Tacoma glass artist Weston Lambert describes his work as “accelerating the slow violence of geological processes.” In other words, by merging interesting geological specimens and gorgeous glass shapes, he’s creating gems of a whole new rock classification.

“My materials are engaged in a condensed passage of time—modified by my brief tenure, on a timeline charted by millennia, not decades. The heat of the kiln allows molten glass to nestle into stone and days of grinding/polishing simulate eons of erosion. In my pursuit of permanence, I create invulnerable, seamless objects that have been broken and mended outside of geological time.” – About Weston Lambert

These art objects are making me go all wanty. Lambert takes raw stones – some fancy, some not – cuts them, makes a mold, and fills it with molten glass. He then attaches the glass to the stone and begins to grind and polish the glass until he’s satisfied. The resulting pieces are so gorgeous, I am afraid if I ever got my hands on one, I’d never be able to stop touching it.

Someone pointed out that the pieces look perfectly natural but also not like anything our planet could have produced. That seems about right. The artist calls these pieces vitroliths, and while acquiring something that looks like a priceless gem from another world isn’t cheap, I think his prices are pretty reasonable. Lambert’s vitroliths range in size from an intimate, palm-sized pieces to floor-standing monoliths, and I think they’re all marvelous.

You can follow Weston Lambert’s gorgeous work on his website and on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.