As a child we summered at Black Lake in northern Michigan, a destination for many families from the suburban Detroit area. It was a wonderful place for a nature lover like me. Exploring was the way I spent my summers.
I first learned of Petoskey stones from my parents when I was young. They taught me how to search for them on the shores of Lake Michigan near the town of the stone's namesake, Petoskey. Petoskey stones can be used as gemstones, and I include them in my Gemstone Collection, but they are not really gemstones, only rock. But that doesn’t make them any less interesting or beautiful.
Here are some good examples of Petoskey stones gathered from the shore on the Petoskey Area website. Dating back from the Devonian period, before dinosaurs, Petoskey stones were formed from fossilized warm water coral. The six-sided corallite fossils are the skeletons of coral polyps, with the dark center being the mouth and the tentacles, the radiating lines, which were used by the coral to grab food.
I oftentimes slice my stones to get a good thin piece as shown by the section above. Not only does this make it easier to work with but will allow me to see its composition. This stone will then be polished using traditional lapidary techniques to a high shine and then will be turned into a beautiful and interesting pendant.
Typically, Petoskey stones can be found when you search the beaches of Petoskey, Michigan and occasionally inland lakes and gravel deposits. Here I am in Michigan searching for the stones along the shore, hoping I find a great specimen to turn into some fabulous piece of jewelry.
I always must remember to be patient when looking for Petoskey stones because when they are dry, they look like limestone but only when they are wet or polished can you see the pattern of six sided coral formations.
Petoskey stones are a reminder of my youth and an alluring combination of natural beauty and the geological history of Michigan.
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