Useful Links
This page is devoted to Lapidary and other Rockhounding related
websites. If you have any sites that you currently use most
frequently, please e-mail the webmaster. I will try to post all
of the good websites that I can on this page.
Below are just a few sites that only scratch the surface of the
Rockhounding industry. Check them out and let me know what you
think! Send me an
email if you would like to do a cross-link to your site.
I do not cross-link sites to commercial businesses that are only
online for selling merchandise. Our club is devoted to
education so those are the main sites that will be linked.
The only selling websites that may be listed are ones that are
for the lapidary arts (example would be a great place to get
rough for cutting, or tools for cutting/setting stones).
Articles:
.
Oil: Not Exactly Dead Dinosaurs
This is a cool website that explains about Fossil Fuels how they
were created (and not from Dinosaurs). It was shared to me
through the Green Mountain Central School District in Vermont;
Mrs. Plasse's class.
Science
Research and Educational Institute of Texas
The Science Research and Educational Institute of Texas was
created to fulfill three primary objectives. To support all
forms of research in the sciences, to help educate the public in
science disciplines, and to bring students together with
professionals in common fields of interest.
40 Common Minerals - Tungsten, Silver, Feldspar & more!
This website lists 40 common minerals and their uses, making it
a handy reference guide. Thanks to Ms. Sarah Hess' class
in New Haven, Connecticut for sharing this link with us.
Local Resources:
.
Geyser Gem
& Jewelry - A fine jeweler and artisan shop offering old
world craftsmanship, custom designs, full service repair, in a
relaxed & casual atmosphere where customer service is key.
Located at 59 East Main Street, Victor, NY 14564. I listed
this website because Dennis (owner) is a good resource for
learning about jewelry and also about what the industry is like.
J. Redden
Design - Custom Jewelry, Lampwork, Wire Wrap and Fusion
Glass. Call 585-303-2695. Located in Rochester, NY.
This website is handy to see what is available in the custom
jewelry/lampwork industry and to learn how to create wonderful
pieces of artwork.
Elizabeth R.
Agte...handcrafted jewelry, Rochester, NY
Dazzling earrings, romantic necklaces, opulent bracelets.
Discover the meticulously handcrafted art jewelry of Elizabeth
R. Agte. Adorn yourself with the warmth of patinated sterling
silver, gold, copper, brass and Precious Metal Clay, accented
with a vibrant assortment of handcut gemstones that are
flawlessly bezel set. Each piece of jewelry is individually
designed, fabricated, soldered, polished, signed and lovingly
packaged by the artist. This is another website created by
a former member of the Lapidary Society. Elizabeth is
willing to teach how to create these beautiful handmade
creations.
Studio34
Studio34 Jewelry Arts Learning Center. Studio34 Jewelry Arts
Learning Center offers classes in all jewelry making media.
Classes include: PMC, glass beadmaking at the torch, polymer,
woven sterling, fusing, metalsmith, cold connection, off loom
bead weaving, peyote, Ndebele, hand craft sterling chain,
jewelry design and marketing. Studio34 is a public access studio
with torches, tools, and fully equipped cold shop.
Malachite and Gems of Africa
- This is an awesome new store located right here in Rochester,
on Long Pond Road, across from the Greece Ridge Mall Sears
Entrance (1339 Long Pond Road). Come check it out...lots
of Malachite and other gemstones as well as carved animals in
stone and wood, other Minerals, Fossils, Gifts and Art Products.
It's like being able to go to a gem show every day of the week.
This is a great store that is local that you can go and purchase
materials for cutting and polishing at an excellent price and
you can see what you are buying instead of looking online and
then having to pay shipping and handling.
Rochester Academy of
Science - Mineral Section
The North East
Field Trip Alliance (N.E.F.T.A)
The North East Field Trip Alliance is a club that is devoted to
promoting the the study of the Earth Sciences in the field by
facilitating safe field trip opportunities for the rockhound
community. Your club or organization is required to host at
least three field trips per year to be a member of NEFTA.
AFMS
and
EFMLS
The AFMS is the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies.
Their website has quite a few good links as well as some
educational materials. The EFMLS is the Eastern Federation of
Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies. Their site is linked off
of the same site as the AFMS, and offers quite a bit of
information on these two societies have to offer.
Online Resources:
.
eBay - eBay
has a very large category on jewelry, gemstones, and gem cutting
rough. Check out Serendipity Artistry on eBay...a rock shop
located near Spencerport, NY, with tons of materials from all
over the world...from very exotic and rare, to some more common
stuff.
Click here to visit their store (you can also go to ebay.com
and click on advanced search and enter in the username gems24).
This is just one example of thousands of stores and sellers that
you can connect to to purchase rough from all around the world.
Other good stores are rockman69, mtmineral, and westcoastgems.
All of those names can be found through advanced search.
etsy.com -
this is a cool website that you can find and connect with a lot
of local artists and learn more about the jewelry industry.
An Introduction to Faceting - instructions on the web.
This looks to be a very good site with some basics on faceting
and some of the techniques used. The webmaster of their website
said that they would be making some changes in the future, but
would leave this up there as it is an excellent reference.
Kingsley North, Inc.
Kingsley North, Inc is a website that carries a full line of
jewelry findings, cabochons, bead necklaces, gem boxes, lapidary
cutting equipment, saws, faceting machines, and much much more.
This site is one of the best lapidary suppliers around.
The
Rock Peddler
This is a favorite among a few of our members, because this site
offers some of what Kingsley North offers, at an unbelievably
low price.
Gram
Faceting
This site was created by a very good faceter named Jeff Graham.
Unfortunately, Jeff Graham passed away a year or so ago and the
site is not operational...I have left it online because this website
is still online and is a great reference for well faceted stones, faceting manuals, as
well as faceting rough. Everything for the faceter in your home.
Gram
Cabbing
Another site offered by Jeff Graham, devoted to everything
cabbing, also left on this site of links for reference purposes.
Bob's
Rock Shop
This site is featured in Rock and Gem magazine. Here is an intro
from Bob's Website: This Shop is a non-commercial site in that
the rocks and mineral specimens displayed here are Not for Sale
(at least, not through me), but you are welcome to browse all
you like. Thanks to its generous content contributors and
advertising sponsors, the Shop has grown considerably since it
was first brought on-line in March 1995 as a homepage with eight
or so images of rocks from my own collection. To give you a
graphic example of what's in store here, I've brought out one of
my own heavy lead specimens as an example some of the Shop's
current "stock and trade".