With the bulk of the shaping work done, I wanted to snap some pictures of the stones as they are nearing the middle of the cycle. They have a little more than 2 weeks to go, and are really starting to take on their beautiful final shapes.

Even though they may not look it, these stones are perfectly smooth. Any detail you see is a visual effect made possible by clear portions of the stone contrasted against a more solid inclusion or separate mineral area. The take shown here was collected from various sites all over California.

Fire Agate, collected in the Coyote Mountains, due north of Ocotillo, CA.

A stunningly clear Smokey Quartz, collected at Lone Pine, CA.

Yellow Jasper, collected at Red Rock Canyon, off state route 14 in eastern California’s Mojave Desert.

Red Jasper, collected in the foothills north of Jacumba, CA, in the Table Mountain volcanic area.

Moss Agate, collected at the Coyote Mountains,  in San Diego County’s eastern desert.

Jadeite, collected in an alluvial iron-rich soil deposit north of Jacumba, CA,  in the shadow of Table Mountain.

Heavily, but beautifully included Chalcedony, collected north of Jacumba, CA.

Brown Chalcedony collected at Lone Pine, CA, in the Alabama Hills area.

Chalcedony, collected in the alluvial zone east of Table Mountain volcano, just north of Jacumba CA.

A 2 colorful and included Quartz specimens collected at the crest of a granite deposit near Jacumba CA.

A truly outstanding included Chalcedony, found in the “secret spot” somewhere in the western alluvial zone near Table Mountain volcanic area, in the high desert of eastern San Diego County.

Keep digging, rockhounds.