingers from needless wear and tear. While the general idea of dopping your cabochon with wax is simple, it can feel daunting at first. I’ll share …
Making cabochons out of rocks is a great way to show off their inherent beauty and take your enjoyment of them to an entirely new level. Whether you’re making the cabochons for jewelry or as stand-alone pieces, a well-polished cab of a unique-looking rock is a striking piece of artwork. I recently started making cabochons …
Collecting rocks and minerals is an extremely popular hobby and a fantastic way to explore the outdoors. Invariably, one of the first questions that aspiring rockhounds ask is where to find cool specimens to add to their growing collection. It seems like such a basic question, but it isn’t always easily answered. The search for …
So, you’re looking for a gift for that rock lover in your life but aren’t sure what to get them. You might be thinking that rock and mineral collecting is just walking around looking for pretty rocks – what could they possibly need to help with that? Or maybe they’ve been actively rockhounding for years …
If you’ve been collecting rocks and minerals for any considerable amount of time, you’ve probably accumulated quite a few specimens. Whenever I find or purchase a new specimen I know I like to take it home, admire it, and probably put it on display. It’s easy to think that you’ll always remember everything about your …
Agates are some of the most popular rocks for collectors, and it’s easy to see why. These semiprecious stones are highly desirable for their unique ring patterns and their variety of colors. They are also some of the most highly sought after rocks for rock tumbling hobbyists (myself included) because of how amazing they look …
There are so many cool rocks and minerals to collect it’s hard to know where to start. No matter how big my own collection gets there is always something else out there that could make it just a little better. If you’re searching for some inspiration for your own collection, you’ve come to the right …
Finding a rock that you think may contain gold is an exciting experience. Maybe you’ve noticed some gold colored flecks or banding or it’s heavier than you would have expected. In any case, if you’ve found a rock that potentially contains gold the next step is to run some tests and verify. Testing a rock …