Category Archives: Copper Country Jewelry

Jewelry Made during a Hurricane

Winters in Florida are usually very pleasant.. Recently we had to deal with the uncertainty of Tropical Storm (later Cat 1 Hurricane) Nicole, as it hit the east coast of Florida. While “sheltering in place”, I had the opportunity to create some Pendants while watching the Weather Channel.

“**Windy Beach” was created while storm force winds shook ou**r RV. You can actually see some of the flying pieces of Spanish Moss. **This “Moss” was everywhere.** **It’s not really moss, but you can look it up on line if you wish.** **Owyhee Picture Jasper.**

It seemed like forever for this storm to finally make landfall in south Florida. Fortunately this was well south of us, but we did feel the effects in Jacksonville, with storm surge, beach erosion and two days of steady rain and wind. Owning a big RV gives us some feeling of security. If the power goes off, we still have a generator, in case it’s needed. We have water and food; we have each other. For “medicinal purposes’ we have adult beverages in the fridge. The locals say it’s no big deal, unless mandatory evacuations are ordered (in which case we pack up and move the house). Luckily November hurricanes have been uncommon.

A beautiful Petoskey Stone pendant in Rose Gold and Argentium Sterling was named “Gray Skies” The large species reminded me of Nicole, a very large storm. A slight maroon tinge adds rarity to this particular species (Hexagonaria Anna). Anna is one of the two largest species of Hexagonaria. Anna is an unusual find, especially a perfectly patterned specimen with coloration..

**This very unusual Painted Lake Superior Agate sported a blue-gray base with orange blotches. I called this “Weather Radar**“. **It resembled the** **some of the radar images on the Weather Channel.**

**This striking Pudding Stone brought to mind the “Scattered Debris” left behind by Nicole.**

**“Coming Ashore” seemed the perfect name for this Lake Superior Amethyst Laker.**

**This Michipicoten Agate was aptly named “Storm Surge”**.

Rain for two solid days, and steady 45 MPH winds shook the RV. We pulled the slides in and hunkered down. It was an especially good time to make up some hurricane jewelry. I was not rushed or stressed, but I was inspired to create some storm related jewelry art. This also took my mind off of the remote posssibilty of Biblical flooding, or a tree falling on the bus. Fortunately the latter never happened, but great pieces of jewelry were created. I decided to give each piece a Storm-related name.

**Some of our “Snowbird” jewelry. These Pendants are a cross between Florida and** **the** **Great Lakes region**. Michigan’s State Gemstone, the Isle Royale Greenstone, and a lovely Eyed Thomsonite, From Superior’s North Shore, are “hatched” in common Cockle Shells, from Florida Beaches (or what’s left of Florida Beaches). Our 5 year old Granddaughter only brings me the best Cockle’s she finds.

All my new “Hurricane” jewelry will be available on this website, or available in our show inventory. If you call us, We can help you obtain any of these pendants. If a pendant is posted on one of our websites, it will link when you “click” on the picture.

Float COPPER is Amazing Sometimes

An amazing Float Copper Cabochon, with a perfect Quartz Crystal inside, inspired me to wrap up a great pendant. This pendant is named “Float Copper Marvel”.

A close up of the included Quartz Crystal included in my piece of Float Copper.

Another picture of the Crystal under different lighting.

Quite a few years back, at the Tucson Gem & Mineral shows, I, as usual, checked in with my friend Ken Flood. Ken owns Keweenaw Gem & Gifts in Houghton. We go back a long way, and he knows I enjoy making jewelry from the rare and unusual Rocks & Minerals from the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Ken sells multiple Keweenaw products that his business manufactures. Ken said he had something special for me to look at. He produced a quantity of Float Copper Cabochons with beautiful Quartz inclusions. I have never seen such unusual Float Copper. He has a special wire saw that he uses to cut Float Copper. You need this special saw, as pure Copper really gums up the normal Lapidary saws. Normal Lapidary saw blades produce so much heat they tend to warp.

Usually Float Copper pure native copper, but in these special pieces it contained Quartz; some gorgeous Crystals. It was a surprise when to find this Quartz in the copper.

For those that do not know, Float Copper is copper that was ripped from copper-bearing basalt by the Glaciers thousand of years ago, then transported in the glacial till (floated) and deposited in other locations, usually not far from the source.

