Many people don't realize how many gemstones simply are vanishing. TURQUOISE, for instance, is practically unavailable except as stablized or just ground up and mixed with plastic. Even Chinese turquoise which rivaled the best Persian for awhile is now mostly green with a broad matrix and pressure plasticized.However, I have recently acquired a small stock of Gem Chinese. Australian OPALS are pretty much gone, mined out. Solid cutting opal is very scarce. The SUGILITE mine in Wessels, South Afica is producing less and less quality sugilite. And this wonderful purple gem is rare except in private stocks. LAPIS LAZULI is becoming very scarce in it's gem form. FINNISH SPECTROLITE, which was recently discovered in Finland after WWII, is getting very expensive and the true gem grade is very scarce. It seems most of it is being blasted out of the mines now and this produces cracks throughout the rough rock. Diamonds may well be the most plentiful gems on the planet!!

      I handcut most of my gems and have quite a good selection of many types of rough rock which I produce my cabochons from. I have had much of this gem material for many years. Lapidary is a high precision skill and you may be sure you are getting the real thing from Laurie Stetzler.

Please see Custom Design Gallery for how we take unique jewelry orders.
And Spectrolite & Rare Gemstone Jewelry for set cabochons.

Contact Laurie for more info:
Telephone: 505-877-1739

Fine Finnish Spectrolite cabochon 12 x 16 mm

3 mm round Gem Stone Selection for Jester Masks

Crystal Opal Cabochon 6 x 8 mm

Click on images for more detail
Blue Heaven Finnish Spectrolite Cabochon It is quite impossible to show the living colors in these gems in a flat photo. The colors are in constant motion. This is a good-sized stone at 48mmH x 30mmW x 6.6mm thick. It weighs in at 16.75 grams,69.6 cts. Contact us for information to put this gem in a setting for you.	Unbelievable Finnish Spectrolite Cabochon I cut this stone from a 4 pound rock! I have another which is just as good, but I've never seen such a color combination in Spectrolite. It shows "schiller" in many positions and the back is as amazing as the front. Let us set this cab for you in one of Laurie trademark pendants. Dim =45mmHx 34mmW x 5mm thick, 15.5 grams, 69.7cts.	Top Rhodocrosite Cabochon This cab is a top example of Rhodocrosite which is getting very hard to find, especially this quality. It is very transluscent, typical of gem quality. The pink lace of Rhodocrosite is much desired for pendants and earrings. Let me make you a set which will be elict the Ahhh's and Ohhhh's of everyone you meet. Dim = 25mmH x 28mmW x 6.3mm thick, 15 grams, 69.6	Sugilite Gel Cabochon Almost total gel. It also has small areas of red jasper a bit of blue Richerite, even more rare than the sugilite. Top quality. The Wessels mine in South Africa is producing very little sugilite of quality; the price has skyrocketed. The rough the gems are cut from is now sold by the carat. The gel has always been very rare. This magnificent purple is always rare in Nature. I suggest a pendant for this gem as it is so soft. Dim = 32mmH x 19mmW x 4mm thick, 3.5 grams, 14cts.

Designer Top Gem Lapis cabochon Handcut, designer Afghani Lapis Lazuli cabochon.

Opal Pair showing fire from different sides 6 x 8 mm

Lavender Jade Cabochon 10x14 mm