Just reminding everyone that this blog is no longer maintained.

The Aussie Sapphire blog is now at www.aussiesapphire.com.au/blog

However, for more active discussions, we suggest you check out our new forum ALF (Aussie Lapidary Forum) which is growing day by day and has lots of great information on gems, fossicking, lapidary and more.

You may also be interested in our other business websites:

• Lonewood Farm - the agricultural arm of Lonewood Trust
• Bolts Direct – online source of fasteners, industrial belts, high tensile products & more.

Just letting you know that we have moved our blog again – still a WordPress blog but hosted on our own website.  Have moved all the posts over and the new blog gives us much more flexibility and functionality.

www.aussiesapphire.com.au/blog/

The RSS newsfeed is now located at:

 http://aussiesapphire.com.au/blog/?feed=rss2

Please update your bookmarks and/or newsreader program and we hope to see you over at our new digs.

cheers from Aussie Sapphire

Just a short note to alert website visitors to some problems on our website with display of images.  Have managed to get small images showing but still having problems with large image pop-ups.  We are working on the problem right now and hope to have things back to normal asap.

In the meantime, if there are any items that you would like access to large images for, just email us and we will arrange this.  Please bear with us while we sort this problem out.   If you know of any other little glitches, please let us know and we can try to solve them while we we are troubleshooting.

thanks for your patience from Aussie Sapphire

UPDATE (23/11/06): I think we have this problem sorted out now (hopefully).  All images should be now displaying normally.  If you see a glitch, please let me know so I can chase it up.  Sometimes computers can be very frustrating !!

Those stuck for Christmas present ideas need look no further.  Aussie Sapphire is offering a fantastic 25% off our already discounted internet prices on all Gold Jewellery. 

We have just received some new pieces in 18k white and yellow gold – these look fantastic and would make someone special very happy. 

Here is a lovely 18k Ring with sapphire and diamond

Click here to see more Gold Rings 

These Triangular Sapphire & Diamond Earrings look great!

Click here to see more Gold Earrings

Last example is our Sapphire/Diamond Circle Pendant

Click here to see more Gold Pendants

Hope this has given you some gift-buying inspiration.  These discounts will last until Christmas Eve but remember, these are one-off pieces so dont wait too long.  If your tastes run along more practical lines, please view our range of other products including rough and faceted gems, blank jewellery settings, gem storage and lighting and more.

NEW:  Fossicking at home with our Bag a Beauty Sapphire Gravel and Concentrated Gravel packs – check out the Fossicking section for more information.  Great gift idea!!

Cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire

Yellow topaz is also known as the modern birthstone for November.  Although now probably overtaken by the more commonly used Citrine, Topaz is a particularly lovely gemstone which is deserving of more recognition in its “precious” form.

Photo at left from is a good example of Imperial Topaz from Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom

Gemmology Matters:   Natural Topaz is a fluro silicate with the chemical formula Al₂SiO₄(F,OH)₂ .  It is found in a variety of colors including brown, red, orange, pink, sherry, yellow as well as colourless.  Often the shades from yellow through to red are termed “Precious Topaz” with particular colour combinations described as “Imperial Topaz” – those gems denoted as Imperial and the very rare red varieties command the highest prices.  The definition of Imperial Topaz colour (reddish-orange?) can be quite complicated – see this Gemology Online thread for more discussion on this subject. 

 This example of a sherry coloured topaz crystal is from John Betts Fine Minerals (Gem Crystals catalogue) - this specimen is from Pakistan and shows the hexagonal crystal habit of topaz very clearly.

Green and blue topaz are naturally very pale, the very bright colours often found in jewellery today are the result in irradiation treatment - Sky Blue, Swiss Blue and London Blue are names used by the gem trade to refer to the depth of color.   See our Blue Topaz article for more information.   Please note that surface colour coatings are becoming more common in Topaz – starting with the multi-colour version of Mystic Topaz, but now also used to create other colours such as pink.  Gems treated in this way should be treated with care to avoid damaging the colour coating.  These types of gems should be far cheaper than naturally coloured stones so be wary when purchasing brightly coloured Topaz and ask about enhancement treatments first.

The principal sources for topaz is Brazil – also found in Sri Lanka, Russia, Australia, Africa, Mexico and Pakistan.  Topaz is an excellent gemstone for jewellery with a hardness of 8 – although it has perfect cleavage which may present some danger when setting in jewellery.  For this reason, topaz should be treated with care and protected from hard knocks.

Mythology and Lore:   While the blue variety of topaz is for those born in December, yellow topaz is the modern November birthstone.  Topaz may be given to celebrate the 4th, 19th and 23rd wedding anniversaries.

