GEMS AND GEMOLOGY

Gemology has been a fascinating hobby of mine for over 20 years, reading up “Gemstones of the World” by Walter Schumann, attending practical classes on coloured gemstones, and visiting gem mining areas. I acquired some pieces, both priced and less well known, of various colours, shapes and cuts from gem-producing areas like Burma,Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia etc. These have since grown to quite a collection.

Among the 63 gems species are: traditional gemstones - corundum(sapphire,ruby), beryl (emerald,aquamarine), fancy diamond; and others - spinel, chrysoberyl(cat's eye,alexandrite), tanzanite, garnet(tsavorite, spessartite,), tourmaline(rubellite,indocolite), zircon, topaz, quartz(amethyst,citrine), chalcedony(agate,chrysoprase), feldspar(moonstone,labradorite), kyanite, peridot, kunsite, scapolite, flourite and many other lesser known gemstones. (view complete list on blog archive on the right with traditional gemstones at the bottom. click on types of interest to you.)

I'm now divesting my collection. An abbreviated description is provided below each photo, including price. Example 1: m2(size ref) tq(turquoise gem) ov(oval shape) plgnbl(pale greenish blue colour) afg ( Afghanistan country) 3.82 (carat weight) (18.7x8.5mm)(dimensions LxW) in mm) op (opaque clarity) 175 (USD 175 price) 10b30 N18(ref no and location). Example 2:"sa (type sapphire), ov(shape oval), dpbl(colour deep blue), af(origin Africa), 4.43(weight in carat), (11.3x10.2x4.6mm)dimension LxWxD, ec(clarity eyeclean), 1k(price US$1000)".

Personal viewing can be done for friends in Singapore.

Those outside Singapore, purchase can be secured via registered post upon payment in USD(or Singapore equivalent) via paypal, money/postal order, account transfer/cheque (Singapore) or other mutually agreed arrangement. Do have a look and contact me for any other details.

Happy viewing!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

GREEN GARNET – THE BEAUTIFUL TSAVORITE, MALI AND INCOMPARABLE DEMANTOID

Garnet is a group of differently coloured minerals with with similiar crystal structure and related chemical composition. Green garnets come from two sub-groups of grossularites such as the tsavorite and mali and andradites like demantoid, the most valuable of all garnets.