From many years ago–my buddy Chris Cooper. I told Chris to check a newly logged property in the Keweenaw for Float Copper. Chris headed out and within 10 minutes I heard a “YELP”! He came out and lo and behold, his first piece of “Float”

Here is Chris’ Keweenaw treasure all cleaned up.

The world record, 19 ton piece of Float Copper at the AE Seaman Mineral Museum.

Today, diligent searching with metal detectors, sometimes yields these transported pieces of copper. Smaller chunks are normally sold as specimens to rockhounds. Sometimes the Float Copper is very massive in size. The official Guinness World Record Float Copper specimen is 19 tons and resides at the AE Seaman Mineral museum (Michigan’s Official stare Mineral Museum) on the campus of Michigan Tech in Houghton.

Quartz Garden Pendant-Quartz Crystals in Float Copper.

I have wire wrapped a couple of the cabs I acquired from Ken. One has a group of Quartz Crystals we call “Quartz Garden”, and one has a beautiful single Quartz Crystal. Completion of this pair or pendants has been a long time coming. I’m so pleased with these.

Visit our Copper Jewelry

You can find our Copper Agate Pendants, Copper Stone Pendants, and other Copper related stones such as Greenstone, or Datolite.

Wire-wrapped Pendant–Best of 2020

Some meticulous wire artistry enhanced beautiful Keweenaw treasures.

2020 brought many challenges to all of us. For me, self-isolation brought the opportunity to focus on my craft; with more time to create some special pendants. Jewelry making takes my mind off these trying times. I always try to improve my work, even though, people say, I’m a fairly skillful and competent wire artist.

Recently a “major” pendant was created from a combination of inspiration, a dream, and the need for a challenge. If a piece of jewelry takes me several hours of total focus (with coffee breaks), over three days, that’s a “Major” pendant.

Can I pull this off? Until a multi-piece pendant is created, the answer is “Maybe”. When the project turns out as you envision it, or better in this case, I feel satisfied and worthy. I know all the mind-challenging work was worth the effort. Bonnie knows when I am in “the zone” I am so totally focused, everything except the piece of art is blacked out. The Zone was active on this work of art, for sure. She does not come near me when I’m in “the Zone”, but she knows something good will result.

Deciding on Color and Shape

Let us talk about the procedure end result, shall we? Four totally different Keweenaw rocks and Minerals were chosen for their coloration. PINK was my choice; so every piece was associated with the color pink. In my mind was projected a three-piece pendant with amazing colors, textures, and shapes; eligant in detail.

The top stone selected was a banded Lake Superior Agate, with beautiful pink waves of banding, some shadow effect. In some Lakers the banding is very fine and the bands are close together. When you move these agates in the sun or in bright light, the shadow of one band is cast on the adjacent band. Since there are many bands casting their shadows on their adjacent bands, you get a shadow effect. The agate in the pendant has some “Shadow” for sure. Lake Superior Agates, as many of you know, are my favorite Gemstones. I cut a lot of “Lakers”, but not often one with so much rich class. It just screamed for attention, and made the top tier.

The middle of the pendant is Firebrick. Firebrick formed from the Copper smelting operations in the Keweenaw. The smelters were made from brick when they were built. Over the years Copper vapors and molten copper permiated into the brick walls of the smelter and replaced all the material in the bricks except the Quartz/Silica. That is why you see small white specks in the Firebrick; the Quart resisted permeation.

The bottom stone is a stunning pink-hued Datolite from the Mesnard mine on the Quincy Hill in Handcock. The small Mesnard Datolite needed to step up in order to fight the bigger cabochons in the top. I added a pair of Isle Royale Greenstons with pink Thomsonite inclusions, making the Datolite more than equal to the other two cabochons up above it. My personal opinion (shared by others) is that there are only two true precious gemstones in Michigan, Isle Royale Greenston (Michigan’s Official State Gemstone), and Datolite.

The Michigan Quarter allows you to see the finisned size. I was very happy with my work.

The stones being selected instigated the shapes required. Datolite, Greenstone, and Lake Superior Agates can all be polished to a glass finish, but the Firebrick required a proprietary industrial Epoxy coating. This coating protcts the Firebrick from tarnishing, and adds a glass finish like the other two stones in the pendant.

Engineering the Pendant

Each of the three major parts of the pendant “swing” individually from the others. If all three were wrapped as one piece, they become very stiff and just don’t have that pizzazz required. The pendant will move with the wearer.

The top and the bottom stones are elegantly wrapped in double 14kt gold fill, while the Firebrick is enhanced by a double gold fill Pink Gold. The pink gold brings out the Copper in the Firebrick. Who says a piece of jewelry has to be one single type of precious metal?

