I saw a thread the other day about gemstones and I started watching them on eBay, and I've become addicted. Anyone else here collect gemstones and precious metals? Any other type of collectible?
My hubby and I collect gems as well. My great-grandparents had a gravel company in SD that unearthed quite a few that they'd leave rough or polish into cabochons. I prefer faceted myself but am picky with cuts. I used to mount and sell my own designs but now just collect. Hopefully they'll be worth something to my kids some day.
I have a gazillion collections: shells, rocks, fossils, meteorites, rhinestones, geodes ... I have some fantastic specimens. I have other things too but if I list them all I might look like a hoarder.
I have a sizable collection of vintage fountain pens. Nothing newer than the 1950's, most from the late 20's and early 30's. I refurbish them as a hobby.
I have a few collections. I have a decent coin collection, and I also collect interesting rocks. Some I buy, some I find. I won't go out of my way to find new rocks, though - they'll come when they come. I'm also just beginning to get drawn to autograph collecting. Seems like a cool thing to do. I also have less serious collections, and some wouldn't even call them that: films (just about to start my Disney collection), books, Warhammer 40k figurines (which I then paint), and comics. I do love collections. @Wreybies, that seems like a cool collection/hobby! I love things which you don't see every day, such as coin or stamp collecting, and yours is certainly one of 'em! Now I know what to get you for Christmas. @Lewdog, that's an amazing stone. I need it for my collection.
Tourmaline colored solar quartz? A tourmaline is not a quartz so I'm confused. It's beautiful, btw! Make sure you check for the amount of heat treatments involved as it devalues the stones unless you're just keeping them for fun, then you won't care.
Took the words out of my mouth. Sorry @Lewdog, but it is pretty and big. I'll try to post images of some of mine, many are interesting rocks rather than only gemstones.
I've been wanting to make jewelry with semi-precious stones. I need to save up some money first; it's an expensive hobby. My favorite gemstone is the mystic fire topaz. I also like rainbow shell pieces.
The rough looks awesome. Mine are in cabs...I've never taken a pic and uploaded it here, let me see if I can.
I took images of a tiny fraction of what I have. It's for the best I don't post everything all at once. This one is a large smoky quartz crystal with a clear quartz crystal growing out if it. This one is a very large stalactite: This is one of two very large specs of pink quartz I have. This one has a hollow you can put a light in and the other is outside in the yard. Opal in natural form: This is what every shelf and table space in my house looks like: The ammonite I dropped: Walrus tusks: Coprolites that look more interesting than the camera captures: Got this bobcat from a guy at a garage sale that needed money. It's absolutely gorgeous. And no, I do not approve of anyone buying one of these commercially. The damage was already done when I bought it.