Most of the mythology for topaz relates to the yellow variety as natural blue topaz is quite rare and pale in colour.  The Egyptians believed that topaz was coloured with the golden glow of Ra – the sun god.  The importance of Ra made topaz a very powerful protective amulet for the faithful.  This link with the sun was also found in ancient Roman culture where topaz was associated Jupiter, also a God of the Sun.

Topaz was once thought to strengthen the mind, increase wisdom, and prevent mental disorders.  It was also thought to guard against sudden death.  Legend says that topaz has the power to dispel all enchantment and help improve eyesight.  The ancient Greeks used the gem to increase strength and make its wearer invisible in times of crisis.  Used in medicine in ancient time, topaz was said to cure insomnia, asthma, and hemorrhages.

 This imperial topaz photograph is from the Palagems Topaz Buying Guide which also has some excellent information on the famous Ouro Preto mine in Brazil (see link below).

Alternatives in Yellow:  The range of colour in Precious Topaz brings to mind the amber gold of fine cognac, the blush of a ripe peach and all the colours of a setting sun.   While its cheaper cousin, Citrine, is commonly used these days and is an alternative November birthstone, it is slightly softer and does not have quite the complexity of colour that is present in a particularly fine Topaz.  Sapphire is also found in yellow – while beryllium treated yellows now abound in the marketplace, a fine golden yellow sapphire of natural colour can command very high prices. 

Links of Interest:

• Bernardine Fine Art Jewelry - article on topaz
• ICGA Gem by Gem article – Topaz
• Pala Gems – Imperial Topaz Buying Guide
• Excerpt from Secrets of the Gem Trade (R.W. Wise) – Topaz, Visiting the Mine
• Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom – Topaz
• Wikipedia article on Topaz

Aussie Sapphire does not currently have any topaz in stock – we do have a small supply of good yellow sapphire (natural and basic heat only – no beryllium treatment).  None of this is currently listed but we invite you to contact us directly if you are interested.

cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire

The modern and traditional birthstone for September is Sapphire – covered in a previous article.  While sapphire is our primary interest, we also enjoy and appreciate the many alternative birthstones for each month.  The mystical birthstone for September is Agate - a stone of amazing variety and colour.

Gemmology Matters:  Agate is the name given to a very large family of quartz gemstones of which Sardonyx – subject of our last Gem of the Month article – is a member.  Agate is a type of chalcedony or fibrous cryptocrystalline quartz (SiO2) and is found in a variety of colours, may be translucent, transparent or opaque and has a hardness of 6.5 to 7. 

Agate used for ornamental or in jewellery is often treated by dying to enhance or alter colour.  Since quartz is a very abundant mineral on Earth, agate is quite inexpensive.  Some particularly attractive and unusual varieties may command a higher price but this stone is still a great way to start an affordable gem collection.  Moss agate and Plume agate are two varieties which are priced higher due to beauty and demand.

Agate is found throughout the world in a huge variety of form.  Probably every country has a particular area that yields stones of a particular type of beauty and Australia is no exception.  Here in Queensland, there is an area (surprisingly called “Agate Creek”) which is rich in these gems which are available for anyone to find for just the price of a fossicking licence and a few hours of digging.

Mythology and Lore:  The name agate derives from the Greek for stones found on the Achate river in Sicily.  Agate has been used for thousands of years – examples have been found with other Stone Age relics dating back to as early as 20,000 BC.  Agate was also used by early civilizations for talismans, amulets, seals, rings and vessels.

People in medieval times wore agate to bring God’s favor, enhance persuasiveness, increase courage and strength and protect against danger.  Agate was also used to promote pleasant dreams and cure insomnia.  Early Greeks made amulets of agate for protection from the elements of the sea.

Agate is associated with the zodiac sign of Gemini and for those born in the month of May.  Agate may also be given to celebrate the 12^th wedding anniversary.

Alternatives for Agate:  Due to the extremely wide variation in colour and form, there is really no alternative for this unique gem.  Added to this, the fact that it is very affordable, there is no excuse for you not to have at least one attractive piece in your collection. 

Links of Interest:

• Bernardine Fine Art Jewelry – article on Agate
• Mineral Miners – Fact sheet on Agate
• Wikipedia article on Agate
• Agate on Mindat.org – Minerals Database
• Agate Creek area - Australian Gem Gallery
• Fossicking information for Agate Creek - Queensland

Cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire

And remember, if you are looking for the traditional September birthstone of sapphire, we can give you lots of choices in our online shop.

While we were on holiday last week, we spent a fantastic morning at the Glenreagh Mountain Railway – located between Coffs Harbour and Grafton in NSW. Please see their website for more information on timetables, the trains and the work of the volunteers.

While we were admiring the train, some of the fantastic volunteers offered Patrick (our resident train fan in the photo on the left) a look in the cab where he was thrilled to see the controls up close and pull the whistle. We cannot thank these people enough for making this the experience of a lifetime for Patrick who is still talking about how lucky he was – we really appreciate your generosity.