Happy Results

Now, several hours later, the results made me smile; Bonnie approved, and this Major art work was complete. I named this pendant KEWEENAW SPLENDOR

I’m hopeful some lucky person will find this one in their stocking.

A Snob Appeal Christmas

Happy New Year everyone.

Are you wondering what Snob Appeal Jewelry Christmas gifts were delivered by Santa this year?

In this blog I wanted to show you what some special people got for Christmas. At our house all the girls received special Abalone Shell Pendants accompanied by the singing of “It’s an Abalone Christmas” to the tune of “It’s a Holly Jolly Christmas”.

It’s an Abalone Christmas, and a great time of the year. Everybody have an Abalone Christmas; this year.

This was great fun!

New Zealand’s famous Paua Shells are arguably the most beautiful and colorful mother of pearl available. You have to wear a mask when cutting these, as the fumes they emit are very toxic. I learned the hard way a few years ago.. I discover this shell shard in the bottom of a bucket of rocks that I had no idea where they came from. A nice surprise I saved for Bonnie.

My favorite girl (aka Bonnie) did not receive an Abalone, but did get a Paua Shell pendant. I consider these beautiful shells, the Cadillac of shells becaue of their fantastic pastel colors and amazing pearlescents. I read recently that the Maori people believe they see the symbolic eyes of ancestors gazing down from the night sky.

Bonnie also got a special pendant from Santa. I have saved the stones for a few years, waiting for the right time to make it and the inspiration. Both of these stones are super special. First comes a three gram Michigan Greenstone from the Phoenix Mine with a fantastic pattern, and second, probably the most fantastically colored yellow Keweenaw Point Datolite, I’ve ever seen. When you say “Canary Yellow”, this one exceeds that description. The best “Points” are found by diving off the tip of the Keweenaw.

WOW! The jewelry makers’s wife owns this beauty.

The pendant is a two-piece unit where the bottom swings from the top. The wrapping was a challenge, but the results were worth it. My jewelry model loved it, and it was one of the first Christmas gift jewelry pieces that was a real surprise for her.

Since we offer the best Michigan Chlorastrolite Greenstones on the web, we sell many of them. Here are some pictures of a few pendants that are being worn by customers wives and girlfriends.

It seems that the Gemstone pendants chosen were very diverse this year. Here are a few of those. We have heard from several happy gifters and giftees.

First, here’s a new 2020 pendant for sale, Remarkable Couple, just off the workbench. A Blue Datolite from the Isle Royale Mine. The Isle Royale cosisted of 14 shafts located in Houghton County (top of the hill past the present day Walmart). Most people associate blue Datolite with the Centennial Mine, but there were other mines that also had blue. This Datolite made friends with a nice North Shore Thomsonite.

This was a wierd Fordite that I was inspired to do some creating cutting and wrapping on. A Century Boat Paint from Manistee, I refered to this one as “The Alien”. A whimsical favorite around here, it became a Christmas gift to a lucky lady.

A pair representing many Greenstones sold this year as Christmas gifts. The left one is one I found at the Central mine years ago, and the right one is boitrioidal and filled with copper. I’m not sure where I found this one; but both have happy new homes. WOW!

Teepee Canyon Agates are close relatives of Fairburn Agates. Arguably they are Fairbun Agates that are still in their matrix. Some old ones I’ve had sported Amethyst, but the nice ones look like this. Someone is now wearing this gift that Santa delivered.

I hope you enjoyed this review of some of the Snob Appeal Jewelry Christmas gifts that went out this year. Didn’t get your favorite? Start shopping now!

Greenstones on the Bench-Awesome Isle Royale Greenstone

If you have followed my blogs over the years, you should have noticed many are about Isle Royale Greestones. I am amazed by orders from all over the country for cabochons, pendants, and earrings. How do these people know about these rare, one-source gemstones?

Many people have visited Isle Royale National Park, and know these stones can be found on the Island, but park regulations do not allow collecting Greenstone, as well as other specifically listed rocks and minerals. Having said this, the National Park Service policies have changed over the years in regards to picking up Greenstone. Isle Royale Greenstone have actually been protected since isle Royale National Park was estabished in April of 1940. There are individuals, even today, that harvest a few Greenstones while visiting Isle Royale. I guess my personal feeling is neutral on this subject, but they could pay a price if caught.

