Cabochon Contest

How would this differ from the monthly cab contest that Glenn produces? Could be redundant not to mention an interest splitter.

I would not be opposed to it - and I might participate in it depending on how it was structured - ie: how would the judging be structured to make sure it's an even playing field?

If someone puts up a $100 value perfectly cut rare plume agate, hitting all the technical points (perfect dome, girdle, and bevels, zero scratches, etc.) how do they know someone is not going to take a really fantastic photograph (photoshopped even) hiding all the flaws of a $10 cab of a popular trendy material like labradorite and win it. In other words, if the judging is done like our other contest with a single photograph of a pretty cab that satisfies the theme - with no attention technical details - I am not very likely to enter.



Edited to add: I'm not knocking our other contest, I think it's great and I participate every chance I get - AND I wish it were even more actively supported. I'm just saying that if the stakes were increased to the point where you lose the cab if you don't win the contest, I would want a very highly elevated judging criteria to be in place.

Love the concept. Agree with Tommy on logistics.

Input coming from a former somewhat mechanized cabber who now does it with primitive, non electric equipment and lots of elbow grease. So, I would not be able to participate in the neat future, but hope my input is considered.

Require photos of rough material. Wet and dry of specimen, slab(ette) after cutting, preform. Photos of 5 stages of process, no more, no less. Photo(s) of equipment used, maximum of 3. Several pieces of equipment could be combined in one photo. Maximum of 5 sentences describing the types of polishes/belts used, including photos. If made via hand cabbing, then description of same, with hand cabbing techniques. Length of time spent for each stage described above.
All entries must include the name of material and location found. List cost if purchased material. Allow purchased, rough material only. If you purchase the rough material, then hire someone to make a slab(ette), it is fine. Just include the cost, or what traded for the cutting. If self found, then specific location alone is fine (within 50 miles), but need to know basically what it is.

I am very analytical, an engineer at heart, who has extreme attention to details. Also am very much into level playing fields for all.

yes, this would take a little more time for entrants than the FCC, but the end "prize" would definitely be worth it.


What do you think???

Judging?  Actively recruit expert guest judges to participate.  Must be professional cabbers, outside of RTH.  Must have exceptional credentials and are well known.  Their vote would be worth double of the general votes of RTH members.  

Rules for photographs of finished cabs would specify exact size and resolution.  Five photos per cab, from different angles, including reverse.  All photos would be submitted to a Photoshop expert for evaluation.  If any alterations were found, then that cab would be exclude from competition for current contest only.  further violations for photo shopping would exclude a person from further competitions in this category.  It is relatively easy to determine of a photo was Photo shopped, if viewed under high enough resolution and magnified enough.  Sometimes, just seeing a photo can give it away of one knows what to look for.  Also, one can look at the number of times a file was altered and saved.  Comes easy to me, but have done it thousands of times and have either the software or hacking skills.  

Those are the same thoughts I have. Frankly, while I'd be willing to participate if those details and others could be worked out, I don't think they actually can be to everyone's satisfaction. There are simply too many loose ends that could lead to a lot of discord on the Forum. Just my 2 carats worth.

I'm not competitive enough for this sort of thing and I have never been a gambler. It sounds like it is getting overly complicated, too.

Tommy and I briefly discussed this and toyed with the idea of running something like the world champion cabbing contest where everyone starts with a piece of the same rough. That's the only way it could be fair, IMHO. I'm agreeing with gemfeller, too- sounds like this could get out of hand quickly.

So, I'm saying I'm not interested in playing, but I'd watch it.

I think the only fair thing to do would be to submit the cabs to judging in person with very strict criteria. It wouldn't be right to have a gorgeous agate cut really bad and photographed really well win a contest over a perfect cab with a lesser photo and/or material.

If y'all do this, I'd be glad to help and vow to never enter.

I'll know who's cabs are whose, though. I think I can be impartial, but it's up to y'all, not me.

I'm not adverse to it- as long as I don't get stuck with shipping costs. But, let's stick with cabs. I'm not sure I want to package up a bunch of slabs and be responsible for them. But, something along these lines can be worked out.

What if Tommy judged first without me knowing and then I judge and then we come to an agreement about the winner? (Or, something like that?)

@<'))))>< Fish  Been tossing this around with Tommy. I'm starting a new thread about it.