Will your customers be looking for chrysanthemum stones this year?

It’s hard to say whether a certain set of regular customers is savvy enough to know about the latest trends in rocks and minerals, but let’s just say that once they see these unique specimens it will be hard to resist owning one.  This very unusual material is made up of dolomite, limestone, gypsum-bearing clay, porphyry and lath-like crystals like celestite, calcite, andalusite and feldspar.  It is these crystal elements that are grouped together against a matte black backdrop to form a pattern that resembles a blooming chrysanthemum.

Once your customers get a look at these patterned stones it will be tempting to pick up a few of them.  It’s interesting that so many of these specimens originate from Hunan China because the chrysanthemum is also the official symbol of the Chinese Imperial Family.  They are also found in Japan, the United States and Canada.  Each of these spectacular rocks is one-of-a-kind and they are not artificially enhanced or colored.  Approximately 4.75” tall, chrysanthemum stones weigh about 7 pounds each. Chrysanthemum stones are available at Pikes Peak Rock in the wholesale catalog.

Can chrysanthemum stones be used for healing purposes?

Yes, according to metaphysical healing experts, this stone brings a lovely child-like joy into the life of a healing practitioner.  It helps you to be fully present and enjoy each moment of life while exuding a calming energy that helps you feel centered.  Some say that their chrysanthemum stones encourage them to open up and “bloom,” or discover their purpose in life.

Find out more about buying chrysanthemum stones wholesale by visiting the catalog at Pikes Peak Rock Shop!

Fossil-hunters have been known to buy valuable fossils from land owners and then sell them for exorbitant sums, which may explain the interest in fossil collecting.  Many fossil hunters skip the archaeological dig and look for unique and rare specimens at yard sales.  There they purchase them for a few bucks, and then turn around and sell them online to serious collectors.  But the average person looking at fossils for sale at your store will be a casual collector with an interest in learning more about our distant past.  Fossils are one of the few specimens that provide us with a visual and tactile link to the plant and animal life that flourished millions of years ago.

Why do people collect fossils?

Rock shop owners who purchase bulk fossils for sale on wholesale web sites are not always too familiar with what customers want.  They may purchase a few ammonites, trilobites or orthoceras fossil plates; or perhaps they will buy a few fossil fish for more serious collectors, but they may know very little about the age and origin of these fossils.

Which fossils are most popular?

Ammonites are one of the most commonly found fossils, and look very similar to the ancient Nautilus.  The look of these 350 million year old marine cephalopods make them excellent centerpieces for a display, but they can also be purchased in smaller versions.  One of the most popular display pieces at Pikes Peak Rock Shop is a large polished Ammonite that sites on a rough brown matrix.  These semi-polished fossils are like freestanding sculptures and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, making them the ideal decoration for a coffee table or mantle.

Buying wholesale fossils in bulk doesn’t mean that one needs to become an expert on the subject, but it’s important to work with a wholesale supplier who is.  Pikes Peak Rock Shop offers buyers a wealth of information on every fossil they sell, as well as a great variety of specimens to match every price range.

A word about Brazilian Agate

Agate is probably the best-selling rock on sale today; probably because it’s available in so many different products.  Jewelry makers use agate pieces to make beads and pendants, collectors prefer cut geodes and colorful agate slices; but the most interesting use for wholesale Brazilian agate is the everyday household item.  Agate can be chiseled and shaped into bowls, candleholders and bookends quite easily, which make a powerful statement as decorator pieces in the home.

Unique uses for wholesale Brazilian agate

In addition to the striking Brazilian agate bookends on sale at Pikes Peak Rock Shop, many shoppers seek out agate for its metaphysical properties.  Whether it is found in its natural colors, including red, brown yellow and orange, or it is hand colored with bright hues of blue, green and purple, agate is known for its protective properties.  It has a strong connection to the earth and thereby reduces feelings of envy and strife in relationships. In addition to its grounding abilities, agate’s cleansing aura lends balance to an individual’s physical, intellectual and emotional lives.  While eliminating negativity, it also stimulates perception and analytical skills.  As a result, wholesale Brazilian agate has become a favorite item for retail rock shops.

