Old Crazy Lace from Mexico was turned it this wild set.

What is it that makes “old material” in the lapidary world more valuable than what is being mined today? Sometimes the value is true because a desirable area has been completely cleaned out, and sometimes the values are false or artificially created by a controlled market. The nature of people is to covet anything that is scarce, as we see when morons run over each other at Christmas to get that rare (?) toy or electronic device.

Rare Victoria Stone. This one is light blu, but they come in other colors also.

There are actually some lapidary materials that are rare, and some material, like Diamonds, that are artificially rare. Much of the materials I make jewelry from really are rare. They include Victoria Stone (the art of creating this was lost in the late 1970’sand has not been rediscovered), Wingate Agate (the land is now in a highly restricted military bombing range area),

Wingate Pass Agate from the China Lake Military Reserve, Death Valley California.

Old stock Cocoxenite from Brazil

Cocoxenite from Brazil, and old stock Mexican Crazy Lace Agate.

Mexican Crazy Lace Agate is still available, but not with the beautiful pastel yellows, pinks, and that most sought after material, that contained beautiful caramel opal sometimes found years ago. The only chance of getting this really old agate from the 5o’s and 60″s is to find an old collection. The primary reason I often buy up old rock collections is to obtain just a few pieces of really rare material that may be hidden in the collection grandpa had.

The "new" Cocoxenite (called Super 7) from Brazil is nice, but just not great, like the old stuff

OLD Crazy Lace is jaw dropping. The caramel is all opal!

The reverse side. AMAZING! Two pendants in one.

I just finished a gorgeous pendant and matching set of earrings from some old Crazy Lace. I am sharing this set with you as well as some pictures of other old Crazy Lace pieces I have in stock.

I have found really colorful old Crazy Lace Agate at the shows in Quartzite and Tucson by carefully searching. One time several years ago, as I was walking by one of the hotel rooms at Tucson, I spotted old Cocoxinite through the window. The guy had acquired some old material in an estate sale. How happy I was, as well as other knowledgeable rockhounds, to find this rare, long time extinct, gemstone. The next day I went back to get more, but guess what? IT WAS ALL GONE! I quickly learned my lesson. If you see rare stuff, get all you can or others will scarf it up.

Colorful Datolites from the old copper mines are also getting harder and harder to find. The rarest is the almost impossible to find Centennial Blue Datolite. Also brown datolite from the old Arcadian Mine that now is under the Houghton Airport. I actually have some of this brown datolite, but I haven’t figured out how to make attractive jewelry from it.

Iron Lace Agate from the Republic Mine.

A small quantity of fortification agate was discovered at the Republic open pit iron mine in the metamorphic iron formations back in the mid-70’s. I have found some of this rare agate in old collections owned by veteran members of the Ishpeming Rock Club. After this agate was discovered members of the Ishpeming Club named this material Iron Lace Agate. A few rockhunting field trips were made to the mine and all this agate was collected. There may be more at the mine, but tons of rocks would have to be moved to find it. This stuff is impossibly rare.

Blue Centennial Datolite. Talk about rare.

There are many other really rare gemstones throughout the world, and I can only say that if you see it in a jewelry store, it probably is NOT what I consider rare. I concentrate on offering my customers rare and unusual gem material. Some of the rocks I have for making jewelry are so rare you may never see another person wearing the same gem.

Yellow Cat Petrified Wood, although rare, can still be found. This bright red wood was used by Tiffany for their jewelry years ago.

I have scores of truly atypically scarce stones. Call me if you want something unusual. I might have it in stock.

After I finished this blog, Bonnie told me there was just too much information (and pictures) for one blog. I told her you all could handle it. Picture-wise, I think this may be my best blog ever for jaw-dropping images.