Currently Rockhounding

This ad from April 1980 shows The Roc-Crystal Automatic Cabochon Machine that was made by Crystalite. The retail price on it is $2,495.00 and when you adjust it for inflation to 2025 dollars, it would be $9,733.68 or an inflation rate of 290.1%.

It's a cool machine and all, but was this ever worth it? You would have to make countless cabs to recoup that cost.

1 month ago | [YT] | 41



@chrishince8947

It's still a better investment then buying a Ford Pinto! 😃

1 month ago | 8  

@miketufts9765

That's beautiful enough to have in the kitchen

1 month ago | 3  

@nevadaminer5977

When you’re producing a lot of cabs, anything to speed up the process or produce a quality product is worth it. If you’re only producing low return materials, then it’s probably not worth the wear on the machine.

1 month ago | 4  

@Mike-br8vb

I think it personally means more to have a cab that is handcrafted.

1 month ago | 3  

@ocklawahaboyrocks

It's hard for me to imagine a high enough demand for finished cabs to ever make that profitable.

1 month ago | 3  

@DonariaRegia

$10k and will only shapes the side. This is an automated preformer. I've seen them used in commercial emerald cutting. I want a machine that has the ability to form different types of crowns: circular, hyperbolic, sugar loaf etc. without going to CNC. I have plans in my head for a machine that allows hemispherical domes of varying arcs but it will still be manually operated.

1 month ago (edited) | 2  

@100bgeagle

Doesn’t look as good as diamond pacific and costs more?

1 month ago | 0