The Park service looked the other way, back in the day, when visitors picked up a few Greenstones on the beaches. Tiny little Greenstone, although fairly tough, were eventually ground up by the mighty Lake Superior, so why not let a few go home as mementos. The problem came with commercial Greenstone expeditions, where thousands of Greenstone were harvested by divers or “professional pickers”, and sold on the mainland for massive profit. The park service cracked down on these greedy private business collectors, and began enforcing the collecting rules that were always on the books. Today, there is a strict and enforced policy against removal of certain Gemstones and Copper from Isle Royale.

Over the years, I often have conversations with customers about old rock collections from decades ago. The collections are sometimes discovered by heirs in basements, garages, or sheds. My ears perk up at the sound of “grandpa’s old rocks”. Last year I bought an old Greenstone collection that was stored in a barn for fifty years, the rockhound that collected them was remembered by the jewelry he made, but some stones remained.

I am an obcessed person when it comes to cutting and polishing Greenstone. I try to limit myself to 100-150 of them for marathon cutting and polishing (I can oly average 4 Greenstones an hour). I’ll select the beach tumbled stones from my stash, throw them in my redneck bowl (CoolWhip), and take them to my shop to flatten the backs for Dopping. FYI; the rough Copper-Greenstone, featured in the opening blog photo, is at 12 O’clock in the bowl. I thought it was just a Thomsonite-included stone. There was no indication it had Copper in it until it was cut (with me smiling).

After the backs are flattened, I push them, flat side up, into that crispy Styrofoam used for making wreaths. Sometimes I get lucky, and am able to get broken scraps.

Finishing Isle Royale Greenstones

Whenever the urge presents itself, or my inventory depletes, I decide to have a Greenstone production week. Production usually involves sorting out stones for both pendants and earrings. Earrings are generally sorted for color, size, and quality AFTER the Stones have been dopped, cut and polished, and removed from the dopsticks.

Depending on the size, pendant stones may or may not need to be dopped. Dopping involves gluing or hot waxing a stone to a wooden stick, a nail or a screw, to allow safe cutting without the skin touching the diamond imbedded wheels of the Lapidary Machine. Some bleeding is often present even though the stones are Dopped. I tell Bonnie, that a little blood on the stone improves the polish (NOT). I do heal fast. Some of my cutting and polishing of Greenstone methods I keep under wraps, but standard methods work well for most. I may continue, starting with how I remove the stones from the Dopsticks, and proceed from there.

A tiny Greenstone, from the Jeremy Graham collection, I recently wire wrapped for him. An unusual yellowish-green Island stone with Thomsonite inclusions.. Many times good things come in small packages.

Greenstone Quality

Island Stones are usually superior to Keweenaw stones in all respects. They generally harder and the pattern goes completely through the stone. The pattern most often, is a finer pattern, and often the color is a pale sage green. Because of the hardness of the Island material, Isle Royale Greenstone take a super deluxe polish. You can read more about the colors and inclusions in Greenstone in the Snob Blog article, The Shades and Patterns of Greenstone (Chlorastrolite).

Island Stones make wonderful stud earrings due to the fine pattern that is usually present. Isle Royale stones cost a little more money, but are lovely.

Another phenomena of Island stones is their color variations; some are so unusual you can have doubts that they are actually Chlorastrolite.

We invite you to have a closer look at our Greenstone–check out our wide selection of cabochons, pendants, and earrings.

Patricianite (or not!)

Apple Green Prehnite appears as vein material in some mine spoil piles from Calumet north. Normally it has fine Native Copper inclusions. This is some of the “Chunky” variety of Prehnite mixes. Notice that this material forms in veins, as does Patricianite, in most cases.

Before I can address how to identify Patricianite, I have to address the main ingredient–Prehnite. Prehnite occurs generally in vein material in many of the mine waste piles in the central Keweenaw Peninsula area from Calumet north to Copper Harbor. Prehnite is formed in veins and cavities in Keweenaw basalts, and is associated with other Keweenaw Minerals, including Calcite, Datolite, Chlorastrolite (Greenstone), Quartz, and Zeolites. It is also closely associated with Native Copper.

Typical Prehnite Mixes and Patricianite Beach Pebbles. These pebbles often have Copper inclusions and beautiful radiating eyes, similar to Thomsonite, hence the local name of U.P.Thomsonite is commonly mentioned.