Visually, agate is banded like the trunk of a tree with concentric circles of chalcedony, an opaline shell-like substance.  Iridescent quartz fibers extend vertically within each of the band layers, lending color and vibrancy to the stone. Some collectors prefer the natural gray tones of Brazilian agate, while other look for brilliantly dyed slices of polished agate.

Find out what makes wholesale Brazilian agate and agate bookends such a hot seller.  Which agate items are a “must” for your summary inventory? Check out the selection at Pikes Peak Rock Shop today.

Agate slices are just one of many popular products that rocks shops sell.  It gives new collectors a piece that is suitable for display without making a large investment.  Because of their unique shapes and colors, people are drawn to agate slices and tend to buy them as gifts.  But which of these specimens are the top sellers among wholesale buyers?  Read on and learn about the various types of agate, also known as Minnesota’s official gemstone.  It comes in a wide variety of beautiful colors, including yellow, orange, red, purple and blue.  Slices are a whole lot lighter than the whole agate stone, which is why so many tourists choose them as a thoughtful souvenir.

Here is a sampling of some popular agate slices, many of which can be found at your rock and mineral distributor.

• Brazilian Agate – The most common form of agate for agate slices is a stone that originates from the province of Minas Gerias in Brazil.  These are the specimens best known for their beautifully colored bands.
• Queensland Agate was mined in the 1960s and were found in the Australian Outback north of Queensland.  They are among the rarest and most beautiful in the world.
• Western Lake Superior Agate is often found on the shores of Lake Superior in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan.  Like all agate slices, special skill and equipment is required to get a perfect specimen of these stones.
• Oregon Agate is found near Newport, which is also one of the best “agate-hunting” areas in the world.  A new supply of these remarkable stones is revealed each year in the tides.
• Fairburn Agate is named after the town of Fairburn, South Dakota, an area famous for agate fields that cover thousands of acres in the southern Black Hills area.
• Other forms of agate include the ancient Turritella agate from the Western United States and colorful Laguna agate from Chihuahua Mexico.

If your customers are looking for an inexpensive yet beautiful collectors’ item to display in their home, agate slices are a popular choice.  You will find a wide range of wholesale agate slices at Pikes Peak Rock Shop.

What is a geode?

A geode is a type of rock formation that occurs when a pocket of air or gas is trapped and forms a cavity in sedimentary or igneous rock. A hard “crust” forms around the outside of the cavity. Groundwater, which often carries dissolved minerals in solution, seeps through the rock over a long period of time. The result? Beautiful crystal points or layers of banded crystals deposited inside the cavity, much to the wonder of the lucky person who gets to be the first ever to peek inside!

If you’ve never experienced the excitement and mystery of break at home geodes, then it might be a good idea to give it a try.  This way, you can truly answer any questions a customer has.  Most of the break at home geodes available for retailers are sold in sets, and each set contains natural geodes that have never been opened.  Ranging in size from 1” to 2.25” or more, the buyer of these rough looking rocks is always the first to truly witness what lies inside of each geode.  They don’t look like much; just round stones with a rough outer texture that could easily be ignored. But when these hollow treasures are opened they are filled with crystals and layers of agate.  Each break at home geode contains either quartz or calcite crystals inside, or can be displayed as a part of your personal rock collection.

How do break at home geodes work?

This is always the first question you hear from a customer considering geodes for their children.  They want to know how you get to the inside of the rock without hurting yourself.  The answer is quite simple.  Just place the geode inside of an old sock and lay the sock on a concrete surface or sidewalk.  Lightly tap the outside of the geode with a hammer until it breaks open inside the sock.  This will prevent rock fragments from shattering or flying into the eyes.

Keep in mind that break at home geodes are not intended for children under 5 years old.  They are usually sold in bags of 25, but the number of pieces will also depend on the size.  The majority of the breakable geodes sold today are sourced from Morocco because these tend to be larger and contain more crystalline structures than the ones found in Mexico.

Find out more about break at home geodes by visiting the online catalog at Pikes Peak Rock Shop.

