Polishing stones can be a rewarding hobby, resulting in beautiful, shiny, and smooth pieces that can be used in jewelry or simply admired as they are. Follow these 13 steps to transform rough rocks into polished gemstones.

1. Choose your stones: Look for stones with an even surface and minimal cracks. Harder stones like quartz, jasper, and agate tend to polish well.

2. Clean your stones: Rinse the stones using water and a small brush to remove dirt before starting the polishing process. You can use dish soap to help remove stubborn grime.

3. Select the right tools and supplies: You will need grit (coarse, medium, and fine), a tumbler or grinder, water, a bucket or container, and a polishing compound or cloth for the final step.

4. Coarse grind: Place your clean stones in a tumbler or grinder along with coarse grit and enough water to submerge them completely. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for grinding duration—usually around one week.

5. Rinse and assess: After the coarse grind is complete, rinse the stones thoroughly and let them dry. Observe the results; if there’s still unevenness or any deep scratches, repeat step four with coarse grit again before moving on.

6. Medium grind: Put the stones back in the tumbler with medium grit and water for another week. This step helps smooth out any remaining rough surfaces.

7. Rinse and dry: Remove the stones from the tumbler, rinse them under running water, and allow them to dry completely.

8. Fine grind: Place your rocks in the tumbler with fine grit (also known as “pre-polish”) for another week to further smoothen their surfaces.

9. Rinse thoroughly: After completing all grinding stages, give each stone a final thorough rinse to remove any grit residue. Allow them to dry fully.

10. Polish: Mix some polishing compound with water in a bucket or container following the manufacturer’s ratio suggestions. Then, place your stones in the tumbler with the mixture and tumble for one week.

11. Rinse and dry: Once the polishing step is complete, take the stones out of the tumbler, rinse them thoroughly under running water, and let them dry.

12. Check your results: Inspect each stone to make sure they are polished to your satisfaction. If not, repeat step 10 until you achieve the desired polish level.

13. Store your polished stones: To keep them in optimal condition, store your polished stones in a soft cloth or padded case when they are not being used or displayed.

By meticulously following these 13 steps, you’ll be able to transform rough, unassuming rocks into stunning, polished gemstones fit for any purpose or admiration. Enjoy the process and appreciate the beauty of nature that you can uncover through stone polishing.