Modern Suiseki

Quality of stones

I would like to think about quality of stones which is appropriate for Suiseki here.

Although it is my preference, I believe that quality of stones should be considered for the first place when evaluating stones for Suiseki.

Fineness, hardness, and toughness are required for durability.

Of course, stones are durable but harder stones are preferable for Suiseki. In my case, even if the color and the shape is perfect, if the stone is fragile, then I may hesitate to have it as Suiseki.

So, when I am hunting stones in river side, I often turn over and roll stones to know its hardness.

If I hunt jasper or other stones which are distinct from other stones by appearance, I never roll stones.

However, it is difficult to know its hardness by appearance in case of dark stones which are appropriate for Suiseki since in the most cases, they are hornfels. If I turn over and roll fine and hard stones, the sound is almost as if rolling iron ingot. When I flick fine and hard stones by nail, it makes a clear high sound.

So, when I turn over and rolling fine and hard stones in river side, the sound is clear and high sound.

Actually, I am not sure if the clear and high sound can be used to know actual hardness because I have an experience that it was porcelain when I stumbled and heard very clear and high sound in river side. Porcelain and hornfels seem to be similar from the perspective that baked and hardened by the heat.

So, actual hardness aside, I believe that stones which are almost iron by the feeling have a charm of its own.

Have you ever see this kind of stones so far? I found it recently in my stone hunting in river side and was very surprised.

So, I believe that people feel something different and special if they see this kind of stones. And if people feel something special from stones, it is no doubt that they are interested in the stones.

Further, if the shape of the stones look like landscape or something, I believe they will love Suiseki.

Stones which are appropriate for Suiseki should make people feel something special.

For me, quality of stones should be the first place.