When a new customer enters your store and they are not already a collector of rocks and quartz, they may not find any reason to keep shopping.  That’s why so many retailers have been successful with showcasing selenite candleholders near the front of the store.  Selenite is a translucent mineral that is milky white, but it can also be yellowish or pale amber in color.  When people buy candleholders made from selenite, they find it gives their interior space a spectacular glow.  Selenite has the same effect on a flame as a rice paper lampshade has on a light bulb.  It lets light shine through a filter and gives the entire room a warm glow.

Here are some examples of candle holders made from selenite and quartz Candleholders.html found in Morocco.  Whether purchased in Orange Selenite or ”Snowball” selenite, it will be pre-cut and assembled into a single piece for easy display in your store.  Light a candle in one of these natural candle holders and you will immediately notice its radiance, especially in a darkened room.  Other great gifts made from selenite include lamps, soothing stones and spheres.

When polished, selenite stones act very similar to quartz. Jewelry can be polished to a smooth and luxurious shine or made into a worry stone.  Selenite candle holders tend to be a little rougher textured, but that helps to bring out the luminous aspects of the mineral.  When lit, these natural quartz candle holders are known for their warm and inviting qualities.  Most are only about 3” in diameter and deep enough to hold a tea-light candle.

For the best selection of candle holders made from selenite, rock and quartz, shop the online catalog at Pikes Peak Rock Shop.

No matter which mineral specimens and gemstones you currently sell, wholesale agate slices should be a part of the mix. In fact, they may be the most commonly sold mineral item in the world. For souvenir and rock shops, colorful slices of Brazilian agate are among the most popular and affordable items.  If you are like most rock shop owners, you probably want to stick to something that sells, so how do you know which agates to buy? Fortunately, there are several different kinds of agate slices available wholesale.  Slabs of agate can be found in white, black and red, as well as many other brilliant colors like pink and aqua.  With so many different gemstone varieties to choose from, the possibilities for store displays are endless.

Many of the wholesale agate slices found in lapidary shops originated in Brazil; hence the demand for Brazilian agate.  However, it won’t always look the same just because it was found in Brazil.  In order for agate slices to show their “true colors,” they must be properly polished.  When purchased wholesale from a source like Pikes Peak Rock Shop, most of the retail-quality agate slices have a commercial polish.  Nothing will need to be done to these wholesale specimens when they arrive at the store, but you may need a few plastic stands to display them properly.  In addition to their competitive prices, another advantage of buying wholesale from a reputable supplier is that you can trust the specimens will be delivered in top-quality condition.

Wholesale agate slices are made from a mineral that is a form of chalcedony.  Chalcedony is a semiprecious silica mineral that varies in color and transparency. While it’s found throughout the world, most of the commercial agate sold today is found in Brazil and Uruguay.  A member of the quartz family, most of the agate sold today is artificially dyed to look more interesting and colorful.  Some of the more interesting varieties of agate include blue lace, eye, fire, cloud, Mexican lace, Oregon snakeskin and onyx.

To see the full collection of agate slices available wholesale, check out the online catalog at Pikes Peak Rock Shop.

Why is selenite so popular?

A crystal form of gypsum, selenite is naturally colorless and most likely seen in white tabular crystals or needle like formations.  In its tabular form, it can be formed into solid shapes like massage wands or obelisks, but it is also known for its luminescent qualities.  Due to its clear and linear structure, the crystal behaves like a fiber optic, meaning that light can be shown through the material and it will extend through to the ends.  What most people don’t realize is that this quality is a physical manifestation of selenite’s metaphysical nature.

In addition to its natural beauty and value to rock collectors, wholesales selenite is also considered the “sword of awareness” among metaphysical believers.  In the spiritual realm, selenite cuts through assumptions and promotes the connection between the inner mystic and the conscious self.  It allows the body to remove blockages that keep energy from moving freely throughout the body, and which could also cause chronic diseases.

