Get'm While Their Hot! BATTWings!

No.. they aren't deep fried crispy wings of a bat.. they are the new laps from the maker of the BATT™ Lap. They have two sections allowing for prepolish and polish on the same lap..saving you time and money! Check them out here!

From the Gem Collection of Dr Edward Gubelin

New Rocks Posted 6/01/09

http://www.prettyrock.com/php/facet-rough-all-recent.php

New Rocks Posted 5/25/09

Oops! Forgot to post this one! check out the new rough: http://www.prettyrock.com/php/facet-rough-all-recent.php

Faceted Quartz Box by the Van Pelts

Made by Harold and Erica Van Pelt Lapidary (photos from 2007 Tucson show)

Two-part faceted quartz box with dendrites in quartz top, and 18 karat gold frame and hinge

Edward Erickson Gem Sculpter and Faceter

Another display from Tucson 2007.

Information displayed said:
Edward "Bud" Grant Erickson sculpted, hand-cut, faceted and polished all the "Super Gems" in this exhibit.

the boules were grown under *** by Dr. Milan Kakas at the Union Carl*** in Wasbegal Washington, specifically for Mr. Erickson's work.

Over a 38-year career Bud lead state of the art solids state *** associated electro-optic development.

***can read this word from photo, I should have gotten a better close up of it!

New Rocks Posted 5/18/09

http://www.prettyrock.com/php/facet-rough-all-recent.php

French Fried Tourmaline

What happens when tourmaline gets just a tad too warm...
http://gringa-gem-news.blogspot.com/2009/05/french-fried-tourmalines-in-teofilo.html

(BTW this is a great blog, check out the rest of it while you are there.)

Pearls in the news...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601093&sid=afP5QnoYfINQ&refer=home


best quote: “Squeeze the goo like a pimple and the pearls pop out,” says Montfort-Jones.


oooo just what every woman wants to wear around her neck :)

More Opals..

An opal display by True Blue Opals at the Tucson Show:
Painted Ladies and Boulder Opal
Belemnite fossils (same family as modern squid)
Pineapple (Pseudomorph of Opal after Ikaite) These are just too cool...

PrettyRock.com : New Rocks Posted 5/10/09

http://www.prettyrock.com/php/facet-rough-all-recent.php

Cool Pyrite

Looks like a snowy day...

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Amazing video from the TED talks.

Wanna go?

Mike & Mary Jaworski Mineral Collection

This display is from the Tucson 2007 show is part of Mike and Mary Jaworski's Mineral Collection. Try not to drool on your keyboard...

New Rocks Posted 5/03/09

http://www.prettyrock.com/php/facet-rough-all-recent.php

Trip to Meteor Crater, AZ

While we were in Tucson, Dev and I took a side trip to the Grand Canyon, and Sedona. We stopped by the Meteorcrator. It was pretty darn cool. You can learn more about it here:http://www.meteorcrater.com/index.php

And yes, that white stuff is snow. We had snow at the Grand Canyon, too.

These are the attack ostriches that grabbed Devin feed cup and made a run for it. No, they don't roam the crater, they were at the ostrich farm out side of Tucson on the way back. One of the best parts of the whole trip If you are heading that way, check it out: http://www.roostercogburn.com/

Big Red: The Rhodochrosite Chrystal

This a big ol' rhodochrosite specimen from the Tucson 2007 show:

PrettyRock.com's First Annual America Rocks Marathon

Hey sneak preview for you all...gonna have an online party on the weekend of the 4th of July. We are calling it PrettyRock.com's First Annual America Rocks Marathon. Gonna have online games and prizes, rough going up every hour, what ever else we can think of to do. More info to come!

PrettyRock.com: New Facet Rough 4/26/2009

http://www.prettyrock.com/php/facet-rough-all-recent.php

Tree of Life Opal Carving

This is an amazing opal carving!