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Let's Rock => Identifications of Materials => Topic started by: Kerrismama on April 05, 2018, 11:38:14 AM

Title: Unknown small cabochon
Post by: Kerrismama on April 05, 2018, 11:38:14 AM
I bought this cab in an online estate auction. I don't know much about it, other than the estate was that of a retired jeweler. It looks to have been backed at some point, but it is coming off so I would assume it was recovered from a setting at some point. Hardness is around 3.5 - 4.5. Any input is appreciated. Thanks!
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180405/1986246e2d7b19caf68f0bb2d0f6b876.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180405/8b0eebde55f4f96c8d293d3681616185.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180405/37935ea0da6ea7811bba382613c57280.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180405/3f5eb9ae50ac305d3c7e46a623fa98c4.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180405/523d62139808ff728808b8b5fc7274c1.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180405/5b8bb137651b9cf90ffbed51134157aa.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180405/c88c7a4a5f70f004b2054ff14061d956.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180405/64e1c1ef6f76674da3bb7787612e9942.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180405/87a3dc780d1704a04867249d75e1ba2a.jpg)

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Title: Re: Unknown small cabochon
Post by: yukonjade on April 05, 2018, 12:59:17 PM

 Possibly Fordite,cabs made from automotive paint taken in chunks from car manufacturers paint booths {years of buildup} :icon_scratch:  :icon_scratch:
Title: Re: Unknown small cabochon
Post by: Kerrismama on April 05, 2018, 01:32:36 PM

 Possibly Fordite,cabs made from automotive paint taken in chunks from car manufacturers paint booths {years of buildup} :icon_scratch:  :icon_scratch:
Thanks for your response. I had never heard of that before, so I looked it up. That's really cool! I'm not entirely convinced that's what this is though. It's hard to see the detail,  but in looking at pictures of fordite online close up it looks like a layered paint. There's these brightly colored layers alternating with very glittery layers from the metallic paints. That's not what's going on in this cab I have. If you look at it in close up detail, the layers have a very agate sort of look to them.  Idk, maybe I'm way off base. I've certainly never seen Fordite in person before. Here's a better close up picture of my cab so you can see what I mean(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180405/dd1c2540c3936909e36f2c2efd28e7eb.jpg)

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Title: Re: Unknown small cabochon
Post by: Slabbercabber on April 05, 2018, 01:47:55 PM
If you rub a metal file across the back fordite will behave like plastic.  It will file off soft and powdery.
Title: Re: Unknown small cabochon
Post by: hummingbirdstones on April 05, 2018, 02:15:46 PM
To me it looks more like Rainbow Calsilica.  Also a man made "stone" using pigments for color. The colors in your stone match those of Rainbow Calsilica, but instead of cutting it with all the color lines showings, it looks like yours was cut the opposite way.

 Here's the GIA's analysis of Rainbow Calsilica:  https://www.gia.edu/doc/WN02.pdf  page 362 is the conclusion.
Title: Re: Unknown small cabochon
Post by: Kerrismama on April 05, 2018, 02:34:22 PM
To me it looks more like Rainbow Calsilica.  Also a man made "stone" using pigments for color. The colors in your stone match those of Rainbow Calsilica, but instead of cutting it with all the color lines showings, it looks like yours was cut the opposite way.

 Here's the GIA's analysis of Rainbow Calsilica:  https://www.gia.edu/doc/WN02.pdf  page 362 is the conclusion.
Yep, I think you're right! I just found a few pictures of some hand cut cabochons that look very similar. Thanks for the help.

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Title: Re: Unknown small cabochon
Post by: finegemdesigns on April 07, 2018, 09:43:15 PM
To me it looks more like Rainbow Calsilica.  Also a man made "stone" using pigments for color. The colors in your stone match those of Rainbow Calsilica, but instead of cutting it with all the color lines showings, it looks like yours was cut the opposite way.

 Here's the GIA's analysis of Rainbow Calsilica:  https://www.gia.edu/doc/WN02.pdf  page 362 is the conclusion.

Rainbow Calsilica came from a tile factory in Mexico. I have a youtube video which shows a photo of a bottle cap imbedded in the material.