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Snowville, Utah Variquoise

Jewelry Discussion
#1

Hello again,

I don’t post very often, but I do like to read each and every
posting. Tons of for us wanna be silversmiths.

I read the archives concerning the price of variquoise rough, but
most of the responses were more geared to weather or not the
snowville variquoise was really variquoise. I have an opportunity to
purchase about 50 lbs of this material (love to work with it) and am
wondering if anyone on this list has any idea of what it might be
worth?

Whether ot not the experts believe this is only variscite does not
concern me. I have worked the material for a number of years (just
haven’t put any cabochons in jewelry) and prefer it over turquoise.
As far as I am concerned, it has more character and variation. I
recently purchased one piece that I am particularly fond of. I would
be happy to e-mail a photo of this slab if anyone is interested.

Any you share is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Jed

#2

Snowville variscite is often as good as it gets…Assuming that
it is qualiity material, has good spiderweb pattern and vibrant
green color with black veining I would think that it might command
about fifty to one hundred dollars per pound.As far as I know, there
isn’t any more of this material coming on the market. And, unlike
Turquoise, it never requires treatment. Fifty pounds !
Wow…you are very lucky !

Ron Mills, Mills Gem Co. Los Osos, Ca.

#3

Continue from:
https://orchid.ganoksin.com/t/snowville-utah-variquoise

 I have an opportunity to purchase about 50 lbs of this material
(love to work with it) and am wondering if anyone on this list has
any idea of what it might be worth?

A related question set is, to whom will you be selling, in what
form, will THEY know what its worth, and if not, can you educate
them?

I really like variscite, spiderweb, translucent, and otherwise. One
thing I have found, though, in selling finished jewelry to the
public, at least; sometimes, the wonderful, rare, delightful stuff
(e.g., high grade covellite) doesn’t sell worth beans, because the
general public has no idea of its real worth. Often, they will zoom
right past it and go for something much more common because they
have seen it hyped elsewhere. So, before you buy 50 pounds of this
stuff (which I agree is beautiful, of short supply and totally worth
it from my own perspective) you may wish to consider it from your
customers perspective, and ask whether they will understand the
price differential between spiderweb variscite, chinese turquoise
or even plasticized sliced turquoise loaf. If they will not, you
will either need to educate them, get the rough way cheap, or be
prepared to have the finished goods on your hands for a long time.

Lee Einer
Dos Manos Jewelry
http://www.dosmanosjewelry.com