Patricianite and Prehnite, from the Keweenaw Peninsula, come in both smooth or chunky, just like peanut butter. Smooth beach pebbles of White, Pink, and Green are not uncommon finds in the Keweenaw, The pastel colors often appear stirred together. Chunky Prehnite or Patricianite are found in the mine spoil piles, roads, or secret holes near Thomsonite Hill. The forest roads sometimes produce nice Prehnite mixes. Here’s a secret; some of the Prehnites appear white, and is often passed over on these forest roads. The colors and patterns are hidden under this thin rind and are not visable until this rind is removed.

Patricianite is a special variety of Prehnite, named by Rosendahl, in 1966, after his daughter Patricia Ann. Green Prehnite with inclusions is not considered Patricianite. In order to have Patricianite, you must three ingredients: 1. Pink Prehnite; 2. Chlorite; and 3. Visable Copper Inclusions. If any of these three elements are not visable, you do not have patricianite. (pink prehnite is light apple green prehnite containing microscopic specks of copper that have changed the green Prehnite to pink shades). The more Copper in the mix, the darker pink; I have found a few Prehnite pieces that are actually Maroon from so much Copper. If you hold these pieces in the sunlight the massive ammount of micro-copper is very evident.

I usually like to write a new blog and have it published close to the first of the month. I wanted to write about Patricianite, but I could not find a good piece anywhere. If you have so many rocks, you can’t find A rock, perhaps you have too many rocks; NOT! While searching for a nice piece of Patricianite, lo and behold, I discovered some amazing Datolite. Now I’ve become distracted by the Datolite I forgot I had. While looking through the old Datolite, I found a small slab of PATRICIANITE. At a glance, Patricianite can look like Datolite, that’s why it was there. So amazing things lost years ago (can something be lost, it you don’t know it’s lost?), were found today. Now, even though Greenstone is being worked in the shop, the Datolite is calling.

The pebbles of Prehnite found on the beaches, are generally a combination of beautiful apple green, pink, white, and other colors which appear stored together (smooth), while the mine spoil piles produce chunky seam Prehnite. Usually the seams aren’t much more then an inch wide, and if you are lucky, you can find gem green Prehnite visibly peppered with copper. Prehnite in these seams seems to form from both sides of the seams, and either meets in the middle of the seam, or there may be a gap right down the middle of the seam. Bubbly, boitrioidal, Prehnite is also found on the spoil piles. This Prehnite is translucent and has a vitreous luster. If you find one of these, you have a great specimen.

There was so much Copper in this Prehnite that the stone was Maroon. Patricianite?; Some call this Patricianite, but not the classic mix.

Prehnite with copper and Chlorite. No Pink, so this isnot Patricianite.

A beautiful pink and white Prehnite cab, but no evidence of Chlorite. Copper IS in there, but I can see no Chlorite.

A close-up of the previous cab, reveals visible Copper, but I see no Chlorite. I believe this is Patricianite, but I would not argue the point. That Chlorite has to be in there, doesn’t it? Under magnification that triangle in there looks loke a Pseudomorph of Aragonite, doesn’t it?

Copper and Patricianite mix, but green so Not Patricianite.

This is Patricianite; all the right ingredients and more.

Prehnite in the Keweenaw is sometimes referred to as UP Thomsonite. People used to think Prehnite was a form of Thomsonite until testing by Michigan Tech proved that it was not. Prehnite can have eyes, and radiating crystals similar to Thomsonite, but Prehnite is not a Zeolite, as is Thomsonite. TRIVIA: Prehnite is the first modern mineral named after a person. You can read about this on one of my previous blogs. https://www.snobappealjewelry.com/blog/can-you-make-jewelry-from-keweenaw-prehnite/

Prehnite is a favorite stone to make Keweenaw Stone Jewelry from, the shiny copper bits and pink and green color variations make it interesting and popular. High quality, gemmy Patricianite and Prehnite are highly prized for jewelry and collecting. Visit our Prehnite Jewelry page.

See other jewelry from Keweenaw rocks and minerals: Greenstone, Datolite, Firebrick, Mohawkite, Thomsonite, Lake Superior Agates.

Just as an aside; In order to do the research for this article I happily dug into my collection of old Rock & Mineral books. Every time I do this, I pick up little known and forgotten facts. I was reading “Rocks and Mineral of Michigan” published by the State of Michigan Department of Conservation (now the Department of Natural Resources; DNR) in 1939. It was so old it referred to MSU as Michigan State College, and MTU as Michigan College of Mining and Technology. I’ve got to re-read this book and perhaps find a new rock hunting area lost in the past.

