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Not a gemstone

Hast thou heard of Fordite. It’s overspray from car spray booths – hundreds and hundreds of layers of it – baked hundreds and hundreds of times and (usually) as hard as a gemstone. This article says 997 layers per inch, though that seems a little precise to me.

Eventually, the clumps of overspray got in the way and were chipped off and thrown away. I imagine in the era of “any color as long as it’s black” it wasn’t particularly interesting stuff. But the colorful ones people often took home to keep.

Also called ‘Detroit agate’ or ‘motor agate’ or even the specialized Corvettite. People do make jewellery out of it – it’s apparently light enough to be especially good for earrings and pendants. Early bits are more subdued, then the colors get louder and louder. Remember that?

In the 80’s, they switched to a different process. No more spray booths and baking. That means the supply of Fordite is limited, and we all know what THAT means.

Judging by the Ebay listings, there’s still plenty to be had., but the prices are getting on for semi-precious gemstone territory.

I just did another Ebay search. Man, people make some stupid stuff out of amethyst.

Comments


Comment from Anonymous
Time: June 2, 2021, 2:19 am

It seems to me you could do better making your own “Fordite” with a pasta machine and colored polymer clay, and you get to choose your own colors and layer thicknesses.

And about those EBay amethyst items, I got a kick out of the Chinese Amethyst Crystal Sphere Orgonite Pyramid Obsidian Chakra Energy Orgone Stone for a measly £12.19. Also amusing were all the raw chunks of natural stone labeled Brand new! Well, I suppose I wouldn’t really want a used piece of purple quartz.


Comment from Uncle Al
Time: June 2, 2021, 2:20 am

Above comment posted a minute ago was mine. I forgot I was forgotten.


Comment from BJM
Time: June 2, 2021, 5:43 am

Wandering the innertubes does turn up some odd shit.

what’s not to like?


Comment from BJM
Time: June 2, 2021, 5:52 am

Freddie would be amazed.

(Bear with me I’m dodging ole Mr. Akismet)


Comment from BJM
Time: June 2, 2021, 5:58 am

It gets weirder.


Comment from BJM
Time: June 2, 2021, 6:12 am

Halp! I’m trapped in an algorithm …er summin’


Comment from BJM
Time: June 2, 2021, 6:23 am

Amazing.


Comment from April
Time: June 2, 2021, 1:17 pm

Daughters got me a Corvettite key chain last Christmas….yes I have a Corvette key and Corvette


Comment from durnedyankee
Time: June 2, 2021, 1:41 pm

Being a family soft of site I suppose the punchline for the geoligist/archeologist joke about the ancient indigenous inhabitant love amuLet would be inappropriate.


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: June 2, 2021, 7:45 pm

Those were some bitching links, BJM.


Comment from BJM
Time: June 2, 2021, 10:24 pm

Thank Yew! The Steven Tyler link made me giggle…the musicians were into it, but the middle-aged Italian audience dressed up in their “going to opera” clothes really didn’t know what the hell to think of him/it.

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