Bailey Lefever creates elegant jewelry from rare finds
written by Joni Kabana
For many, slow meandering through ancient landscapes full of various types of rocks is not just a pastime, but a passion. Discovering the tip of what turns out to be a beautiful rock brings a level of adrenaline rush that only a true rockhound can explain. Our state, especially on the eastern side, is chock-full of rocks of all kinds. From obsidian to thunder eggs, an abundance of rocks can easily be found if you know where and how to look for them.
Bailey Lefever is one of the Pacific Northwest’s most prolific rockhounds, having a collection of more than 10,000 rocks and counting. He lives and breathes rockhounding and turns his treasures into jewelry, which he sells by referrals, at events and via his Instagram account (www.instagram.com/rockhounding_jewelry). For him, rockhounding is a way of life—he spends most of his free time scrounging areas for beautiful and rare rocks, and his excitement never fades.
“My fascination with rocks began subtly, like a whisper in the wind, during childhood explorations,” Lefever said. “I’d always been drawn to the textures and colors of stones, but it truly blossomed when I discovered the thrill of unearthing them myself. There’s an undeniable magic in finding a hidden gem, a piece of Earth’s history, with your own hands. What I love about rockhounding is the combination of adventure, discovery and the tangible reward of a beautiful specimen. It’s a treasure hunt, a geological detective story, and a connection to the ancient forces that shaped our planet.”
Of all of his creations, he is most fond of a recent pendant he made from a piece of agate found in Oregon. “The play of color in it is mesmerizing, and it feels like I’ve captured a tiny galaxy within a stone,” he said. Lefever teaches jewelry-making classes in addition to leading private excursions to some of his secret spots. “It is incredibly rewarding to see the spark of understanding and excitement in my students’ eyes as they transformed rough stones they found into wearable art,” he said. “I focus on the basics of using a lapidary machine for cabochon cutting and then demonstrate various soldering techniques to create simple yet elegant jewelry pieces.”