Brockway Mountain Agate Treasures

View from the Copper Harbor Lookout on Brockway Mountain Drive. Mid 1930’s

History is not really my favorite subject, I am more of a rock guy. I will tell you about hunting for Brockway Mountain agates, but first I will show you some historic pictures of the area.

I married into a family of historians. Bonnie’s parents collected many things, including postcards from 1930 through 1960. While she was looking through their old cards she discovered several that depict the Keweenaw when it looked a bit different. Some pictures from 1935 of Brockway Mountain were especially interesting, considering what it looks like 80 years later. I enjoyed looking back and comparing it with the area as it is today.

View from the Copper Harbor Lookout today. Really it is surprisingly similar to the earlier pictures. How many other areas as beautiful as this are not cluttered with huge mansions and gated communities or condos?

From the 1950’s, This sign welcomed people to the Keweenaw. The “Copper Country Vacationist League’ was the forrunner to the Keweenaw Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Mid 1930’s. The trees are bigger today. You can see the top of Brockway Mountain in the distance.

From the mid-1930s, shortly after Brockway Mountain Drive was completed, you could see Lake Fanny Hooe on the right and Copper Harbor on the left. The trees frame this view today.

Thanks to the persistence of many folks, the mountain was saved from private development and access was retained for the public. What a loss that would have been!

Making jewelry on the mountain top while waiting for the sunset.

I made this Firebrick Beauty on the mountain

The sunsets from the top of Brockway Mountain have to be some of the most spectacular sunsets on earth.

I shared my secret hole with a couple of my best rockhounding buddies. Chris Cooper and I.

You finding anything in that hole Gary (Gary Katt)?

Looking for agate seams

During the constuction of Brockway Mountain Drive, many large egg-shaped agates were found. The inside of these were pretty much colorless Quartz. Very few had any banding except near the crust. I had one in my collection, did not know what it was, cut it and found the Quartz. In recent years I did some digging in the hard rock, opened a hole that has been very productive. You can see this in the videos.

Close up of an agate seam in matrix

A nice nodule collected

Don’t these Keweenaw agates look nice when they are washed?

State law limits collecting to 25 pounds per year now. When this was collected no limit was in place.

THE FOLLOWING MOVIES ARE REAL; AS THEY HAPPENED; WITH NO CAMERA TRICKS OR EDITING. ENJOY!! I just thought they’d be more exciting with disclaimers.

Today, further down the Mountain, some nice Seam Agate can be found. This agate is referred to as Keweenaw Agate, Ledge Agate, or Brockway Mountain Agate. This Lake Superior Agate is often opaque and peachy colored, but some have nice banding. Many diggers, including me, have secret glory holes on Brockway. I have told a few rockhounds I trust to keep a secret and hope they find good Brockway Mountain Agates.

A prime example of Keweenaw Agate, also called Ledge Agate.

Opaque Ledge Agate from Brockway Mountain.

As you can see from my pictures and videos I love the Keweenaw and the gemstones that come from that area. If you like these stones, I invite you to purchase our pendants either as gifts or for yourself. They are great reminders of Brockway Mountain, Copper Harbor, Eagle Harbor, and other copper mining areas. Visit our selections of Lake Superior Agate jewelry, Michigan and Isle Royale Greenstone jewelry, Firebrick, Mohawkite, Prehnite, Datolite, Thomsonite today.

Isle Royale Greenstone Jewelry Bonanza

I use whatever I have to make dop sticks, screws, nails, etc. I had perhaps 100 Greenstones dopped in this bunch, ready to be cut and polished.

A Big, Bold, Greenstone about Quarter sized. Greenstone of this size are becoming extremely scarce. Many of the mine waste piles, where Greenstones were once found, have been crushed and hauled away for road fill.

Sometimes I wonder why certain things randomly happen. Why would someone decide they were going to sell grandpa’s rock collection, and pick me over the many thousands of rockhounds or jewelry makers?

A beautiful small Isle Royale Greenstone.

A non-island stone (this one from Central X)

On occasion I purchase Greenstones from other collectors. This is our Michigan State Gem, and collecting it is a challenge.The problem with Isle Royale Greenstone is that collection in the National Park is now illegal. My policy is to only purchase stones with provenance documenting that they were collected many years ago. These stones can only be found in old collections. The opportunity to purchase these historic stones presents itself on very rare occasions. A couple Greenstone collections have been acquired recently. Some from old mine waste piles and some from a very old Isle Royale collection.