We had a very enjoyable ride on 1919 or “Betty”. This locomotive is currently 127 years old and was built by the Beyer Peacock Locomotive Company in Manchester, England in 1878. 1919 arrived in Australia in December 1878 and entered service for the NSWGR as No. A114 of the A93 Class. This loco worked at various locations including the Glenreagh to Dorrigo line from 1953 to 1958 – great to see this train working again on one of its old routes. Coincidentally, 1919 spent a number of years working the Oberon to Tarana line where Patrick’s grandfather grew up – as he knew the driver and fireman quite well, he used to be given rides many times as a small boy.

We recommend a visit to the GMR for anyone visiting the area. Working steam trains are not easy to find these days and a ride on this one is a very enjoyable outing (good value for money as well). We hope the volunteers of the GMR achieve their dream of repairing the line all the way to Dorrigo. We will certainly be back to see the progress.

However, we had to come back to work eventually so am in the middle of grading up the last few weeks of mine production and cataloguing some new jewellery just received. Please check our our websites in the next week or so to see the new additions online.

Cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire.

Just a quick announcement that we will be taking a short break from the 24th September to take the kids down to the beach for a week. We will be checking our email while we are away but may not be able to respond quite as quickly as we normally do. Despatch of some parcels may be delayed a few days so please keep this in mind when ordering. We will be back on the 3rd October so things should return to normal from that date.

Thank you for your support of both online shops (Aussie Sapphire and the Ebay Store) – the response has been amazing and we are working hard at the mine now so we can restock both shops when we return.

Photo shows the boys playing in the boat while it is pulled up on the sand just outside our holiday house at Iluka on the North Coast (the accommodations costs are very reasonable and the town and surrounding district is very pleasant – see here for more info on this great little town).

Cheers for now from the Aussie Sapphire team

Aussie Sapphire is pleased to announce that we have opened an ebay store. We will still be operating our main online shop on the Aussie Sapphire website but in order to reach a wider market, we will be operating this additional outlet for those customers who feel more comfortable buying through Ebay. Some items will be more suited to the online shop and some to the Ebay store but we will keep both stocked with some fantastic and unique pieces so you can be sure of always finding some good bargains in cut or rough gems wherever you choose to shop with Aussie Sapphire.

As an opening special, we have some great small parcels of stone (Parcel 1 and Parcel 2) on offer in the Store and an amazing parti coloured sapphire with a unique yellow triangular patch within the blue. This one is up for auction with a starting price of just $0.99 – dont let it get away.

We also have a fantastic 6.3 carat blue sapphire up for auction – also starting at just $0.99 so dont miss this opportunity to grab a genuine Reddestone blue for way below market value.

We will be putting more stock on both website as soon as possible so remember to regularly check this blog for more announcements and both shops for new products.

Remember to check out the new Photo Gallery on our main website (we will be keeping a photo of the triangular parti on the Photo Gallery as this one is unlike any other we have seen). Let us know if you have any suggestions or comments about this or any other part of the various website we now operate.

Cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire

Unfortunately, we have to announce that we must impose a slight increase in our postage and handling charges. This is solely due to the increases in parcel post charged by Australia Post.

Australia Post will be increasing some of their charges from the 1st September – our shipping charges are based on cost recovery (not profit) so our new postage charges will not increase until that date. The changes are postage within Australia by Registered Post will now cost $6, an increase of $1. Postage overseas by normal airmail will increase to $15 AU for a registered parcel with minimum insurance of $100. This method of postage has the advantage of requiring a signature for pickup at the Post Office so parcels will not be delivered to your unattended mailbox where they may disappear before you collect it – a little bit more secure for very little extra cost. The cost of Express Courier International delivery remains the same at $45 AU – this method is slightly faster and offers some parcel tracking but is a little more expensive.

Additional insurance is available if required – just contact us for a quote and we can organise an electronic invoice or alternative method of payment.

cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire

Just a quick announcement for those interested in larger parcels of sapphire. We have just listed 3 parcels of mine run graded sapphire on our website. We are busy grading up our main parcels for buyers in Thailand and China over the next month or so – when these parcels are completed, the online parcels will also be offered for export. Therefore, buyers only have a short time to consider these larger parcels before they go off-shore.

Three parcels are currently on offer (EDITED 29/8/05):
NOW SOLD - Mine Run Parcel 1 – 500 carats of mixed size (1.75 – 30 carats) for total price of $3000 AU – New England sapphire of good blue, blue-green and parti colour.
NOW SOLD - Mine Run Parcel 2 – 2480 carats of small size and darker colour (1 – 6 carats) for total price of $2100 AU (discounted price due to size range) – Queensland sapphire.
Mine Run Parcel 3 – 3000 carats of mixed size (4 – 50 carats) for total price of $9000 AU. Excellent Queensland parti colour sapphire from the Subera mine.

