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Gemstones, Minerals & Fossils
Lapidary
Some stones i found and had cut from outback W.A
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<blockquote data-quote="Lefty" data-source="post: 417115" data-attributes="member: 2976"><p>Yeah, it's true that regardless of the monetary value of the finished gem, a similar amount of skilled labour time went into it, whether it's final retail value is $50 or $5000.</p><p></p><p>I once cut a beautiful canary yellow sapphire for a lady who went and had it formally valued afterward. I got a couple of hundred bucks for cutting a stone that returned a formal valuation of $9000 (how long it would take to sell for that price might be another matter). But I put just as much time, care and attention into cutting a quartz or labrodorite gem, even though they are worth little by comparison.</p><p></p><p>Unfortunately, we just can't compete on price with places that have very cheap labour (working poverty by our standards) and a currency worth a fraction of the Aussie dollar <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" /> </p><p></p><p>Another worry is automation. It will be a sad day when machines can totally replace a skilled human cutter at cutting natural rough - another human craft that has roots going back thousands of years will be forever lost as the only skill needed will be how to push a button.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lefty, post: 417115, member: 2976"] Yeah, it's true that regardless of the monetary value of the finished gem, a similar amount of skilled labour time went into it, whether it's final retail value is $50 or $5000. I once cut a beautiful canary yellow sapphire for a lady who went and had it formally valued afterward. I got a couple of hundred bucks for cutting a stone that returned a formal valuation of $9000 (how long it would take to sell for that price might be another matter). But I put just as much time, care and attention into cutting a quartz or labrodorite gem, even though they are worth little by comparison. Unfortunately, we just can't compete on price with places that have very cheap labour (working poverty by our standards) and a currency worth a fraction of the Aussie dollar :( Another worry is automation. It will be a sad day when machines can totally replace a skilled human cutter at cutting natural rough - another human craft that has roots going back thousands of years will be forever lost as the only skill needed will be how to push a button. [/QUOTE]
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Gemstones, Minerals & Fossils
Lapidary
Some stones i found and had cut from outback W.A
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