Participating in Keweenaw peninsula Arts & Crafts shows allows us to meet many people. It is not uncommon when we are selling our Isle Royale Greenstone jewelry at arts & crafts shows for some random person to mention that Grandpa used to collect rocks and/or make jewelry. My response to these statements is always to query what happened to all of Grandpa’s rocks? Responses vary, but the ones I like are a derivative of Oh they are in my garage, basement, collecting dust, or some other relative has them. Most often we hear that they are lost or were sold off many years ago.

At a recent Art Show I returned to our booth and Bonnie was taking to a lady. Bonnie has a much more friendly face than I, and people seem to connect with her. I overheard the word Greenstone, but we generally do not interrupt conversations. An old Greenstone collection had been in storage for over 20 years! A worker on the island had spent free time walking the beaches and trails and collecting. This treasure we certainly were interested in looking at. The question of why people might chose us over someone else, to sell an old collection to, is obviously the awesome Bonnie’s friendly disposition and “good looks”; This statement should score me some points….

A couple days later I excitedly watched as an old wooden box was opened up to expose ten pounds of wonderful, but small, Isle Royale Greenstones! How long would it take me to find so many Greenstones in this day and age? It just can’t be done.

After a few days these Greenstones ended up changing hands. Bonnie thought I was crazy, but knew I was happy to have new stones to sort, dop, cut, polish, and wire wrap into Isle Royale Greenstone jewelry.

On the Keweenaw Peninsula, mine waste piles are being crushed and used for road fill; accelerated, recently, due to the storm damage to roads in the some areas. Historic Greenstone sources are gone forever. How long would it take you to dig ten pounds of Keweenaw Greenstones? Where could you even locate this many Island Stones? I have found many Greenstones in the past, but it is not like the old days folks.

Beautifully patterned Island Stone.

A Thomsonite-flowered Greenstone from Isle Royale.

Some prefer a smaller pattern. This chatoyant beauty is from Isle Royale.

A very cool bubbly Island Greenstone desert with a whipped Zeolite topping.

An amazing light Green, broad patterned, Island stone is small, but very worthy.

I have been happily cutting this hoard; the shop machine have been humming, and I have been smiling. These beautiful Greenstones were actually within a few miles of us every time we went to the Keweenaw, but just like magic, they eventually migrated to me. I think it was Kharma, or it could have been just plain luck resulting in Isle Royale Greenstone jewelry!

During November and December, many of these spectacular stones will appear in some new jewelry and sold on our website in the Greenstone area. If you need a perfect Greenstone, like what you see in this blog, get ahold of us. Christmas is not that far away when it comes to getting custom jewelry made. If you hope to get a ring, buy a stone from us and take it to your jeweler (or make something yourself). I guarantee this new trove is producing the very finest Isle Royale Greenstones available. I have cut thousands of Greenstones, and these new (old) gemstones are great quality stones.

We have been frantically trying to post up as many new Greenstone pendants as we can for Holiday Season sales. Most of the stones in this post can be found on our website.

See our pendants and cabs at Greenstone jewelry and cabochons

Read our history of the Michigan State Greenstone gem

Read interesting Isle Royale information

Visit the official Isle Royale NPS website

Making Custom Great Lakes Stone Jewelry

Among our Great Lakes stone jewelry pieces, every year one or two pendants stand out as very special. One extraordinary stone pendant this year was a triple segmented pendant of three semiprecious gemstones from the Great Lakes area. A gorgeous Minnesota Thomsonite, a Keweenaw silver nugget, and a copper-filled Keweenaw Datolite show off the great influence of metals in stone through this fancy piece. The photo does not do it justice. In person, it shines in many directions and swings freely, and the pinks in the top and bottom complement each other.

This special piece was custom made for a most discriminating customer. Annually she searches through my inventory to find my best new pendants. Also she picks out stones that fit her bold and eclectic tastes, offering design challenges in the late summer and allowing me to create something very special over the winter months. She is an advocate of Michigan artists as well as loving Michigan stones and the great jewelry that can come from Great Lakes stones.

Great Lakes Stone Jewelry

You can see that the size of this pendant is big and bold; this one is around five inches in length. The silver nugget was most likely picked from a mine ore crusher many years ago somewhere in the Keweenaw Peninsula. The Thomsonite was an inch tall and even wider, and dug in Grand Marais Minnesota years ago before the famous Thomsonite site was filled and and a park was created. The Datolite with loads of copper inclusions, was located on the Delaware Mine waste piles, making the entire pendant from places no longer existing. Most of these stones I’ve had for many, many years.

