QuestionHi, I'm not exactly sure how to phrase the subject.
I recently found what I believe to be a beautiful piece of natural ametrine near the East Point Lighthouse in Heislerville/Maurice River Twp. in Cumberland County, NJ.(It's situated on Delaware Bay.) I have found unusual pieces of tourmalinated quartz here. It looks like it broke off from a geode or something & is very hard & not like any kind of glass I've ever found. You can clearly see amber/brown/yellow coloring along w/ purple & red. Cumberland county is part of the NJ Pine Barrens, which were once known for their iron industry. I am looking for someone who can identify it authortitatively & plan to take it to s local jeweler. What i would like to know is where I can find someone in or near Union County, NJ who could turn it into a piece of jewelery. Since you're in that field, I thought you might be able to give me some ideas of where & how to look.
We don't have a digital camera, but I'll see if I can find a way to send you a photo. It is a very striking stone & I figure anyone who loves rocks, gems & minerals would enjoy looking at it. Thank you! Linda
AnswerLinda, thank you for this question.
I am not familiar with that area but do find the Pine Barrens fascinating. The old and long gone iron industry also caught my attention, primarily because of glass slag from iron processing and if that might relate to your find. You said the piece was nothing like any glass you have ever found. Have you found glass in the area which could be slag from the iron processing? I am not inferring your item is slag glass but glass will need to be eliminated in making a proper id. Since natural quartz specimens have also been found in the area, identification of your specimen needs to be properly done and without guesses or assumptions.
Identification will require that specific characteristics of crystalline quartz be present. To do the id, the one testing the piece needs training/experience in gem identification. You might be surprised but in my experience with gemology trained jewelers, rough (uncut) items sometimes totally elude them and are for some reason out of their ability to test. Others with the credentials and equipment will be able to make the id. I say this in case you go to a GIA or other jeweler and are told they cannot test rough material. Some will not and some will be willing to take the time to do it right. You need to find a gemology trained jeweler or appraiser who will use a combination of more methods to establish what your item truly is. First clues are visual, followed with things such as testing for refractive, using a poliariscope to determine the single or multiple refractive nature of the material, and rarely specific gravity testing or use of a spectrometer. This sort of testing should confirm your find as "is" or is something else.
Do you want the material cut into a gemstone or mounted as is? Jewelers may be able to recommend someone local to cut and polish your material. Another option is to fine a "rock and gem club" and get in touch with them. Generally there are member who are quite familiar with local finds and also those who do stone cutting. Experienced amateur stone cutters often do a better job than commercial cutters vbecause they do the work with pride of each item and are not bound to production numbers.
The best I can do about finding the right jeweler is to say pick up the phone or check out on the net. Find a business with accredited gemology services(appraisals) and with a bench jeweler who does custom work. This means checking out what the various stores offer in services and then visiting the best ones to get a look at the sort of work they actually do, while gaining an impression of the overall operation.
Linda, I do hope this rather general answer does help to some extent. God Bless. Thomas.
