From a stone to awsome

Hi all sometime ago I received some stones from Lefty for tumbling snd so after 4 weeks of tumbling out they came. One two tone quartz jelly been was chosen to send to Lefty for faceting. So I thouhht I would post it up here.


The end product.

Beautifully done i must say
:Y: :Y:

Thats amazing guys :Y:
Really come up nice, its amazing what they can turn into with the effort put in.

Guys I was stunned. It's just a bit of smokey quartz.
Makes you wonder what we overlook. Good job Lefty !!!!

Cheers everybody

Yes, that "jellybean" as they are called intruiged me as soon as Wishfull posted the photo. I've seen them a few times before (in photos, never first hand) and always wondered how they would turn out faceted in the same way as ametrine. It really did come out well and the eye does see it a bit differently to wife's iPhone camera - the light coloured part looks pale smoky gold and the darker part is a deep coppery-chocolate. The trap cut reflects the deeper colour onto the very end of the light coloured portion when the stone is turned in certain directions, giving the impression that the colour tone is changing back and forward somewhat as the stone is moved.

I've found two-toned crystals at Lowmead before - amethyst with neat bands of smoky running across it - but all were too cracked to facet unfortunately.

I don't know a lot about the origins of the jellybeans - they are from a place called "Stannifer" I believe? I wouldn't mind acquiring one for my own collection. I really do have to get down that way on a fossicking tour some time

I've actually noticed that it's not rare for the amethyst crystals at Lowmead to have the most intense colour concentrated toward the tip of the crystal like this, although this has a more neat division between colour shades than most amethyst I've seen. Must be a similar crystal formation process I'm guessing.

Furthermore, I'm actually surprised I haven't seen more photos around the forums of these two-toned Stannifer crystals faceted as step cuts. They really do look beautiful and unusual. The local cousin to ametrine (and the colour is natural, not artifically enhanced like ametrine usually is!)

I Thought that One would come up well ...... Lefty, I will give you the Guided Tour when you decide to go down to Glen... Just let me know..... There are a few 'Locations' that yield Jelly-Beans.. . And there has been some really Big Jelly-Beans found lately around Tingha 3"-6" is Massive for that area.. All they are, is a well water worn Quartz Crystal...

You must be in the Good Books now Wishful ] ] ... A very nice Stone.. :Y:

LW...

Cheers LW. Dad wants to get down that way for a look around - it's in the New England area is it?

So how common are these two-toned jellybean crystals? I've seen a few people post pics of them before but never seen a photo of one faceted.

Maybe I just need to keep on searching at Lowmead. I have a good sized smoky crystal from there that has a smaller amethyst crystal growing on the side of it. So not a two toned Crystal but a purple Crystal growing attached to the face of the smoky one. Blows me out how these things can form in nature. There's just something remarkable about Quartz and all the different forms it can take

Yes Lefty, New England Area. NSW.. They are fairly Common in the 'Tin' areas... Stannifer, Tingha, Emmaville, Inverell areas Produce the 2 toned crystals.... You haven't seen Any Cut Stones, cause No-body wants to Play with plain old Smokey or Clear with a hint of Smoke.. ] As I said before Lefty, YOU Push the Boundaries and Produce a really Nice Stone out of 'Something' Different... That, to me is what it is all about... Finding the Different and Producing the Brilliant....
My Parcel of Stones Keep getting bigger for you to Cut too Lefty... :lol: .. :Y:
Kuridala, near Cloncurry has got some Nice Amethyst Banding in the Crystals Too....

LW...

Ripper guys ...... Well done!

You haven't seen Any Cut Stones, cause No-body wants to Play with plain old Smokey or Clear with a hint of Smoke.

Click to expand...

Jeez, that's a bit of a shame. I just pulled it out and had another look at it - I can't imagine why anyone who facets wouldn't want to facet these, they look great! Love that two-toned effect! And they have just the right hardness that they are suitable for pretty much all general jewellery work. Maybe they aren't worth large sums of money like a sapphire, but that's only a consideration if you're on-selling them.

These little treasures of the earth should never be ignored - if it looks like it has potential, facet it I say!

Yes that's true... I call it a good Practice Stone to learn the ropes on.... But if you wore it in a Ring, Everyone would want one... Try and convince a Jeweller to Sell them is another matter as they seem hell bent on Synthetic at the Moment..

LW....

Very nice Lefty. Well centred divide. I like.