Carved Stone

OK - I can see doing intricate carving on softer materials like wood or bone, but on stone?  Sure shaping is "just" a matter of patience, skill and lots of grits of grinding and polishing compounds, so cabochons, I can understand, like the ones in these necklaces:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/115023582/snowflake-obsidian-sterling-silver-and

https://www.etsy.com/listing/110940702/hemimorphite-crystal-copper-pendant?ga_search_query=aqua

I can even envision a tool a little like a dental drill helping to form the petals on this beautiful stone:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/80159248/brecciated-jasper-handmade-nursing

But having the artistic and technical skill to carve jade - a very hard mineral just blows my mind.  Guess that's why I love jewelry like these two pieces:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/115348479/jade-dragon-azurite-malachite-pearl?ga_search_query=jade

https://www.etsy.com/listing/115011348/jade-phoenix-coral-onyx-sterling-silver?ga_search_query=jade

So, the next question is:  What do you find interesting, fascinating or mind blowing?

<script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.etsy.com/assets/js/etsy_mini_shop.js'></script><script type='text/javascript'>new Etsy.Mini(6360112,'thumbnail',4,2,0,'http://www.etsy.com');</script>