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Close-up of a polished Oregon agate with warm earth tones

The Laporatory

laporatory (n.) A laboratory for lapidary. Where science meets gemstones.
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Curiosity,
Meet Craft

Born from a simple truth: the best things happen when curiosity meets craft. Part laboratory, part lapidary workshop, The Laporatory is where rough Oregon stone becomes something worth holding onto.

Based in Portland, Oregon, and fueled by an unhealthy obsession with rocks (there are worse vices), we source material from the Ochoco Mountains, the riverbeds of the Clackamas and Central Oregon, the thunderegg beds near Madras, and the agate-strewn Pacific Northwest coastline — and occasionally from further-flung corners of the world when something extraordinary catches our eye.

Every piece is hand-selected in the field, cut with diamond saws, shaped on grinding wheels, and polished to a finish that reveals millions of years of geological patience. The rocks do most of the work. We just try not to ruin it.

"Every stone has a story. Ours usually starts with a dirt road and bad cell service."

Where We Source

Ochoco Mountains · Prineville · Madras · Mitchell · Painted Hills · Newport · Tillamook · Astoria · & Beyond

Raw rough gemstones sourced from Oregon, featuring agates and jaspers in warm earth tones

From Rough
to Refined

01

Source

Rockhounding adventures across Oregon's high desert and coastline. Sometimes the rocks find us. Usually we find mud.

02

Select

Every piece is hand-chosen for character, color, and potential. Ugly rocks need not apply.

03

Cut

Diamond saws, trim saws, and steady hands reveal what's inside. The moment of truth.

04

Shape

Grinding, sanding, and polishing transform rough stone into art. Also: a lot of patience.

05

Create

The finished piece: cabochons, jewelry, or curated rough collections. Science, meet wearable art.

What We Make

$300 minimum order

Polished gemstone slabs showing intricate natural patterns

Slab Lab

The Slab Lab

The reveal. Cut to show what nature's been hiding for a few million years.

Hand-shaped cabochons with mirror-polished surfaces

Cab Lab

The Cab Lab

Hand-shaped, hand-polished. Every curve tells a story — and no two are remotely alike.

Where Geology Meets
Wearable Art

Coming Soon

We're just getting started here — stay tuned. Every piece starts as a rough stone and ends as something you'll never want to take off. (We warned you.)

Handcrafted gemstone jewelry featuring Oregon stones

From the Field

Agate hunting near Madras, Oregon with vast high-desert landscape

Spring 2026

Agate Hunting in Madras

The high desert outside Madras is deceptively barren — until you know where to look. Our latest haul includes some of the clearest blue agates we've found all year. The sunburn was worth it.

Beach agate hunting along the Oregon coast near Newport

Winter 2025

Beach Agates of Newport

Winter storms churn up treasures along the Oregon coast. After a big swell, Agate Beach earns its name — if you're willing to get cold and wet. (Spoiler: you will get cold and wet.)

A cracked-open thunderegg revealing a stunning interior crystal formation

Fall 2025

The Thunderegg Dig

Oregon's state rock doesn't disappoint. We spent a weekend at a private dig site near Prineville and came home with a truck bed full of surprises and one very questionable trail decision.