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Post by helens on May 30, 2012 2:59:21 GMT -5
I promised I'd cab one of the disdero Warren sent me when I got them. I didn't say which one:P. Since I shot it already, I figured I should post it, and will add to these photos when it's fully done. I made it rectangular... because that's the basic shape of the piece I got, and I didn't want to lose the pattern. Original: The cab is NOT finished...I rough shaped, and are tumble finishing, but this is where it's at after a day in 200 grit wet: Here it is bone dry: Even without polishing, the stone above is gorgeous, and has a 'sea glass' finish! This is with no backing, so you can see how evenly translucent it is, as well as the teeny rose dots. It's much bluer against any surface. I plan to use it as the focal 'pillow' for a bracelet, and the shape is perfect for that. The 'pores', for lack of a better word, are very very fine... this is not a large cab, the original was not a large stone, but the way the texture of it is, it is just gorgeous, and somehow doesn't resemble other agates, visually or texturally. The comparison is like comparing cream (disdero) to milk (other agates)... there's something really sort of buttery about this stuff. Here's the 2nd small piece I was sent... it came as a tumble: The original has a druzy pocket... but at an awkward spot. The color was neat! I shaped it just a bit and now it looks like this (the blue washed out quite a bit after shaping, but that doesn't matter because it's even cooler looking): Dry (those are grit stains, not holes): Here's the cool part I didn't notice til I started shaping!!! The END - what a PERFECT size for a ring, and that color is completely unique!!: This is not final shaped... because if I'm going to cut the end piece off for a ring, I need room to shape it more later. But I just thought the color was AMAZING, and it too has those teeny dots! Here's how they came... not super impressive out of the bag, but more impressive than normal dry agates (I know, the only ones I used were the teensy pieces at the end:P): I got 4 total pieces, 1 specimen (that's not getting cut!), 1 slice (that's also not getting cut!), and 3 smaller pieces, the above pix are 2 of the small pieces. Here is the slice wet (I LOVE this!): Here is the specimen wet (the pattern wraps around 3 sides of the specimen, so it's just phenomenal whole): Here's 1 of the other sides: And finally, the last little piece (which I'm going to incorporate into a mosaic I plan to make someday not soon): These agates really are special, and I totally understand why Warren wants so much $$ for them. Considering the price of Ellenburg blue in jewelry... it rivals or exceeds opals (THIS 1/2 oz rough piece got 3 offers and selling for $150): www.ebay.com/itm/Ellensburg-Blue-Agate-genuine-large-tumbled-stone-tumble-polished-34x20x15-mm-2B-/310361854936?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item48430213d8Another for $115 that's 1/3 oz: www.ebay.com/itm/Ellensburg-Blue-Agate-tumbled-rough-nice-piece-jewerly-or-specimen-/251070855515?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a74fd395bAnother that's over $200: www.ebay.com/itm/HUGE-Ellensburg-Blue-Agate-Slab-38-1-gm-Lapidary-Rough-Genuine-Ellensburg-/360278881973?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e24b76b5And the color in the above stones are way worse than some of Warren's blues... so not sure why anyone complained about Warren's price of $100 a POUND, including the druzy eyes (which none of the blues above have). This stuff is AWESOME!!! And that's why it made the cover of Rocks and Minerals magazine in March 2012: Thanks Warren, I just sent you some glass:).
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Post by kk on May 30, 2012 4:36:26 GMT -5
Looks interesting with all those colors and patterns. Lets see them when they are fully made up.
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Post by digdug on May 30, 2012 8:02:51 GMT -5
Looks just perect Helen, the one you cabbed is my fav type of disdero that comes out of there! Awesome!
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Post by NatureNut on May 30, 2012 8:12:18 GMT -5
This is purty stuff, are you guys thinking of taking it to Tucson or Quartzsite in the future or have you already? Jo
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Post by digdug on May 30, 2012 8:20:53 GMT -5
It would be nice Jo, I have spoken to a few dealers at rock and gem shows and had them hint at setting up a table on a few shows they host in western canada. Some of the local ammonite dealers are big on it and would like to speak more about aquiring some in the tons"big order to fill" just to soon.
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Post by helens on May 30, 2012 11:22:31 GMT -5
Is there a way to find out how much total disdero there could actually be in the claim?? I have no idea how they determine how much material is possible in a given sq acre, but surely they have a way, or they can't guesstimate at pricing?