Please contact us if you would like any further information on these parcels or any other item in our catalogues.

Remember we have a comprehensive catalogue of small cut sapphire in a range of shapes and sizes. Please see our “More Sapphire” pages to buy these.

Cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire

Just found a very interesting site on the internet recently dealing with the mineral Corundum. Most of you will know that both ruby and sapphire are varieties of this mineral but the photos on this website are fascinating for their diversity of form and colour. Like most people, they do not mention the important NSW New England sapphire resource and only list the Queensland sapphire gemfield under the Australian localities of interest. However, our regular customers will know that Australian sapphire does not come from just one place – Aussie Sapphire has worked hard to let people know that Australia has a number of sapphire resources with some producing excellent quality gemstones.

The Corunduminium is well worth a visit for all those interested in minerals generally and in particular anyone interested in ruby and sapphire. The photos are fantastic and the information is very comprehensive. Check it out at http://www.corunduminium.com/index.html

This website has made us realise that it would be a good idea to set up a photo gallery on the main Aussie Sapphire website – a place where we can put photos of interesting mineral specimens, excellent quality gemstones, photographs of the surrounding areas or anything at all. The photo above is a selection of dog tooth crystals showing interesting colour zoning – (larger image here).

This new section can be found in the Sapphire Facts section of our website under Photo Gallery. This is still in its infancy so only a few photos on there at the moment. Items in the Photos Gallery are not for sale – the photos are posted for your information and enjoyment only. Let us know what you might like to see and we will do our best to oblige.

cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire

Just announcing that after a week of good sales, we have restocked the online rough sapphire catalogue. We have some large mine run gem grade parcels online at discount prices as well as some good individual cutters. Check them out now before they disappear!

Please note that the cut sapphire catalogues have been split into two separate sections – one for the larger custom cut sapphires (each with individual photographs and information) and the other section for the smaller calibrated cut sapphire. This will allow us to list more of our inventory where we have not had time to fully photograph all the gems – just browse through the sections and enquire if you have any questions. We have more stock to put online here including some very attractive parti coloured cut sapphire so keep checking back so you dont miss any bargains.

Remember that if you have any suggestions on how to make the website more user-friendly or if you would like us to include more information on anything, just let us know so we can take care of it.

cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire

Just a general news announcement from Aussie Sapphire as we have not had much time lately to update the news page on our main website.

a) We have had great sales of cut sapphires in recent weeks (both online and direct) so have restocked the cut sapphire catalogue and put some great discount prices on the whole cut sapphire section. Be quick because with fuel prices reaching new records, our overall prices will have to rise but for now ENJOY the bargains.
Here is a quick pic of one of the new items – a 2.11 carat oval with great colour :

b) We have entered the jewellery design area with very pleasing results. Sales at our new retail outlet, Schmidts Jewellers in Glen Innes tell us we are on the right track. We have a good range of sterling silver, 9k and 18k hand made gold jewellery using mostly our own gems and designs.

Sorry we just haven’t had time to list much at all online yet but please enquire if you’re after a truly special piece that will last for generations at genuine bargain prices.

c) New stock of our smaller cut stone has just been finished (under 5mm). This is terrific quality at bargain prices and a great way to see the true Reddestone Blue sapphire which has a unique rich colour. This is the same type of sapphire which has being described by one of our customers (Michael E) very eloquently as “like lightning against a summer evening sky” – see our last blog post for more on this.

Get these small stones for well under $100 AU and we have listed much of this stock on our new additional catalogue so check it out. A great way to start creating those earings, pendants and rings – or even a piece of body jewellery! Be creative and we can assist you to bring your ideas to life. Alternatively, we may have just the perfect piece in stock already so just ask and we will do our best to help.

Just one last small announcement: while using our online shopping cart is a convenient and secure method of payment, we realise that some customers prefer not to use their credit card online. For these customers, in addition to the direct deposit option, we can now offer offline credit card payments for Australian customers and Express telegraphic transfers for overseas customers. If you would prefer to use any of these alternative payment options, just contact us to discuss the best method.

cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire.

We have many customers in the USA who are starting to appreciate that not all Australian sapphires are dark, inky or greenish – some resources such as ours produce a fantastic rich :blue on blue” colour. One customer is Michael E from The Gem Shoppe – his results speak for themselves so take a look at some of his work and what other people are saying about it.

Diamond Talk forum – trillion cut sapphire
Diamond Talk Forum – cushion cut sapphire thread

More photos of this cushion on the forum (see link above)

Good to see what can be done with these gems in the hands of an expert. See Michael’s website (The Gem Shoppe) if you want more information on his excellent work.

Cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire