The questions we
get most.

Anything hard enough to take a polish — agate, jasper, petrified wood, obsidian, quartz, chalcedony, thundereggs, most geodes and a lot of beach and river rock. Soft material that crumbles under an abrasive won't work, but that's a smaller category than people expect. If you're unsure, send a photo and we'll tell you.

Slabbing starts at $3 per cut, trimming and shaping from $8 per piece, and polishing from $12 per piece. A full-service job — slab, shape and polish — is quoted per stone. Hard material, awkward shapes and heavy fracturing all add work, so you get a firm written quote before anything is cut.

Typically two to three weeks from the day your rough arrives. Large batches and heavily fractured material take longer. We'll give you a realistic timeline with your quote rather than an optimistic one.

For cutting and polishing work, yes — you mail it in and we ship it back insured with tracking. But start with photos: a few daylight shots are enough for a free assessment, and that way you know it's worth shipping before you spend the postage.

That's most of what we do. Personal finds are the best part of the job. Send photos first and we'll tell you honestly what it is likely to do under the saw — including when the answer is that it won't hold up.

Four steps. You send photos and a description, we do a free consultation, we cut and shape the stone, then we build the setting around it. You get photo updates at each stage, and nothing is cut before you approve the design.

Simple settings start around $180, most pieces fall into the statement category from $420, and heirloom builds are quoted per project. You get a firm written quote after the consultation — and it doesn't move once you've approved it.

Tell us what you're picturing and we'll source material that's close. You'll see photos of the actual stone before we commit to cutting it.

Often, yes — resetting an inherited or unworn piece is one of our favorite jobs. Send photos of the piece and we'll tell you what's possible without damaging the existing setting.

Warm water, a drop of mild dish soap and a soft toothbrush. Rinse and pat dry with a lint-free cloth. That's it for most stones — you don't need an ultrasonic cleaner and on some material it's actively risky.

Household chemicals, chlorine, and long exposure to direct sun for stones with strong color. Take pieces off before swimming, cleaning, or heavy work. A lot of softer material will dull if it's knocked against hard surfaces regularly.

Separately, in a soft pouch or a compartment that stops pieces touching each other. Stones scratch each other — and they'll scratch metal, and metal will scratch them. A hard case with dividers is ideal.

Email us. Send it back and we'll tighten or rebuild the setting. That's part of making it — we'd rather fix it than have you stop wearing it.

Insured, tracked, in a rigid hard case with cushioning — never a padded envelope. Stones this personal shouldn't travel any other way.

Ready-made shop pieces can be returned within 30 days if unworn and undamaged. Custom commissions and cutting work are made specifically for you, so they aren't returnable — which is exactly why we get your approval on the design before we start.

Email us straight away with a photo. If it was damaged in transit, we'll repair or remake it. Every shipment is insured specifically so this isn't a fight.

Ask — it depends on the destination and the material. Email us with where it's going and we'll give you a straight answer.

None at all. Most of our students have never cut a stone or held a jeweler's saw. Classes are capped at six seats so you get real attention at the bench.

Closed-toe shoes, and clothes you don't mind getting rock dust on. Everything else — tools, abrasives, stone, safety gear — is provided.

In the cabochon and polishing class, yes — most students leave with a finished cabochon the same day. The jewelry classes run longer or across two sessions because the work genuinely takes that long.

Send us a message through the contact page naming the class you want and we'll reply with the next available dates. Seats go quickly with only six per session.