Buy selenite wholesale for its “special gift”

Only two minerals – selenite and apophyllite – are powerful enough to clear away negative energy.  It is also unique in that it is capable of programming a quartz crystal.  New Age crystal worshipers believe that if you place any stone or specimen you’ve been working with on top of a selenite wand, it will clear away any negative energies present and recharge the crystal with its original metaphysical qualities.

Unless you study metaphysical arts or the occult, you may not realize that pointing a selenite wand toward any other stone will increase the receiving stone’s energy.  In addition to this “power boost,” selenite is also used to help access higher beings, angels and spirit guides as well as the subconscious mind.  In other words, these wands can be very potent.  People who handle selenite regularly are advised to be very careful about their thoughts when working with this mineral.

Once the word gets out that your store offers a range of selenite products, it will be important to stay on top of your inventory. People will find out quickly that you have this highly demanded product available, so you may want to order a higher quantity of selenite wholesale.

Lepidolite is available in many forms, including tumbled stones, but it’s more common to find this mineral in a slightly larger and rougher format like the one shown here.  Collectors love the rose or lilac-gray color of this lithium bearing mineral.  It is one of the major sources of rare alkali metals such as cesium and rubidium; in fact that is how the mineral was discovered back in 1861.  These metals are mined out of granite pegmatite and found within some quartz veins, and this is also where deposits of lepidolite have been found.  Within the mineral family, lepidolite is often associated with feldspar, amblygonite, spodumene and tourmaline, as well as columbite, beryl and topaz.

As attractive as this mineral is, few people know where to get this type of stone.  Surprisingly, it is not always available from many mineral retailers or distributors, so some hobbyists decide to exclude this stone in their collections.  Its most notable occurrences are in Brazil, the Ural Mountains of Russia, California and parts of Canada, but it has yet to achieve widespread distribution in the United States.  Fortunately, it can be purchased at wholesale prices from Pikes Peak Rock Shop.

Known as the “stone of transition,” or the “peace stone,” lepidolite is known to gently induce change through emotional healing.  It can bring a soothing response to depression and stress by melting away negativity, while propelling the spirit boldly into the future.  Physically, people who buy tumbled lepidolite stones rely on it for healing in the throat, the heart and the third eye chakra.  It is also known to open the crown chakra, which brings cosmic awareness by clearing blocked energy pathways.  Lepidolite is used to support the release from addiction and dependency by encouraging self-love and independence.

With all the electromagnetic pollution in the air, people who suffer from insomnia and immune system problems often rely on lepidolite to “clear the air,” so to speak.  Exposure to lepidolite can aid in the release of tension, relieve allergies and even with diseases like epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.

To learn more about how to lepidolite where you buy tumbled stone for your retail store, visit the online catalog at Pikes Peak Rock Shop.

When retailers come to Pikes Peak Rock shop to purchase bulk amethyst for an amethyst display, it is a not always the owner of a rock shop making the purchase. For example, a store that caters to home decorators might also show off a grand amethyst display or a table full of tourmaline crystals as a way of inspiring their customers.  Sometimes a New Age health food store will have a section on the side for metaphysical supplies, which will often include an amethyst display with pyramids, amulets, spheres and obelisks.  Shoppers might also learn about the unique healing properties of amethyst, which include emotional, mental and physical balance.

Amethyst is known to help users identify with their more spiritual side while offering a calming effect on the emotions.  Overwhelmingly positive in nature, amethyst helps to ward off negativity and is often used to treat addictive personalities by illuminating a clear path of spiritual healing.

While many of the amethyst crystals sold at Pikes Peak Rock Shop are purchased by rock collectors, jewelry buyers and rock shops, bulk amethyst crystals are quickly becoming a category of their own.  Many Eastern and New Age philosophies recognize the calming energy of these violet crystals and how they can aid in meditation by activating the crown chakra.

Buyers who are interested in creating an attractive amethyst display will want to learn as much as they can about the healing properties of amethyst.  Amethyst is used in New Age healing practices to strengthen the endocrine system, skeletal system and sympathetic nerves.  It can aid in the treatment of hearing disorders and also works on headaches and insomnia.  As more is discovered about the healing qualities of amethyst, more shoppers will be searching for an amethyst display.