DVH Ford F150 Genuine Fordite Cabochon KC Assembly 39x27x3mm (5903)

A hand cut freeform cabochon out of genuine Fordite. Measurements in the title. This is a cab and NOT a finished piece of jewelry. I also have Fordite beads, pendants, earrings, and polished face specimens in my other listings. This Fordite is contemporary accumulated paint overspray from the Ford factory outside of Kansas City in Claycomo, Missouri where they make Ford Trucks. I also work with Ford Focus, Corvette, Chrys/Jp, and Kenworth truck varieties of Fordite.

 I've been cutting authentic Fordite for over 40 years, and I only work with material whose origin I can personally verify. Unlike the common belief that no new Fordite rough is available due to changes in automotive manufacturing, small quantities of contemporary Fordite are still being collected and made available to experienced cutters. I’m fortunate to have a reliable stockpile of genuine rough, including both classic and newer material.

I encourage buyers to compare my Fordite with what's being sold online. Sadly, much of what’s marketed as "Fordite" today is either fake—hand-poured, multicolored paint swirls that bear no resemblance to real automotive finishes—or mass-produced resin beads made overseas, often in China, with no connection to the automotive industry.

I grew up in a rock club in Michigan during the 1970s, where I first encountered Fordite. Rockhounds who worked in the auto factories were already collecting chunks of dried, layered car paint from the spray booths by the late 1960s. These colorful, hardened layers—built up from overspray and baked repeatedly during the curing process—formed a dense, polishable material perfect for lapidary work.

Back then, you could find very small amounts of Fordite at local rock and gem shows, sold under various names like Fordite, Chryslerite, Buickite, Detroit Agate, and more. It was never collected in large quantities, as it was considered more of a novelty faux gemstone than a serious lapidary material. While “Fordite” has become the most widely recognized name over time, ethical dealers will still strive to accurately identify the variety and source of each piece when known.

Although modern automotive painting processes are now more efficient and produce less overspray, there is more Fordite available in the marketplace today than ever before—thanks to its growing popularity and the rise of small-scale collectors and sellers offering material through global online platforms.

If you're looking for genuine, historical, and expertly cut Fordite, you're in the right place.