pezzottait
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2011
Posts: 23
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Post by pezzottait on Apr 6, 2011 14:19:19 GMT -5
Hello, can you tell me more about Tiffany stone? It looks to me like a man made stone, an artificial stone! What kind of stone is it. :help:
Best regards from Styria
pezzottait
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Post by jakesrocks on Apr 6, 2011 15:35:47 GMT -5
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pezzottait
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2011
Posts: 23
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Post by pezzottait on Apr 7, 2011 11:19:16 GMT -5
Thank you, jakesrocks for the link.
I searched in Europe/Germany/Austria for this stone and found it´s name here is fluorite-opal. Don´t ask why! I found the name bertrandite too for a mineral with the formula Be4Si2O7(OH)2. Is it correct or are there differences between bertrandite and Tiffany stone?
Best regards
pezzottait
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Post by jakesrocks on Apr 7, 2011 12:08:38 GMT -5
I have a large chunk of Tiffany sitting beside me that a friend asked me to slab. It looks to be a fairly colorful agate / jasper mix. I'll post pictures after I've had time to cut it. Don
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Post by jakesrocks on Apr 7, 2011 12:15:24 GMT -5
After taking a better look at the rock, some areas do appear to have a waxy look, which would indicate common opal. Don
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 21, 2011 17:26:20 GMT -5
Yes, Bertrandite is the correct name. I believe I read somewhere the "Tiffany Stone" name derived from Tiffany's the jewelers. It is a berrylium ore and looks very much like an opalite. Breaks up in the saw vise very easily so be careful (unless you buy blades from me).
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RocknCritter
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2008
Posts: 489
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Post by RocknCritter on Aug 27, 2011 9:46:20 GMT -5
Tiffany stone was named by Todd Harris when he was the foreman of the Brush-Wellman Pit - the location for most of the Tiffany stone on the market. He realized the marketing potential of the stone because of the cool purple colors. He also realized most people wouldn't remember or care about something called Bertrandite. So after tossing about some names, he chose Tiffany stone since it had an elegant, easy to remember name.
Todd doesn't work for Brush-Wellman any more but he does have some interesting stories. He owns the rock shop in Springdale, Utah now. If you're in the area, it's worth a visit just to talk with Todd. He also sets-up at the Tucson Electric Park show. Look for the Zion Prospector.
I was curious about the name myself and tracked him down at the last Tucson show.
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Post by jakesrocks on Aug 27, 2011 10:50:09 GMT -5
Yes, Bertrandite is the correct name. I believe I read somewhere the "Tiffany Stone" name derived from Tiffany's the jewelers. It is a berrylium ore and looks very much like an opalite. Breaks up in the saw vise very easily so be careful (unless you buy blades from me). Hey John, I slabbed that Tiffany without a single break, ( with the blade I bought from you of course ). Mine is the Tiffany jasper type, and very solid. Don
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Post by beefjello on Aug 30, 2011 21:27:27 GMT -5
Here's a faced 6 pound piece I picked up from RocknCritter last year One of these daze I'm gonna polish her ADMIN EDIT - repaired broken images, original code below -------------------- [IMG]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r74/beefjello/rox/rox2/IMG_2139.jpg[/IMG]
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Post by christopherl1234 on Sept 1, 2011 23:42:19 GMT -5
Tiffany stone is a cool mix of a handful different materials. Here's a couple photos of some slabs I cut ADMIN EDIT - repaired broken images, original code below -------------------- [IMG]http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp59/christopherlesso/SLABS/111_2244.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp59/christopherlesso/SLABS/111_2239.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp59/christopherlesso/SLABS/111_2248.jpg[/IMG]
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Post by stonesthatrock on Sept 2, 2011 8:41:52 GMT -5
i also have some on my website........ i didn't have too much trouble with it breaking up and I use Chinese blades......lol This slab shows how some can be very dark, too. mary ann
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dandyslabs
off to a rocking start
I lick rocks!
Member since September 2011
Posts: 21
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Post by dandyslabs on Sept 24, 2011 19:55:01 GMT -5
Tiffany Stone can be some high dollar stuff...it also can be some real junk. It ranges in value from yard rock to $800 a pound!!! The Brush-Wellman mine produces the stuff we all know as Tiffany Stone. but there is also a private claim just past the entrance to the large Brush-Wellamn pits. The claim produces the material that Christopher1234 is showing and it tends to be less opalized, easier to cab and more solid, but about half the material is junk. I brokered a deal for 9 tons of it to a friend of mine this winter. You have to pick the rough from that claim carefully. the pieces that look bubbly on the surface tends to be not as good as the pieces that are seam-like in appearance. Some chunks were well over 500Lbs!!!! The brush Wellman material, when it is good...can be truly a lapidary dream material and of very high value..beefjello and stonesthatrock both show decent to good typical examples in this thread. Some pieces are brecciated to harlequinned mixes of white, purple, red, orange and black and stunning to cab. the material from the brush wellman mine is notoriously prone to being heavily fractured and/or composed of a mix of material types and it is a material for a more seasoned lapidary to really cut, polish and bring the beauty out of. I do not recommend top Tiffany Stone for beginners as it could turn into a waste of money in inexperienced hands :-)
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Post by Donnie's Rocky Treasures on Sept 25, 2011 8:46:16 GMT -5
Thanks very much for the information dandyslabs. Mary Ann I will have to check your out!
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Post by Rockhobbit on Sept 25, 2011 9:11:06 GMT -5
Boy do I love Tiffany Stone!!
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Post by stonesthatrock on Sept 25, 2011 9:47:18 GMT -5
ty dandy........... when we were at the nipomo show i found a man selling it..... Some is dark but most had the very pretty light and dark purples..... We slabbed it all up without much trouble at all..... mary ann
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Post by johnjsgems on Sept 26, 2011 15:00:26 GMT -5
That's funny Dandy. I bought a pricey piece of it when I first started. It broke into pieces when I tried to vise it in my saw. Kind of turned me off on buying more.
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Post by tiffanycollector on May 27, 2014 10:07:53 GMT -5
Unfortunately, the material from the new claim is being passed off as being the same as the original material from the Brush Wellman Mine and it just isn't. From my experience, it is highly fractured and pitted, or undercuts badly, even if you can get it slabbed without it disintegrating. I hold on to my old stock material, which is stable and solid, because even though rock of similar appearance is available to purchase, none of it has the quality I am use to. Good old stock Tiffany is really amazing!
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Post by jakesrocks on Jun 3, 2014 20:32:01 GMT -5
Yes, Bertrandite is the correct name. I believe I read somewhere the "Tiffany Stone" name derived from Tiffany's the jewelers. It is a berrylium ore and looks very much like an opalite. Breaks up in the saw vise very easily so be careful (unless you buy blades from me). LOL. John, you're the only place I buy blades.
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 30, 2014 14:33:02 GMT -5
I bought a piece many years ago at Quartzsite. Vised it in my saw and it shattered into pieces. Never tried cutting it after that. Opalized flourite sounds right for that piece anyway.
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 30, 2014 15:14:11 GMT -5
Yes, Bertrandite is the correct name. I believe I read somewhere the "Tiffany Stone" name derived from Tiffany's the jewelers. It is a berrylium ore and looks very much like an opalite. Breaks up in the saw vise very easily so be careful (unless you buy blades from me). Dang John, you know I buy my blades from you. LOL
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