Seaglow's Finds

[Seaglow]

That pile of blue & pink spinel rough took my breath away ...

Same happened earlier, on account of the patchy dark yellow with deep blue Thai sapphire rough, showing in a corner of one of your photos. Even more interesting than the Australlian calico rough ...

I'd wear them as they were.

Someone discovered gold sheen sapphires in 2010 in Kenya. These sapphires are actually blue and yellow sapphires with high iron content and included with hematite and ilmenite. The supply is said to be depleted with all stocks of the yield in possession by one dealer. I got some untreated bright yellow sapphires from this dealer, more like tumbled stones than cabs and saw a gold sheen cab that is partly transparent yellow which reminded me of your post. I actually took a photo of it. I'm also attaching a photo of my yellow pebbles and some gold sheen sapphires, because these type of sapphires are only seen so far in one location.

 

[valeria101]

I got some untreated bright yellow sapphires from this dealer, more like tumbled stones than cabs and saw a gold sheen cab that is partly transparent yellow which reminded me of your post. I actually took a photo of it. I'm also attaching a photo of my yellow pebbles and some gold sheen sapphires, because these type of sapphires are only seen so far in one location

Thanks for the nice morning news !

You are reading my mind ...

 

[pwsg07]

No I'm not a dealer and don't have a website (no etsy, no eBay, no loupe troop). I do hunt some stuffs (and design jewelry as a hobby) for friends (which I do not post here because they aren't mine) because I travel to gem countries. But even if I am a dealer, I cannot sell here and have to declare such. I am a collector and maybe in the future there is a possibility I might invest or do something major in the trade but by then I would have to switch to trade and stop posting photos here. So far I'm just getting things when they are affordable and buying study stones for my upcoming GIA class.

Are you an instructor at GIA?

 

[Seaglow]

Are you an instructor at GIA?

No. Just going to take the GG course. Finally had time for it.

 

[Sabrina31]

Man that GIA class sounds like tons of fun. Good for you

 

[Bluegemz]

Someone discovered gold sheen sapphires in 2010 in Kenya. These sapphires are actually blue and yellow sapphires with high iron content and included with hematite and ilmenite. The supply is said to be depleted with all stocks of the yield in possession by one dealer. I got some untreated bright yellow sapphires from this dealer, more like tumbled stones than cabs and saw a gold sheen cab that is partly transparent yellow which reminded me of your post. I actually took a photo of it. I'm also attaching a photo of my yellow pebbles and some gold sheen sapphires, because these type of sapphires are only seen so far in one location.

How interesting, Seaglow! The yellow "pebbles" are such a lemon yellow, very vibrant hue! Really lovely. They would make wonderful beads for a cluster drop pendant.
I'm particularly fascinated by the metallic sapphires! They are really 'metal sapphires'. What a beautiful and sharp way of interacting with light. They seem to have the glow of sapphire crystal , but with submerged plains of metal crystals. One could design an amazing evening statement necklace with them.
Congrats on taking the GIA course! Something I've wanted to do for some time now.

 

[pwsg07]

No. Just going to take the GG course. Finally had time for it.

You don't need to take the GG course. I don't think the instructors can teach you anything new.

 

[Burmesedaze]

You don't need to take the GG course. I don't think the instructors can teach you anything new.

WSS

 

[Seaglow]

Because emeralds are usually treated, I am buying roughs and having them cut. But it's very tricky. When rough emeralds are oiled or with resin, a cutter told me they could smash because the cracks and inclusions are masked. But even without treatment, what seems to be quite clean can have some brown inclusions when cut. But I got a beauty....a light toned one with slight color zoning but bright and lovely. These are untreated Panjshirs. My cutter recommended to oil some of them so they will look brighter.

 

[pwsg07]

Because emeralds are usually treated, I am buying roughs and having them cut. But it's very tricky. When rough emeralds are oiled or with resin, a cutter told me they could smash because the cracks and inclusions are masked. But even without treatment, what seems to be quite clean can have some brown inclusions when cut. But I got a beauty....a light toned one with slight color zoning but bright and lovely. These are untreated Panjshirs. My cutter recommended to oil some of them so they will look brighter.

To me, the stones in the second photo look more like the vanadium beryls than the emeralds. Nevertheless, they are beautiful.

