Fordite: A Colorful Gemstone Alternative

Fordite is the beautiful, colorful result of artistic ingenuity. It is made from over-sprayed paint found in old car factories and recycled in place of gemstones in jewelry designs. Cindy Dempsey owns Urban Relic Design, is a passionate collector of fordite, and we asked Cindy to tell us all about fordite and its use in jewelry making.

Q: You call fordite an “industrial gemstone.” Do you think it contains properties like gemstones?

I call it an industrial gemstone in a playful way because it is made in factories and can resemble agates and jaspers when it is polished. It is hard to describe how fordite is created because one would not guess that the finished “stone” has been created by cutting and polishing cured, layered enamels. My own term, “Motor Agate” is another name I use to help people conceptualize the appearance and composition of the material. It gives a nod to the manmade origin in a factory, and a suggestion of its look-alike stone, agate.

Q: How does fordite “rough” compare to gemstone rough?

When you look at fordite rough, it is obviously not a natural stone. It looks like a lumpy chunk of some kind of layered material and it softer to cut. But when it is cut in cross section, or the top layer is sliced through to create a window, you can see what colors lie within and it gets exciting! Cutting it is a fun discovery—there are often surprises in there.

Like gemstone or wood, fordite yields different patterns depending on how you cut it. Bumps on the outside typically yield beautiful orbital patterns just under the surface. Deeper cuts will reveal stripes. Like gemstone cutting, experience teaches you how to maximize the potential of the type and shape of the rough you have. Fordite can be a challenge to cut, but it is typically easier to polish than natural stone once you figure out its peculiarities.

Q: How do you know if you have real fordite versus gemstones that have been dyed to have a similar look?

“Real fordite” rough typically has some unifying features: the shape of the rough is rather small, the type of paints or enamels are identifiable to the period, the general uniformity and fineness of the enamel layers, color combinations, and the presence of primer layers. All these factors can indicate hints to the collection period, or sometimes even factory origin.

Q: How rare is true fordite?

True vintage fordite is rare and can be very expensive. It is difficult to source, and keepers of the old stashes are notoriously stingy with their treasure. There are some ambiguous stones on the market that can be mistaken for fordite. One look-alike stone is rainbow calsilica. This material has similar striped patterns, but it is distinctively different in its own coloring and patterns. Some of the indicators that a material is likely not authentic fordite are especially bright colors, thick layers that are not well connected, no primer or metallic layers, or it is heavy like stone. Real fordite is very lightweight and polishes well.

Q: What advice would you share with people who want to work with fordite?

Fordite is an ideal focal element for use in jewelry design because it is unusual, beautiful, lightweight, and truly intriguing. Not only is it recycled or “upcycled” from one purpose to another, but it also comes with an interesting story to tell. Let a great piece of fordite become the star of your next jewelry creation!

Recycled Materials in Jewelry Making

There are many ways to use recycled materials in your jewelry, from stones to metal and beyond. Read Recycling Silver in Your Jewelry Studio and Go Green with 5 Recycled Beading Supplies for more jewelry making inspiration.

How would you design with fordite? We want to hear your ideas in the comments!