Description
Small Polished Gemstones are natural undyed stone sold in 1/4 pound lots. There are approximately 40 to 60 pieces per 1/4 pound. Piece size ranges from approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Gemstones have natural variation in their exact color, pattern, and shape. Do not order if that is a problem. Gemstones should be used as accents not area coverage. Coverage varies based on how the gemstones are nested and whether or not they are placed on end or flat.Product Specifications
- tumble-polished natural undyed gemstones.
- material can vary by color and pattern.
- price is per 1/4 pound.
- approximately 40 to 60 pieces per 1/4 pound.
- Piece sizes range from approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch.
Natural Material
We do not sell dyed gemstones. All of our stones are natural material that has been rounded and smoothed by tumbling in silicon carbide grit and then polished with metal oxide.Product Variation
The gemstones we sell have been running fairly consistent over the years, but there is always the potential for pattern, color, and roundness to vary slightly from the product photographs.Product Coverage
There is no straightforward answer to coverage for materials that are irregular in shape such as the gemstones. Certain pieces will be thin, and these do not always look right when you position them flat next to a piece that is much fatter or rounded. For this reason, the thin pieces are usually nested on end, or at least semi-overlapped, which is best accomplished by pressing them into thinset mortar (but can be done with glue as well). Nesting or overlapping the gemstones on end means that they cover less area than they would if laid flat, and that is why they are mostly used for accents in mixed-media mosaics instead of covering areas.Area coverage would probably be about 2 to 3 square inches per 1/4 pound maximum, but probably less if you nest them a little as recommended. If you are serious about using gemstones for area coverage in a large mosaic, we strongly recommend first ordering a few units and making a prototype of your mosaic, maybe a small section 2 inches x 2 inches.
