as the subject says, just started making a big deal of encrusting with gems, and looking at the results, i have discovered some rather interesting/valuable outcomes, and after reading the artifact thread was curious as to how awesome everyone elses fortunes are.
Best non-artifact non-adamantine item i can find in my current fortress(no screens because uploaded = effort):
This is a oaken bucket. it is encrusted with masterfully worked black diamond by goden dumatnazom and encircled with bands of exceptionally worked star ruby, exceptionally worked faint yellow diamond and exceptionally worked harlequin opal.the handle is made from exceptionally worked red diamond. this object menaces with spikes of exceptionally worked sapphire, exceptionally worked gray chalcedony and exceptionally worked bone opal.
on the item is an exceptionally designed image of tunnelbusted the exalted sorcery the obsidian mechanisms in resin opal by goden dumatnazom.
on the item is a masterfully designed image of itlud plaitcavern the human and cometvanish the alligator in milk quartz by godem dumatnazom. cometvanish is striking down itlud plaitcavern. the artwork relates to the killing of the human itlud plaitcavern by the alligator cometvanish in the roasted murk in 266.
on the item is a finely-designed image of lizards in citrine by eshtan nakuthingish.
oaken bucket, value:23010, not only is this the most valuable non-artifact in my fort at the moment, but the second is a chestnut bucket worth 16200!
sadly no metal yet, broke my magma smelting area and flooded the lower level of my fort with magma, sealed it off, now just waiting for it to fill up so that the magma squares are full again.