⭐ Gemstone & Mineral Show n Tell

[Colin&Lee]

Cheers Heatho, will put it on the to do list once I get a newer car sorted

Col

 

[Varts]

Be at black springs today
:|

 

[richo966]

good luck mate hope you two get some good stones

 

[Varts]

Saturday afternoon outing......

 

[Matt The Magic Man]

Well done Varts. An excellent Outing!

 

[Varts]

Small but something,biggest 2c

 

[richo966]

well done varts good lot of stones bet they made you feel good

 

[Heatho]

Nice colours Varts, well done.

 

[Golden Tiger]

Hey Varts,

I could only dream of such a great find.

Victoria is sadly missing good looking sapphires.

Well Done

GT

 

[loamer]

Hey Golden - here is a bit of trivia for you. In 1934 (and these are 1934 values), the State of Victoria produced 128 Pounds (as in money) worth of diamonds, 630 pounds (money) of sapphires and 304,406,404 pounds (money) in gold. I don't know why I looked that up, was just chasing any old reference material for you. (Source - Vic:Gold and Minerals - Mines Dept 1935. Its a book I have)

 

[Heatho]

Hey Varts,

I could only dream of such a great find.

Victoria is sadly missing good looking sapphires.

Well Done

GT

I'm pretty sure there are some nice Sapphires to be had in Vic. Anyway if you're ever in up in NSW start a thread, plenty of members here to help you get a few to take home.

 

[Golden Tiger]

Thanks Loamer and Heatho. I am aware of places that do produce sapphires in Victoria but its rare to find them in a) cuttable quality and b) quantity. Unlike places in NSW. Im trying to plan a trip that way mid next year for 2 weeks, just depends if the wife will let me go.

 

[richo966]

tell her she gets all the stones works for me

 

[Rupa]

jealous as! havnt done a greast deal of gemming but am now very keen to head out GG soon

 

[richo966]

it is good fun cant wait to go again my self

 

[Varts]

Here is a couple of gems for you all,saphires(one brilliant cut party that I faceted myself)the red one garnet(my second attemp of a brilliant cut)not sure about the green in the centre(glas I don't know)and a diamond(that scratched my sapphire)1.1 carat that has triangular faces over it :lol:

 

[richo966]

well done mate good job on cutting the stones I take it you have some experience and not just first time lucky the cutting looks hard to me and you have done a very good job

 

[Gold689]

Very nice Varts

The Diamond did you buy or found it in the creek?

It looks like topaz from that view, do you have top view without lights underneath

Cheers,
"B"

 

[Varts]

My father traveled the country after he retired collecting all kinds of gem and gold,he brought old saw and facet machine,(he has some nice cut stones)he learned himself and we cut the little party together,then cut the garnet myself(took me a couple of days from cut,wax on dob facet ,dob the bottom end facet and polish.I can't believe the Thai cut the stones so cheap,my two attempts at faceting took about 30hrs :/ I will try to post more pics gold689 ,not that good with the camera,found that stone at an old diamond mine at a place called two mile flat near gulgong nsw ,researched this area and tried many times this stone and a couple of specs of gold is all I got,from private land.Never tested but under a loop it puts scratches in bomb sapphire,can't scratch with my topaz or similar nice pieces of quartz .I know some old people that tell me history of this area ,and are keen to see what I can find over a yarn and a cuppa .

 

[Varts]

Hay Richo it is not that difficult to facet,You wear huge magnifying glasses and the facet machine has gears ,steady ,read the instructions,and try to make cuts exactly the same .if you over cut one side,you have to recut all.certainly a challenge but with some advise and time I was rapped....