What it is

The Clearwater Nature Center gem cutting workshop is a public, one-day beginner cabochon class run by Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation in Clinton, Maryland. The November event page says students will “learn the basics of gem cutting as you transform rough stone into a polished cabochon, a gemstone commonly used in jewelry,” and that “using professional lapidary equipment, you’ll shape, grind, and polish your own one-of-a-kind piece.” The October page for the same class describes creating “your own cabochon using diamond saws, grinders, and polishing equipment.”

Who it’s for

Adults (18 and up) in the Washington, D.C., and southern Maryland area who want a low-cost, hands-on first try at lapidary cutting. No experience is listed as required.

Why it’s listed

It’s a real lapidary class on cutting cabochons with professional equipment. It has an official public-agency ticket page, a fixed venue, printed prices and more than one dated 2026 session. This listing covers the workshop, not the nature center as a whole.

Official URL

https://www.pgparks.com/event_list/diy-gem-cutting-jewelry-making

Earlier session (Jewelry: Cabochon Cutting, October 3, 2026): https://www.pgparks.com/event_list/jewelry-cabochon-cutting

(First-party Prince George’s County Parks pages checked 2026-10-22. Every cited URL returned HTTP 200 to curl with a Chrome user agent.)

Location

Clearwater Nature Center, 11401 Thrift Rd, Clinton, MD 20735, in Cosca Regional Park. Phone 301-297-4575.

This is a workshop. It is not a club and not a store.

Notes

Dated sessions (2026): Saturday, October 3, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. (“Jewelry: Cabochon Cutting,” already past on the check date); Saturday, November 7, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. (“DIY Gem Cutting & Jewelry Making”).
Price: $30 for residents, $39 for non-residents (tickets through the pgparks.com event page).
Ages: 18 and up.
What to bring: safety glasses, a bag lunch and drink, clothes that can get wet or oily, and an optional apron to protect clothing from oil spray.
Recurring: the same four-hour class runs under two event titles on different Saturdays. No 2027 dates were posted on the check date.
Organizer: The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County (main office 6600 Kenilworth Avenue, Riverdale, MD 20737; 301-699-2255).
Photo: Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation’s own department logo (Department-Logo-Color2.png, 600 × 395, transparent background flattened onto white), from pgparks.com. It replaces the event pages’ generic open-house og:image.
Maryland already has one workshop listing (Gem Cutters Guild of Baltimore Lapidary 1). This is the state’s second.
Not affiliated with Lapidary Plaza. No ticket was bought, and no email or form was used.

FAQ

Q: When is the next session?
A: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., at Clearwater Nature Center in Clinton, Maryland.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: $30 for Prince George’s County residents and $39 for non-residents.

Q: Do I need experience?
A: None is listed. The class teaches the basics of gem cutting on professional lapidary equipment.

Q: What will I make?
A: Your own polished cabochon, cut from rough stone with diamond saws, grinders and polishing equipment.

Q: What should I bring?
A: Safety glasses, a bag lunch and drink, clothes that can get wet or oily, and an apron if you like.