 

[Seaglow]

To me, the stones in the second photo look more like the vanadium beryls than the emeralds. Nevertheless, they are beautiful.

True they look like vanadium beryls except that they are still colored by chromium.

 

[Seaglow]

I guess everyone here has the gem bug...

 

[Seaglow]

So looked around in Bangkok (to buy gem equipment) and Manila (for some pearls) and here's the rest of what I found. Got spinel cabs and some gray sugarloaf with the biggest one about 7+ carats, and the smaller sugarloaf at 5+ carats (now checking with a precision cutter if it would be better in precision cut, there is a feather in the middle and eye clean but not loupe clean as a sugarloaf), a 1+ carat each tsavorite and Burmese chrysoberyl, a 1.77 carats Brazilian alex and some Ethiopian natural colored opals (the dark/black is natural, no dye and no sugar treatment, and an Ethiopian natural colored brown/black/gray necklace. Also got hot pink spinel melees for my purple garnet project but not sure if I will really set it or make it a collector's stone...The last 2 photos of spinels I got in Manila (photos one under daylight and one under sunlight). The gray cushion is 5.20 carats, the larger pink is 3.61ct (there is a bothering feather in the middle so I will talk to a cutter if it could be minimized but I don't think it will show so much in a setting, it doesn't show in many angles... I took it anyway because of the color) and the red is 3.80 carats.

 

[Bluegemz]

So looked around in Bangkok (to buy gem equipment) and Manila (for some pearls) and here's the rest of what I found. Got spinel cabs and some gray sugarloaf with the biggest one about 7+ carats, and the smaller sugarloaf at 5+ carats (now checking with a precision cutter if it would be better in precision cut, there is a feather in the middle and eye clean but not loupe clean as a sugarloaf), a 1+ carat each tsavorite and Burmese chrysoberyl, a 1.77 carats Brazilian alex and some Ethiopian natural colored opals (the dark/black is natural, no dye and no sugar treatment, and an Ethiopian natural colored brown/black/gray necklace. Also got hot pink spinel melees for my purple garnet project but not sure if I will really set it or make it a collector's stone...The last 2 photos of spinels I got in Manila (photos one under daylight and one under sunlight). The gray cushion is 5.20 carats, the larger pink is 3.61ct (there is a bothering feather in the middle so I will talk to a cutter if it could be minimized but I don't think it will show so much in a setting, it doesn't show in many angles... I took it anyway because of the color) and the red is 3.80 carats.

Wow Seaglow, what funds! The cats eye is beautiful as are the sugar loafs, opal beads and all of it! Of these things, do you have a favorite piece?

 

[Seaglow]

Wow Seaglow, what funds! The cats eye is beautiful as are the sugar loafs, opal beads and all of it! Of these things, do you have a favorite piece?

I like small tsavorite which is like a neon color and the chrysoberyl which is a crisp lemon yellow with a hint of neon. Here are photos under daylight and LED lamp.

 

[Barrett]

Seaglow, since we been talking spinels a bunch, as of late, both on and off PS, I figured I would show you the only Co spinel I owned prior to Viet material. It's a youtube video of a cobalt bearing spinel I bought from Greg M, that had it's lab report with it already, seeing as how I wouldn't buy a Co spinel without a cert, just like I wouldn't buy a Paraiba without testing for copper.
Although, a little on the dark side, it would flash a great blue when turned just right. not full "darth vader" dark...getting there. This is from Sri Lanka, and was somewhere around .75cts-.90cts, if I recall correctly. (been years and years ago) It may be posted under the video header.
The Co spinels from sri lanka suffer this malady all the time.....to gray....to saturated....to blacked out.....
This is what makes the Viet stones such a unique anomaly.

 

[Seaglow]

You have nice stone with you and a nice cut. I only have 2 nice blue spinels that are not from Luc Yen. Also under a carat.

One is a nice light blue, very bright and looks like a bright double blue aqua, and the other one, though included, is a better blue tone than the typical grayish or dark blue spinel, both Burmese. I haven't tested mine for cobalt but then again, I didn't pay a fortune as it was part of a spinel lot I picked from. I both tested them as spinels but I don't have the equipment to test for composition.

