I sure hadn't, and I'm even from that part of the world! I was introduced to this beautiful, manmade material through a beading challenge on Bead Soup Cafe. Alison of Beads by Alison made a stunning sterling silver and fordite cabochon pendant - and my breath was taken away! I had to look up what it was, where I could get it, and start planning my own design using this novel and sweet looking material.....
What I found out about Fordite:
- It is also called "Detroit Agate" and "motor agate"
- there is nothing natural about this material - it is completely manmade!
- It is created by layers and layers and layers of auto body paint overspray collecting on steel during old style production
- There are limited quantities of genuine fordite because new painting processes are being used now
- Sometimes someone will come across a bucket of raw fordite that an employee had collected - trinkets and nicknacks were carved out of the stuff years ago and given to family and friends
- Fordite is often recycled into jewelry components now - or collected and shown off!
For more on the history of fordite, you can read here:
You can find your own piece of fordite on Etsy, Ebay, Azbluerockers, Fordite, and Fordite Cabochons (U.K.), to name a few!
I haven't made a purchase yet, but I hope to soon! This colorful and unique material has great promise for a stunning jewelry design....
Happy Creating,
PZ
