More from Madagascar
28/02/10 21:21 Filed in: Latest Cut
Gems
I have been busy with some commissioned stones, but I
do like to fit something in for the website every few
days. This is one that I haven't cut in a few years.
It's one of the new Apatite stones I bought in
Tucson a few weeks ago. This one is just over 10
mm, and 4.03 cts. The color looks like a very
fine Pariaba Tourmaline, but at a fraction of
the price.
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5 mm Sapphires
23/02/10 19:15 Filed in: Latest Cut
Gems
Two new sapphires tonight, both 5 mm stones. The
first one is a blue Montana Sapphire cut in a
step cut round design.
This next stone is a Winza Sapphire/Ruby in a 5 mm cushion. The color is a more intense red, similar to the Mahenge spinels, than the photo shows. HERE is an intersting article about the Winza location and the stones by Vincent Pardieu and Jean Baptiste Senoble. These are interesting stones, as many of them have both distinct red and blue areas on the same stone. Almost all the blue on this one cut out, you can see in the photo at 9:00 just a tiny spot of blue sapphire.
This next stone is a Winza Sapphire/Ruby in a 5 mm cushion. The color is a more intense red, similar to the Mahenge spinels, than the photo shows. HERE is an intersting article about the Winza location and the stones by Vincent Pardieu and Jean Baptiste Senoble. These are interesting stones, as many of them have both distinct red and blue areas on the same stone. Almost all the blue on this one cut out, you can see in the photo at 9:00 just a tiny spot of blue sapphire.
3 new stones
17/02/10 22:14 Filed in: Latest Cut
Gems
A few new stones tonight.
8 mm Spinel from Tanzania
A Rhodolite garnet from Tanga
and an Aquamarine from Pakistan with interesting tourmaline wisps inside it that I just cleaned up the natural crystal a bit. I thought this would make an nice pendant stone with a mounting attached to the top.
8 mm Spinel from Tanzania
A Rhodolite garnet from Tanga
and an Aquamarine from Pakistan with interesting tourmaline wisps inside it that I just cleaned up the natural crystal a bit. I thought this would make an nice pendant stone with a mounting attached to the top.
New Rough from Tucson
14/02/10 21:02 Filed in: New Rough
gems
Todays posting has some of the new rough I bought
while in Tucson, and also a tool that you may be
interested in.
Once I got to Tucson, I realized I had left my dichroscope at home. It's a very handy tool for gem identification and also for buying rough. This tool is very easy to use. Most gems are double refracting and will show two colors through the dichroscope. When you look at the gem through the scope you will see two squares, with both different colors shown. These are dichroic stones. Some stones will show 3 colors, and these are trichroic. I paid $69 from Kassoy for this, and am selling it for $34. It's listed on the Other Gems page. CLICK HERE
Next are a few pictures of some of the new rough I picked up and will be cutting. First are some green tourmalines from Afghanistan.
Some large Apatite from Madagascar. These are a neon blue color.
A few more Afghan Tourmalines.
These stones were so pretty in the rough I had to buy them. They are Opal from Ethiopia. Some of these are very clear crystal and I will facet them, others maybe cabs, or maybe just pretty the way they are. The photo doesn't show the play of color well, these are very pretty stones.
A parcel of Tanga garnets.
Blue Zircon from Cambodia.
Some Montana Sapphire from the Missouri River
A large blue Topaz, just under 100 cts. I bought this from Lisa at the Gemology Online dinner get together. I'm thinking of sawing this one in half and cutting two Asschers from it.
A few more Malaya garnets from Tanzania. I really like malaya garnet, and every year pick out a few of the best colors.
There are lots more, I'll post more pictures soon.
Once I got to Tucson, I realized I had left my dichroscope at home. It's a very handy tool for gem identification and also for buying rough. This tool is very easy to use. Most gems are double refracting and will show two colors through the dichroscope. When you look at the gem through the scope you will see two squares, with both different colors shown. These are dichroic stones. Some stones will show 3 colors, and these are trichroic. I paid $69 from Kassoy for this, and am selling it for $34. It's listed on the Other Gems page. CLICK HERE
Next are a few pictures of some of the new rough I picked up and will be cutting. First are some green tourmalines from Afghanistan.
