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Direct Links to popular gemstones and cabochons:
Amazonite
Opals, Boulder
Parrot Wing Understand mm sizes: Quick guide: 1" = 25mm 1/2"=13mm 1/4"=6.5mm Change can help: 1 quarter= 24.2 mm 1 dime= 18mm Both coins: 42mm |
On this page: Brazilian Fossilized Tree Fern Crystalline Coral Crinoids Baltic Amber Pyritized Ammonites Brazilian Fossil Tree Fern Tree ferns can still be found growing today, and once you've seen one, you won't forget it: Massive yet graceful, these tree-sized plants have thick trunklike bases from which sprout huge fronds of ferny "branches." Ancient tree ferns were colossal giants, and these fossil beauties from Brazil are very rare. What makes them special? Well, fossils generally sport muted colors--greys, browns, tans, and blacks. That's why these Tree Fern fossils are so exciting: They come in a variety of colors, and lapidarist Greg King has cut them in relatively thin, elegant, flat-faced slices that are strong enough to set but still show off their folded patterning and allow light to penetrate the natural holes found in many of them. I've organized them according to color so that you can match pendants and earrings. Please note the thicknesses on these. Stones that are less than 4mm thick have flat tops, while those thicker than 4mm have the usual rounded tops. Earring pairs are generally light in weight. Unless otherwise noted, they have satin-finish backs.
FS627 $84.00
FS628 $38.00
FS629 $80.00
FS630 $92.00
FS631 $58.00
FS632 $44.00
FS633 $36.00
FS634 $34.00
FS635 $48.00
FS636 $90.00
FS637 $110.00
FS639 $90.00
FS638 $78.00
FS641 $92.00
FS640 $84.00
FS642 $60.00
FS644 $98.00
FS645 $90.00
FS646 $46.00
FS647 $62.00
FS648 $70.00
FS649 $50.00
Crystalline Coral The Ohio River Valley is home to some wonderful fossils, and these amazing pieces come from Ohio as well. According to fossil restorer and expert Marc Behrendt, the sparkling, segmented spaces are actually a species of Devonian-Age Fossilized Coral, surrounded by weathered limestone. It is similar to the coral that composes Petoskey Stone, except that Petoskey Stone looks at the coral in cross-section, and here, the supporting structures of the coral animals are shown longitudinally. More of these open, crystal-lined segments can be found on the unpolished reverse sides of these pieces. Master lapidarist Keith Horst cut these with a generous thickness, so they will be strong enough for setting. However, the individual panels dividing the coral segments are somewhat delicate, so they are not meant for heavy-wear jewelry. Please note sizes: Some of these are big.
FS574 $70.00
FS576 $60.00
FS577 $60.00
FS580 $38.00
FS581 $36.00
Crinoids
Crinoids are lovely and graceful-looking sea creatures
that resemble fern-like plants but are really animals. Commonly called sea
lilies, they're Echinoderms, relatives of sea urchins and starfish, and they are
one of Nature's success stories, having been around for 530 million years.
Ancient Crinoids sported feathery arms sprouting from a stalk anchored on the
ocean floor, while their modern descendants mostly don't have stalks. Their soft
, filter-feeding bodies are supported by a framework calcium carbonate segments
called ossicles, and it's the ossicles that you see in these fossils.
These are such fun stones, with a Mardi Gras of entertaining images sprinkled
like confetti through every piece. All have satin-finish backs. And no, even
though it might look like it, Crinoids don't have teeth!
FS500 $24.00
FS494 $18.99 Sorry, Sold!
FS416 $22.00
FS423 $18.99
Baltic Amber If you've ever been out in a juniper-pinyon pine woodland in the West, leaned against a tree trunk and accidentally got tree sap on your hands or clothes, you will know what I mean when I say that it's the stickiest substance in Nature. This sap is the trees' natural defense against insect attack. Well, 40 million years ago, that same type of sap found on trees in Eastern Europe became fossilized, and the result is one of the most wonderful organic gems: Amber. I've had a difficult time obtaining amber cabochons because the artisans in Poland, Lithuania, and other countries where amber is found, like to keep the stones for their own jewelry work. But during this past Tucson show, I was able to obtain these beautiful pieces, each of which is unique with its own mix of plant matter caught inside. These are polished on all sides. Please remember that Amber is a relatively soft stone, and not really suitable for heavy wear items.
FS516 $27.50
FS517 $22.50
FS524 $14.00
FS525 $18.50
FS526 $18.00
FS530 $22.00
Pyritized Ammonites If you love druzy and you love fossils, these are simply breathtaking. These 130-140 million-year-old creatures lived at the end of the Mezozoic Period, about 150 km outside of Moscow. Ammonites are found all over the world, but these special ammonites are found only in Russia. Instead of being filled with stone as most ammonites are, the shells are hollow and lined with pyrite druzy, some of it in natural rainbow colors. The backs of the pieces are the actual shells, some of them iridescent, others still coated with ancient mother of pearl. These are relatively delicate, so if you are planning to set these, we ask that you take a look at the care and usage note below. Note: The backs on all of these are natural, so they are all curved. To see a photo of typical backs, go to the care and usage note. Pyritized Ammonite Slices
When I first saw these, I was amazed: These are
cross-section slices of large ammonite fossils, filled with silvery pyrite druzy,
framed in shiny silver pyrite. They are about an inch and a half long, and a
third of an inch thick, surrounded by a slightly concave outer rim that is
perfect for a bezel strip or wire. They seem quite sturdy, and some have shiny
silver pyrite backs, while others feature more druzy on the reverse.
FS398 $130.00 open front, mostly closed silver back
FS399 $130.00 open front and back with lots of druzy visible on the reverse
FS403 $100.00 closed shiny back, more silver on front
FS404 $100.00 open front, mostly closed silver back
Sliced Ammonites Sorry, sold out for now. Each of these is a full ammonite fossil, sliced in half. The backs are the actual fossilized shell. These are more like shell than stone in terms of strength, so extra care has to be taken in setting them (see below). Ordering options. PLEASE READ BEFORE ORDERING: Price increases and limited availability of these stones dictate that they be sold individually. If you want the pair, simply order both the right and left halves. Due to our extremely limited supply, we ask that each individual customer order no more than two halves each (either one full pair, or one half of two different pairs).
Working with Pyritized Ammonites
These pyritized ammonites are just stunning in person. But it requires some finesse to set them so that they will be permanently protected. PMC artist and educator Bridgette L. Rallo of The Greenwoods Studio has created the lovely ammonite necklace above. She made and pre-fired a setting for the ammonite that protects it but allows a peek of the shell back. Click on photos to see details. Whether you are a metalsmith
or PMC specialist, the most important thing would be to make a seat for the
stone so that it is not torqued or placed under differential pressures. It also
would be good to protect the edges against getting chipped. These Pyritized Ammonites are the only stones on our website that we can't guarantee against breakage once they have safely arrived on your doorstep. Just how delicate are these? Well, if you drop one on a tile floor or into a sink, it will probably break. But that's possible with many stones. These ammonites are stronger than they look, but my guess is that if you applied enough pressure, you could crack one of them apart in your hands. So, these stones are not suitable for wire-wrapping or being drilled. But for the seasoned metalsmith, these beauties are well worth the challenge. We welcome input from our other artists on additional ways to set these astounding stones. Previous page: Fossil Gems Next page: Greens General information and directory: Designer Gems To check what you've put in your shopping cart, click:
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Heart of Stone Studio Gemstones
Cabochons
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