Encasing water/oil to encase stones?

[Beast]

I've been going over the threads in the forum about encasing various gemstones, and so far I've seen success with quartz, silicon, kyanite, tektites, Gilson opals, etc [I was shocked with some of the results; a tiny snail shell? Wow]...however, I have a particular fascination with real opals. Real opals have different flashes, patterns, and qualities than Gilson opals do [the latter tends to be a bit more uniform and 'dotty', and there's just something very distinct about the patterning. I don't quite know how to describe it, but has to do with its structuring] A Gilson opal also can't imitate Mexican fire opals and Ethiopian chocolate opals [which have some of the most striking colors I've ever seen in stones]. And that's also not accounting for the multitude of other stones available to fidget with!

So, I was trying to search Google for stones encased in water or some sort of liquid to keep them from cracking, and I came upon this: http://www.crystalsrocksandgems.com/Healing_Crystals/Calcite/OrangeCalcite.html

Those definitely seem to be rose quartz and amethyst crystals encased in water, and they didn't seem to have lost their color, either [which I read up about on the threads here...though, is it possible that it could have been a result of them being polished?]. I got the idea from seeing and reading threads about water and other liquids completely sealed in glass, so why not put stones in the liquid? It might be dangerous with oil [Boom? I wouldn't know, being a total newbie], but that would keep opals safer by keeping them wet, no? Then you would encase that encasement for durability's sake or something and work on it further, if you'd like.

Sorry if there have been topics like this one before; I haven't found anything regarding encasing liquids AND stones at the same time, but I definitely tried looking for those threads before making this one. I have a huge passion for stones, fossils, and amber, and eventually would like to incorporate them into glass, somehow.

Thanks for your time!

[Julian]

Those aren't really 'encased' in the link, as in surrounded by hot glass like one would a Gilson opal. It seems they made a small vial, left an opening, put the water and gems in and sealed up the top. That's more like the method of making the two layer vessels with the sparkly fluid (if you've seen the pipes like that). They don't lose their color, because the stones are not being heated in this process. In the typical encasement process, where they're actually embedded in hot glass, the stone gets heated to at least 1500 degrees.

[themoch]

+1 for what julian said

most of those stones would cause stress in the glass due to COE differences.

on the other hand... Adam G once encased piss on a spoon... sooooo. yeah.

[ShttrdSpctrm]

I did some years ago for a herb store in Denver. She wanted to put combos of healing stones and combos of vibe stones in glass pendants. She gave me a bunch to play with. I was just dropping them in a bubble and making a loop. Most of the rocks exploded, almost all. I got some really dark smokey quartz not to but everything else either broke up or exploded.

[Beast]

Those aren't really 'encased' in the link, as in surrounded by hot glass like one would a Gilson opal. It seems they made a small vial, left an opening, put the water and gems in and sealed up the top. That's more like the method of making the two layer vessels with the sparkly fluid (if you've seen the pipes like that). They don't lose their color, because the stones are not being heated in this process. In the typical encasement process, where they're actually embedded in hot glass, the stone gets heated to at least 1500 degrees.


Aye, and because opals are known to be quite temperamental [even at temperatures that won't outright kill us. Eugh, opals are fussy], so I'm trying to figure out how to avoid as much heat as possible, ALONG with keeping a stable temperature [since even a sudden temperature change can ruin several stones].

I had an idea for handles/horns and the like that had 'encased' stones that could move in liquid [It would be awesome to see things like blue flash moonstone chips suspended in liquid, their facets and faces brilliantly shining in hues of neon blue. Though, would they survive the kiln? Harder stones would, softer ones, not sure]. As for actually having the stones themselves encased by hot glass, well...I'm not feeling entirely confident in that prospect, seeing as there would be no avoiding the intense heat. Time will tell.

[Aymie]

Since there is no air bubble I have to agree that they are sealed with epoxy or silicone and not glass.

The problem with real opals in the moisture they contain. Without it, they lose their brilliance. That's why old natural opals in jewelry are dull. They have to be soaked in water then sealed with wax. So if you cooked all the moisture out in the kiln before encasing, even if it works, I would think it won't have much color.

But like I said before, corn has done it.

[themoch]

you could suspend things in glycerin... just a thought... looks like glass, but you can inject the glycerin later with a syringe, and then seal the hole up.