Some large Apatite from Madagascar. These are a neon blue color.
A few more Afghan Tourmalines.
These stones were so pretty in the rough I had to buy them. They are Opal from Ethiopia. Some of these are very clear crystal and I will facet them, others maybe cabs, or maybe just pretty the way they are. The photo doesn't show the play of color well, these are very pretty stones.
A parcel of Tanga garnets.
Blue Zircon from Cambodia.
Some Montana Sapphire from the Missouri River
A large blue Topaz, just under 100 cts. I bought this from Lisa at the Gemology Online dinner get together. I'm thinking of sawing this one in half and cutting two Asschers from it.
A few more Malaya garnets from Tanzania. I really like malaya garnet, and every year pick out a few of the best colors.
There are lots more, I'll post more pictures soon.
Snowy day in PA
10/02/10 20:01 Filed in: Latest Cut
Gems
It's snowing like crazy here in eastern PA, so not
much to do but cut stones. Several new stones, and
one blue stone that just never got posted before.
First up is an all American stone. This one is a Montana Sapphire, found in the Missouri River over 20 years ago. This one was there when Louis and Clark passed by. Made in America - cut in America!
Next up is a blue zircon that I cut a few years ago, and was never added to the site. Just an oversight as it's a very pretty stone.
Another zircon, this time a large red zircon from Tanzania.
This stone needs to be seen in person to be appreciated. It's a sphene from Madagascar, and the dispersion just cannot be captured on the camera. The stone in the right light looks like Christmas going on. Sphene has more dispersion then a diamond, and this one has a very nice base color of yellow.
A couple other new stones... A spinel, and Aquamarine.
First up is an all American stone. This one is a Montana Sapphire, found in the Missouri River over 20 years ago. This one was there when Louis and Clark passed by. Made in America - cut in America!
Next up is a blue zircon that I cut a few years ago, and was never added to the site. Just an oversight as it's a very pretty stone.
Another zircon, this time a large red zircon from Tanzania.
This stone needs to be seen in person to be appreciated. It's a sphene from Madagascar, and the dispersion just cannot be captured on the camera. The stone in the right light looks like Christmas going on. Sphene has more dispersion then a diamond, and this one has a very nice base color of yellow.
A couple other new stones... A spinel, and Aquamarine.
Post Tucson Cutting
04/02/10 21:41 Filed in: Latest Cut
Gems
First new stones for February
A couple new stones to start out the month, the first one is one of the new Afghan tourmalines I found in Tucson. This stone is just over 3 cts, and a very pretty minty green color.
Next up is a Tsavorite Garnet from Tanzania. This one is from my summer trip to Africa.
This last one is a Spinel from Tajikistan
A couple new stones to start out the month, the first one is one of the new Afghan tourmalines I found in Tucson. This stone is just over 3 cts, and a very pretty minty green color.
Next up is a Tsavorite Garnet from Tanzania. This one is from my summer trip to Africa.
This last one is a Spinel from Tajikistan
TUCSON 2010
03/02/10 21:52 Filed in: New Rough
gems
I'm back from Tucson, and ready to get cutting again.
The trip was short just a few days, but long enough
to fit in what I needed. The shows with the rough
start early, before the major GJX and AGTA. The
crowds this year were less than the last few years,
so it was quicker moving around, and less trouble
finding a parking spot.
I'll post some pictures of the new rough I purchased in a few days. The highlights are certainly some very nice aquamarine from Mozambique. This was the first time in years I have seen some better blue stones. I bought quite a few pieces and a few larger stones with excellent color. I was able to find some very nice tourmaline from Afghanistan, and some blue sapphire from the Missouri River in Montana that was mined over 20 years ago. I'll have a complete listing up soon.
I'll post some pictures of the new rough I purchased in a few days. The highlights are certainly some very nice aquamarine from Mozambique. This was the first time in years I have seen some better blue stones. I bought quite a few pieces and a few larger stones with excellent color. I was able to find some very nice tourmaline from Afghanistan, and some blue sapphire from the Missouri River in Montana that was mined over 20 years ago. I'll have a complete listing up soon.