For paraiba, I buy for the glow, with or without a report. I've seen so many copper-bearing stones with report that doesn't glow, more so stones sold as paraiba that are not attractive. I think the market still cannot simulate the glow. I don't mind a glowy stone without copper (though I think this is more a unicorn than a norm in electric blue and green tourmalines). For copper-bearing tourmalines, though there are clean stones that glow (and costs a fortune), I have observed that most glowy stones are the included ones. Some even with visible copper needles.

Here are photos of my blue spinels in daylight and under LED lamp.

 

[Seaglow]

Had my whiskey-colored sapphire undergo a precision cut. From 5.32 carats, it went down to 2.6 carats because it was a bellied stone. Anyway, here are the before and after photos.

 

[Bluegemz]

Had my whiskey-colored sapphire undergo a precision cut. From 5.32 carats, it went down to 2.6 carats because it was a bellied stone. Anyway, here are the before and after photos.

That is such a lovely color! Very rich and warm. Is it intended for jewelry?

 

[Seaglow]

That is such a lovely color! Very rich and warm. Is it intended for jewelry?

It's eye clean so very much suitable for jewelry. It is the typical Mekong whiskey Thai "yellow" sapphire. But it's really orange with no BE.

 

[Bluegemz]

It's eye clean so very much suitable for jewelry. It is the typical Mekong whiskey Thai "yellow" sapphire. But it's really orange with no BE.

It's truly srunning. A Very complex color.

 

[pwsg07]

Had my whiskey-colored sapphire undergo a precision cut. From 5.32 carats, it went down to 2.6 carats because it was a bellied stone. Anyway, here are the before and after photos.

Is it worthwhile to recut the stone? So much weight is lost.

 

[Seaglow]

Is it worthwhile to recut the stone? So much weight is lost.

It depends on priority. In Asia , weight is more important. In US and Europe, it's cut over weight most of the time. This stone was particularly bottom-heavy but the face only decreased a little. Also depends on the cutter. You can give instructions to cut for beauty or minimal weight loss. It had a window so I decided to have it recut. Let's see how the green goes.

 

[Burmesedaze]

That's a successful recut!
Looks

 

[pwsg07]

It depends on priority. In Asia , weight is more important. In US and Europe, it's cut over weight most of the time. This stone was particularly bottom-heavy but the face only decreased a little. Also depends on the cutter. You can give instructions to cut for beauty or minimal weight loss. It had a window so I decided to have it recut. Let's see how the green goes.

Since you have so much cabochons, how do you store them? I have some opal cabs that are too thick for the gem box. I have no idea how to store them without closing the lid of the gem box with lots of pressure.

Do you have any chrysocolla?

 

[Seaglow]

Since you have so much cabochons, how do you store them? I have some opal cabs that are too thick for the gem box. I have no idea how to store them without closing the lid of the gem box with lots of pressure.

Do you have any chrysocolla?

I have big chalcedonies and I store them in the gem box without the padding. You can also store them in small plastic pouches with a zip lock and a cotton padding. And I don't have a chrysocolla!

 

[pwsg07]

I have big chalcedonies and I store them in the gem box without the padding. You can also store them in small plastic pouches with a zip lock and a cotton padding. And I don't have a chrysocolla!

Thank you for sharing how you store the stones. I have seen some chrysocollas for sell on Facebook. But I cannot tell whether the colour is treated.

 

[Seaglow]

Thank you for sharing how you store the stones. I have seen some chrysocollas for sell on Facebook. But I cannot tell whether the colour is treated.

You can adjust the thickness of the padding so the stone is secure. I've seen some crysocollas I just don't buy them. just because really nice chalcedonies are selling way less that are clean and nice colors.

 

[pwsg07]

You can adjust the thickness of the padding so the stone is secure. I've seen some crysocollas I just don't buy them. just because really nice chalcedonies are selling way less that are clean and nice colors.

Do you mind telling me where did you see those chrysocollas? in which country or gem shows? How much are they per carat in general?

 

[Seaglow]

Do you mind telling me where did you see those chrysocollas? in which country or gem shows? How much are they per carat in general?

If ordinary patterned chrysocolla, they are available by gram in Bangkok. Gem chrysocolla, you'd get them in Tucson, Bangkok, and HK fairs. But you have to look closely. I don't see them often. I don't hunt for them so I didn't ask for the prices.