In order to make these large, multi-stone pendants, I think freedom or movement in the pendant is vitally important for comfortable wearing. When sitting, the pendant conforms to the different body positions.

Next year’s Extraordinary Pendant is being designed and, to be honest, I do not yet have the perfect stones. I’ve been feverishly searching my stash. I am not satisfied yet.

Recently I have created several custom pieces for other customers, and I can create one for you. I’ll work with your stones or mine. Christmas is approaching fast. Please think of us for your gifting needs.

Here are a couple custom pieces I’ve recently done from customer stones.

From one jasper a customer found on a romantic getaway. I love these nostalgic pieces.

A beautifully, customer cut CZ. It was a big faceted stone. The wire wrap challenge was matching the carefully calibrated stone with the wraps. The flowing design in the top directed the eye down into the stone. Michael’s wife will wear this on a romantic cruise in the near future.

You can see earlier examples of our Custom Work.

See a recent bridal set at Custom Rock Cutting,Lapidary and Wire Jewelry, Created Just for You!

Cabochons, Custom Lapidary, and Found Treasures

Some Petoskey Stones that made the cut.

Custom lapidary, or stone cutting, is a way to turn your favorite vacation stone into a jewelry piece you can wear forever to remind you of your great day on the beach or rock pile.

Many times people will send stones for cutting and/or wire wrapping that aren’t necessarily beautiful, but have a deep sentimental value to the owner. These might include stones that were picked up while hunting rocks with Grandma or Grandpa as a child, or something found while on a memorable vacation, honeymoon, almost anything that when they think back makes them smile. I carefully cut and polish your stone, and either send the Cabochon back for another jeweler to finish or make something for you myself according to your wishes.

Rutilated Quartz. I love the ribbons

Laguna Agate. This one had much shadow.

Pudding Stone found in the road.

A few new Laker Cuts.

An atypical Greenstone. No color touchup on it. Sometimes with Greenstones you see weirdness; but that’s OK.

Some recently acquired Fire Agate I recut.

Anadara (Salt Water Clamshells from Northeren California). The patterns are amazing.

Wedding jewelry is also something we specialize in, both for the bride, and also for the attendants. You would be amazed at some of the things I’ve done and made for people. Most recently someone ask me to cut out the shape of Yap Island and somehow combine it with a Petoskey Stone the shape of Yap Stone Money. I had to research where the hell Yap was and what it and Yap Stone Money looked like. This project is still developing in my creative mind.

In addition to some custom lapidary, I have had a little time this month to make a few nice cabs myself. I’ve decided to show you a few, primarily from Great Lakes Rocks and Minerals. Most of the rocks I have been working with Bonnie discovered while attempting to organize my shop area. When you buy up old collections, sometimes by the pickup load, bring them home, and toss them in piles, you have the tendency to forget what you have; or never really knew what you have in the first place. So this sorting can be surprising.

Datolites with Copper Inclusions

A few new Laker Cuts.

Top: Copper Included Agate from the Kearsarge Lode Bottom: Copper included Keweenaw Point Datolite. Good things and come in small packages that are re-discovered in my shop.

Bonnie’s recent barn finds include a bucket of Lakers hidden in the recesses, some nice Datolite from years ago, and some things we have purchased at the Quartzsite and Tucson Gem Shows over the years. So we are concentrating on some of these finds. As they might say, “so many rocks, so little time”! Which slab should I cut today?

Bonnie and I both got excited about a little yellow Keweenaw Point Datolite with copper that she found in the bottom of a cottage cheese carton with other treasures. I am not messy on purpose, but sometimes I dump whatever is in the top tray of my Genie or Titan Cabochon machine. This occurs when I have to change wheels, or move machines around, or even change for some clean water. These random stones and unfinished cabs get heaped in a little dish, with full intentions of returning them to the tray, after the dirty water is dumped. Sometimes (OK often), I forget and have little containers around with treasures from the tray. They get dumped together and forgotten until Bonnie or I re-find them. So a couple of these cabs are from those lost troves.

A small bucket of top grade Laker slabs and cabs was also found and I cut a few. Enjoy the pictures.

See more examples at our Custom Work page. If you are interested in any of these beauties in a pendant or have an idea for other custom lapidary, give us a call for a custom piece.