Stone Studio
From rough rock to polished gem
Learn the ancient art of lapidary. Cut, grind, and polish stones into cabochons and jewelry. Master grit progression, understand equipment, and discover the meditative practice of transforming earth's raw materials.
Lapidary work connects you to geological deep time. That agate you're shaping formed millions of years ago. The skills you're learning go back thousands. There's something grounding about working with earth's oldest materials. It's meditative work. The rhythm of grinding, the progression through grits, watching a cloudy surface slowly clear. You can't rush it. The stone teaches patience.
This is why Modernhaus maintains an active stone studio. Lapidary skills survive through makers who practice them regularly - not historical demonstrations, but living techniques that transform rough rocks into finished cabochons. We document what we practice because preservation means keeping traditional methods accessible for contemporary makers who want to work with materials that measure time in millions of years, using skills that measure time in thousands.
Getting Started
Essential equipment, grit progression science, and your first cabochon
Stone Identification
Know your material. Hardness testing, identifying patterns, working with what you find
Hardness Testing in Practice
Here's what actually happens when you test unknown stones with files, knives, and other tools.
Rock Tumbling Grit Progression: The Four-Stage Process Explained
The rock tumbling grit progression uses progressively finer abrasives to transform rough stone into polished gems. This documentation covers the four standard stages
Rock Tumbling Time Requirements by Material
Agate rough entering a tumbler on January 1st emerges polished on January 28th. Obsidian entering the same day finishes January 18th. Beryl won't be ready until mid-March. Same tumbler, same grit, same operator—material hardness dictating calendar reality
What Rocks Can Be Tumbled: Mohs Hardness Guide
The Mohs hardness scale determines rock tumbling success more than any other factor. Materials between 5 and 7 on the scale process reliably in standard four-week cycles
Recent Articles
Grit Progression Science: Why Steps Matter
Understanding the physics of abrasion and why skipping grits ruins your polish.
January 20, 2025
Cutting Through the Options: Lapidary Saws for Hobbyists
Learn how to get the right equipment for cutting rough rock into slabs and creating cabochons from this in-depth post.
January 15, 2025
Rock Tumblers Worth Running for Weeks: 2025 Field Notes
A complete guide to rock tumblers. Learn how to get professional-grade polished stones from this comprehensive analysis..
January 8, 2025Why Work Stone
Lapidary work connects you to geological deep time. That agate you're shaping formed millions of years ago. The skills you're learning go back thousands. There's something grounding about working with earth's oldest materials. It's meditative work. The rhythm of grinding, the progression through grits, watching a cloudy surface slowly clear. You can't rush it. The stone teaches patience.
It's meditative work. The rhythm of grinding, the progression through grits, watching a cloudy surface slowly clear. You can't rush it. The stone teaches patience.
This is why Modernhaus maintains an active stone studio. Lapidary skills survive through makers who practice them regularly - not historical demonstrations, but living techniques that transform rough rocks into finished cabochons. We document what we practice because preservation means keeping traditional methods accessible for contemporary makers who want to work with materials that measure time in millions of years, using skills that measure time in thousands.