At The Lapidary Lass, we understand that a rock collection is more than just a pile of stones—it is a lifetime of exploration, passion, and artistry. Whether you are a retiring hobbyist looking to downsize, an heir who has inherited a collection you aren’t sure how to manage, or are moving and can't take your stones with you, we provide a streamlined, respectful way to find a new home for your materials while putting cash in your pocket.

We specialize in high-quality, workable material suitable for cabbing, carving, and tumbling. Because we process large volumes, we look for High-Grade materials, which generally include:

Internal Soundness: Material free from excessive internal fractures, vugs, or extreme weathering.

Desirable Species: Agates, Jaspers, Jade, Petrified Wood, Obsidian, Turquoise, and various Quartz varieties, as a few examples.

Artistic Potential: Materials with vibrant colors, distinct patterns, or unique translucency.

Form: We purchase rough (fist-sized or larger), slabs, cabochons, and tumblers.

Note: We generally do not purchase common landscaping rock, specimens, or material that has been heavily degraded by sun exposure and rain.

To keep our operations efficient and our offers fair, we utilize a "Digital First" screening process. This allows us to narrow down the leads that best fit our current inventory and ensures we only visit when we are confident we can make a deal. Our general process includes:

Initial Contact: Send us an email using the button below with a brief description of the collection size (for example, "three five-gallon buckets" or "half a garage") and variety ("Crayon Box jasper", "Polka Dot agate").

Visual Documentation: We will request clear photos of the material using our provided guidelines (for example, preferably sprayed with water to show color) and, in some cases, a brief video walkthrough or a live video call.

In-Person Evaluation: If the material meets our needs, we will schedule a time to visit in person for a final inspection and to weigh the lot.

We operate as a small, wholesale buyer. This means we purchase in bulk to offset the costs of sorting, cleaning, storing, and eventually processing or reselling the material. Our fair pricing practices are as follows:

Wholesale Standard: We offer bulk prices per pound, or per slab/cab, depending on the quality, rarity, and amount of the material.

Drop-Off Incentive: For sellers who can transport their material to our San Diego County location, we offer a higher-tier payout within our price range.

Pick-Up Service: If you require us to provide the labor, packing materials, and transportation to haul the material away, we offer a reduced-tier payout to cover those overhead costs. We can transport a maximum of 2000 lbs at a time within an 800 mile range of San Diego County, CA.

Note: We can currently only purchase from sellers located within the United States.