Tsavorite, a rich green transparent grossular garnet, was only discovered in the 1960s in Tsavo, Kenya. It has become a favourite gem for jewellery because of its colour and is relatively cleaner and cheaper than emerald.
l2 tsa ovc mdgn 7.12(12x8.9x7.1)tp 1k 1b44 L200  l2 tsa ovc mdgn 7.12(12x8.9x7.1)tp 1k 1b44 L200     
m2 tsa ov mdgn 3.42(9.1x8x6.3)ec 2.5k sb T540
m2 tsa ov mdgn 3.42(9.1x8x6.3)ec 2.5k sb T540
m1 tsa ov gn 4.21(10x9x5.8)vsi 2k sb T510
m1 tsa ov gn 4.21(10x9x5.8)vsi 2k sb T510
 m1 tsa ov gn 4.11(11.7x7.8x5.2)vsi 1.5k sb N350
m1 tsa ov gn 4.11(11.7x7.8x5.2)vsi 1.5k sb N350
m2 tsa ov mdgn 3.32(10.7x7.6x4.6)vsi 1.2kT4-52 N155
m2 tsa ov mdgn 3.32(10.7x7.6x4.6)vsi 1.2kT4-52 N155
 m3 tsa mdpr gn 2.83(9.1x9.1x4.6)ec 1.2k T4-41 T413 gft2JanetTaye
m3 tsa mdpr gn 2.83(9.1x9.1x4.6)ec 1.2k T4-41 T413 gft2JanetTaye
m3 tsa ov gn 2.95(10.5x8.5x4.4)vsi 1.2k T4-54 N235
m3 tsa ov gn 2.95(10.5x8.5x4.4)vsi 1.2k T4-54 N235
m4 tsa prc gn 2.41(9.1x7x4.5)tp 05 3b44 N74
m4 tsa prc gn 2.41(9.1x7x4.5)tp 05 3b44 N74
 s1 tsa ov gn 1.91(9x7.5x3.5)ec 1.2k T4-42 N300 s1 tsa ov gn 1.91(9x7.5x3.5)ec 1.2k T4-42 N300
 s3 tsa ov gn 1.44(8.5x6.2x3.4)c 1k b3-2 N165
s3 tsa ov gn 1.44(8.5x6.2x3.4)c 1k b3-2 N165
 s4 tsa ov dpgn 1.21(6.9x5.7x3.8)ec 1k b3-4 T255s4 tsa ov dpgn 1.21(6.9x5.7x3.8)ec 1k b3-4 T255
s tsa pr dpgn 1.08(7.7x5.8X3.6)ec 1k CG b3-12 T304
s tsa pr dpgn 1.08(7.7x5.8X3.6)ec 1k CG b3-12 T304
Mali and other grossular green. Mali is a yellowish green stone given after its country of origin. Grossular garnet comes in a range of colours, but here it refers to gooseberry green or mint green and comes besides Africa, are found in North America and Pakistan and Sri Lanka. I particularly proud of the first photo of the huge round facetted Mali of 10 carats and the last showing a rare small trilliant colour change piece.
h gro rn ygn mal 10.15(12.2x10.4)si 1.5k 3b46 T205
h gro rn ygn mal 10.15(12.2x10.4)si 1.5k 3b46 T205
 l gro ovc ygn mal 5.45(11.6x9.9x5.4)tp 05 6b40 T122
l gro ovc ygn mal 5.45(11.6x9.9x5.4)tp 05 6b40 T122
m3 gro ov ygn mal 2.74(8.8x7.8x5.3)ec 1k 3b46 N112
m3 gro ov ygn mal 2.74(8.8x7.8x5.3)ec 1k 3b46 N112
 s1 gro ov ygn mal 1.81(8x6.2x4.9)lc 08 3b46 T160 s1 gro ov ygn mal 1.81(8x6.2x4.9)lc 08 3b46 T160
s1 gro rn ygn mal 1.70(6.9x5.2d)lc 075 3b46 T152 s1 gro rn ygn mal 1.70(6.9x5.2d)lc 075 3b46 T152
 s3 gro sqcu ygn mal 1.33(6.1x4.6)c 065 3b46 T135
s3 gro sqcu ygn mal 1.33(6.1x4.6)c 065 3b46 T135
s4 gro tr ygn af 1.26(6.9x4.3)c 065 3b46 T113
s4 gro tr ygn af 1.26(6.9x4.3)c 065 3b46 T113
 s4a gro ov ygn mal 1.17(7.3x5.3x4.1)c 06 3b46 T58s4a gro ov ygn mal 1.17(7.3x5.3x4.1)c 06 3b46 T58
s1 gro ov mtgn af 1.98(8.7x6.3x4.2)ec 05 b3-28 N47
s1 gro ov mtgn af 1.98(8.7x6.3x4.2)ec 05 b3-28 N47
 s4 gro pr mtgn mer ta 1.16(7.9x5.4x4.2)ec 06 b3-30 N140
 s4 gro ra mtgn 1.23(5.8x4.3)ec 045 b3-29 N43
s4 gro ra mtgn 1.23(5.8x4.3)ec 045 b3-29 N43
 vs1 mal tr cc limgn-plrd 0.96(6.1x5.9x3.9)c 04 3b-N68
vs1 mal tr cc limgn-plrd 0.96(6.1x5.9x3.9)c 04 3b-N68

Demantoid (meaning “diamond-like luster”), is the most valuable of all garnets. While andradite garnet comes in various colours from yellow, dark red to black, demantoid is a rich green to emerald green is simply outstanding. It has a higher dispersion than diamond and can be recognised by the characteristic “horsetails”, which are fine hair-like inclusions of asbestos. The best comes come the Urals in Russia but are also found in Italy, Zaire and Kenya. Unfortunately, my collection has only 4 small not very nice pieces.

s1 dem rnc dkgn 1.99(8.8x6.8x4.5)tl 035 3b41 N20   

vs1 dem rn ygn 0.74(5.5x3.5)si 04 3b41 N20

vs1a dem rn dkygn 0.71(5.4x3.6)ec 04 3b41 N41
vs dem rn ygn 0.58(5.3x3)si 02 3b41 M20
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