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disderodude
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2012
Posts: 212
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Post by disderodude on May 30, 2012 11:52:52 GMT -5
Thank-you for posting, Helen, and for your kind words. I understand people's hesitancy to want to purchase as they haven't been proven on a huge scale...yet. But they are very unique and will be recognized as such before too long. Jim Landon (author of Disdero article in Rock and Gem) really likes this material and has shown some at shows in the Northwestern States, the response was very positive. As to how much is there Helen, one can only speculate at this point. Sample pits will have to be dug in select areas of exploration. The claim is hit and miss as some areas produce surface material, and some areas require more handdigging which is hard to do knowing that others are finding fantastic stuff in already proven digs! Todd actually did an exploration walk and found some cool material in a spot that is in the same zone as digs 2,3 and 4. If everyone spent an hour or two doing this while out there, we would have a better idea of how wide and prosperous an area we're dealing with. For now though, as I've said before, I'm not going to give it away for nothing, and as Todd stated, supply and demand will determine the pricing. I have been selling some off Facebook while not trying, some people can immediately see the unique potential right away, although as Helen has pointed out several times, my pics aren't the greatest and presentation is KEY at this point! I have NEVER had a complaint about the material or the way I price it from buyers and most write back about how happy they are when they recieve a package and take a good look at it. Mainly, to me right now it is a very rewarding hobby, and will only get more interesting as time allows it to be proven! I'm not by any means a commercial dealer and just appreciate comments of admiration from viewers. I hope everyone enjoys looking at the intriguing Disderos and I'm certainly not pressuring people to buy! Peace all. Warren Bobyk.
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Post by helens on May 30, 2012 12:11:54 GMT -5
Warren, I can't FIND my little blue lace agate cab right now, but I wanted to post a pictoral side by side. The grain on the disdero is VERY VERY VERY different from blue lace. The blue lace appears to have a much higher porosity with much larger crystal grains. While both look like they're going to shine up great, the difference between the 2 texturally is pretty vast. Actually, here's a side by side from pix I took when I first shaped it. Blue lace dry (with a 1200 finish, not done, but I lost the actual stone somewhere). There is no color difference when wet: Disdero blue: The translucency, color, and textural differences should be pretty apparent. And for greater contrast, I rough shaped a slice of this, but it's in the tumbler. It's somewhere in the middle of the disdero and the blue lace (blue lace being the coarsest of the 3 in texture). I have no clue what blue agate this is, but it's MUCH harder than disdero or blue lace, which from cabbing appear roughly the same hardness. This is the stuff that almost broke my new 303c diamond blade when I tried to slice it. And THIS blue is texturally similar, but I haven't cut it at all to know how hard, have no idea what to do with this pancake shape, but it's very translucent, but has a similar smoothness and small grained texture as the disdero. The black inclusions makes me think it might be some kind of Montana?? And for another contrast... I THINK this is a Condor (maybe just a blue brazillian?). THIS has a similar fine grain to the disdero... but a much larger 'pore' (again, don't know the terminology, am describing it based on how it appears to me compared to say human skin): This blue one is the closest to the TEXTURE of disdero. Super tight grains, super small pores (when I say pores, I mean how it looks able to absorb water), but NOT as translucent: And the below serves no purpose except to show off my neat blue double egg. Beats the heck out of me what the agate itself is, but it looks like a nebula:): But I think the pictures help show the range of TEXTURES in blue agates. Oh... here's a blue thunderegg so you can see a bigger color range difference in the blues too. I like this one best, but the shade is completely different from the above: And here's a paler blue egg closer to the more typical blue color family: And this is a druzy blue egg to compare the blue druzies of a thunderegg to a disdero druzy: If you scroll through the pictures... you can SEE how the disdero are different compared to a sampling of other blues.
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Post by tntmom on May 30, 2012 12:39:19 GMT -5
What a BEAUTIFUL cab Helen! I like your other rocks too, very pretty!!!
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Post by helens on May 30, 2012 13:18:23 GMT -5
Thanks Krystee:). It's not as nice as yours tho:).
I have all the samples of blues above right here, except for the blue lace cab that I lost (hope I didn't drop it somewhere and suck it up in the vaccum cleaner... LOL!).
It may not be completely apparent in the photos, but the disdero blue is DEFINITELY gem quality looking compared to the other blue agates. The translucency and clarity is amazing.
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cardiobill
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 880
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Post by cardiobill on May 30, 2012 13:48:55 GMT -5
Gorgeous
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Post by Bikerrandy on May 30, 2012 19:17:33 GMT -5
Beautiful stuff, awesome job on the cab!
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disderodude
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2012
Posts: 212
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Post by disderodude on May 31, 2012 0:05:49 GMT -5
Thanks for the time spent reviewing this Helen. Looking again at these pics I can't believe what you did with that tiny piece! I wasn't expecting you to do anything with it and you turned into something that is appealing to the eye...bigtime! I'm more of the miner, loving and appreciating what nature produces, the excitement of the chase (sooner or later ya know you're gonna find something to make yer day), being proud, or disappointed in what the day produces! I wish I had the skill and patience to be able to visualize and produce something desirable to the eye....and seeing what I sometimes (though rarely) overlook in these stones! Warren.
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Post by helens on May 31, 2012 1:30:37 GMT -5
Warren, I'm glad you like it:). I wanted to show some of the other forms of blue agates... which are themselves also VERY beautiful. The DIFFERENCE to anyone with a discerning eye (which people who make jewelry will have), is that while there's actually a lot of choices for blue agates (or any other stone), the difference is in application and details and that hard to describe inner luminescence. Disdero has a translucence and inner light quality that jewelers have always looked for or can create. While other blue agates, that are also beautiful, rarely have this quality. Blue lace agate for example, does not. It's pretty, but as pretty as other semi-precious stones, it's not luminous by any measure. I'm still new to rocks, my interest in rocks began in 2011, but I've been physically around expensive jewelry my entire life. The APPLICATION difference between your disdero and other agates is going to be in fine jewelry. The criteria for 'precious' stones is different from rocks. Ie., diamonds follow the 4C's... Clarity, Color, Cut, Carat. Just had a thought, Warren!!! Maybe you should contact the GIA about how they might go about giving Disdero a classification as a gemstone. They appraise and assess way more gemstones than Diamonds: www.gia.edu/lab-reports-services/colored-stones/index.htmlThe 4C's apply to almost all precious gemstones. And if we take that measure (given the current rarity of disdero's on the market, the Carat criteria is irrelevant), against other agates, I believe that the color and clarity of disdero put it a step above other agate types, even in the same color family. This is relevant because Ellenburg blue agates have already been classified as a 'gemstone', at least informally, and if you google them, you see that the prices they command reflects that valuation. I think communication with the 'pros' in that industry will help you answer a lot of questions but also possibly open a new market for you. I don't think the disdero should be classified as a 'rock' after working with it... While I'm not an appraiser, I know that the GIA could help you a lot if they get excited about the stone. And just based on personal experience with gemstones, I think they might if you contacted them. How often do THEY get to deal with something with new potential? Not to mention that they work with the top top distributors of precious gemstones and can provide you leads to the most potentially lucrative markets IF they are themselves excited about it.
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Post by helens on May 31, 2012 1:40:41 GMT -5
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Post by helens on May 31, 2012 20:15:37 GMT -5
I was all focused on what I was doing and forgot to say thanks Bill and Randy:). This disdero stuff fascinates me:).
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on May 31, 2012 21:17:55 GMT -5
Warren, I can't FIND my little blue lace agate cab right now, but I wanted to post a pictoral side by side. The grain on the disdero is VERY VERY VERY different from blue lace. The blue lace appears to have a much higher porosity with much larger crystal grains. While both look like they're going to shine up great, the difference between the 2 texturally is pretty vast. Actually, here's a side by side from pix I took when I first shaped it. Blue lace dry (with a 1200 finish, not done, but I lost the actual stone somewhere). There is no color difference when wet: Disdero blue: The translucency, color, and textural differences should be pretty apparent. And for greater contrast, I rough shaped a slice of this, but it's in the tumbler. It's somewhere in the middle of the disdero and the blue lace (blue lace being the coarsest of the 3 in texture). I have no clue what blue agate this is, but it's MUCH harder than disdero or blue lace, which from cabbing appear roughly the same hardness. This is the stuff that almost broke my new 303c diamond blade when I tried to slice it. And THIS blue is texturally similar, but I haven't cut it at all to know how hard, have no idea what to do with this pancake shape, but it's very translucent, but has a similar smoothness and small grained texture as the disdero. The black inclusions makes me think it might be some kind of Montana?? And for another contrast... I THINK this is a Condor (maybe just a blue brazillian?). THIS has a similar fine grain to the disdero... but a much larger 'pore' (again, don't know the terminology, am describing it based on how it appears to me compared to say human skin): This blue one is the closest to the TEXTURE of disdero. Super tight grains, super small pores (when I say pores, I mean how it looks able to absorb water), but NOT as translucent: And the below serves no purpose except to show off my neat blue double egg. Beats the heck out of me what the agate itself is, but it looks like a nebula:): But I think the pictures help show the range of TEXTURES in blue agates. Oh... here's a blue thunderegg so you can see a bigger color range difference in the blues too. I like this one best, but the shade is completely different from the above: And here's a paler blue egg closer to the more typical blue color family: And this is a druzy blue egg to compare the blue druzies of a thunderegg to a disdero druzy: If you scroll through the pictures... you can SEE how the disdero are different compared to a sampling of other blues. Helen, regarding your blue agates, the first agate appears to be indian blackskin agate. The second is probably a montana agate nodule as you have guessed and the third is a brazilian agate nodule. The fourth is harder to identify because the outer skin has been polished away, but I would guess luna agate. The double egg is technically a double geode, but I'm unsure on the locality. Regarding the blue lace material, yes it doesn't take as fine of a polish has other chalcedony and hard agates like montana, still it's unique in the world of agates. The Disdero material is undoubtedly very fine, I congratulate warren on his discovery.
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disderodude
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2012
Posts: 212
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Post by disderodude on May 31, 2012 21:48:33 GMT -5
Thanks Don.
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xXxAlisha91xXx
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2012
Posts: 284
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Post by xXxAlisha91xXx on May 31, 2012 22:00:22 GMT -5
Your cab looks great, Helen! The slice and the specimen are stunning! I don't think I'd dare to cut them either
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Post by helens on May 31, 2012 22:39:38 GMT -5
Thanks Don! That was really helpful ID info!
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