January 24 Through February 4—TUCSON, ARIZONA: Annual show
Welcome to the GemologyOnline.com Forum
A non-profit Forum for the exchange of gemological ideas
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 6:27 pm

All times are UTC - 4 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 34 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:49 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Mon May 26, 2014 9:42 pm
Posts: 1033
I thought this was a good topic to discuss.
I have over the years been looking for stones for my collection and generally they have certain charactertistics:
1) They have to be affordable (even though typically the ones I want usually are NOT)
2) They are really hard to find (sometimes even in Tucson)

Examples are:
1) Flowering / Tube Onyx: One with a nice flower (I finally have found a bunch of these)
2) Purple topaz (again - finally found a bunch of these)
3) Purple Beryl (Again - finally found two... Stephen found one REALLY good one)
4) Sanarka Topaz with good pink/purple color

The last I wanted to find for my son. I have been looking for years. Even came up empty at Tucson in spite of intense looking. Finally found two, which I gave him for Christmas. No doubt he will post some photos.

Anyone else have some they have been looking for for years? With a lot of eyes we might be able to help...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 1:04 pm 
Offline
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:31 pm
Posts: 4015
Location: North Carolina
This is a field with a lot of white whales to chase, which is always fun.
Sanarka topaz (genuine imperial topaz from Russia) was one such until this Christmas :) I now have two, one bicolor pink/orange and one with an intense pink-purple color.
Another was getting a sizeable crystal of the storied golden topaz from Schneckenstein, Germany, but I now have on of those too.
I have a couple things still on the list. Sri Lanka apparently used to produce golden to pure yellow topaz, noted as being non-chromian but with a nice color. There is one in the GIA collection which looks lovely. I suspect these all get irradiated blue now.
I found an old reference to imperial-style topaz being found in Turkey in the far past, but I suspect it was just mistaken.
Riesling beryl was on this list, the alleged dichroic green/yellow material said to have been found in Germany. I am kind of skeptical now though--I think some of the past skeptics are likely right, that the German material never existed and was only invented to try and sell Brazilian stones (and probably just normal greenish heliodor, a stone I love but which isn't that special).

_________________
Rough and cut classic and exotic synthetic gems:https://store.turtleshoard.com


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 5:35 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:29 pm
Posts: 1047
Location: Paris
I have been looking for a long time for an overblue diamond - the ultra fluorescent type which turns milky blue in sunlight and which is supposed to be wanted by nobody. Well, it is much more difficult to find than a non fluorescent stone.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 10:35 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 1:10 pm
Posts: 850
Quite sure that „Riesling beryl“ is a trade name.

We have amber in germany, Hauyne and several other gems from Eifel district ( Sanidin, Titanite, Peridot etc.), Schneckenstein Topaze, Boracite, Zircon from Saxonia but gemmy beryl....never heard of.

_________________
http://www.gemstore-24.com/
gemstones, precision cuts and more...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 10:51 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 1:10 pm
Posts: 850
Isi wrote:
I have been looking for a long time for an overblue diamond - the ultra fluorescent type which turns milky blue in sunlight and which is supposed to be wanted by nobody. Well, it is much more difficult to find than a non fluorescent stone.


On my list too!

This little fancy vivid green yellow has a strong blue fluor and becomes a bit milky in sunlight or LED too with textmarker neon color.

Think a colorless overblue diamond is pretty cool...

I will ask some diamond dealer in Inhorgenta this year. If I find one I will tell you..

Attachment:
73BC5B0C-43EA-4B50-BA20-2400AF2BF534.jpeg
73BC5B0C-43EA-4B50-BA20-2400AF2BF534.jpeg [ 50.4 KiB | Viewed 3984 times ]

_________________
http://www.gemstore-24.com/
gemstones, precision cuts and more...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:55 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
I'd love to find an awesome iris agate.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:14 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Mon May 26, 2014 9:42 pm
Posts: 1033
What characteristics are you looking for in your iris agate? I do get them occasionally.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:20 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
You know, nothing special, kinda like this: :wink:
Image


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:56 pm 
Offline
Gemology Online Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 1:10 pm
Posts: 850
On instagram

isometrica_minerals

sometimes beautiful items - like them too.

_________________
http://www.gemstore-24.com/
gemstones, precision cuts and more...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 5:05 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:29 pm
Posts: 1047
Location: Paris
I bought a nice iris agate a few years ago on ebay. I think it was from some place in the US. It is pretty but not half as spectacular as the one you show. And it requires a certain lighting and angle of viewing to "work" and show its rainbow colors.

Edit : I remember now, the place of origin was called Horse Mountain.


Last edited by Isi on Sat Jan 12, 2019 5:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 5:08 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:29 pm
Posts: 1047
Location: Paris
Marlow wrote:
will ask some diamond dealer in Inhorgenta this year. If I find one I will tell you..

Thanks Marlow ! :smt002


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 6:09 pm 
Offline
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:31 pm
Posts: 4015
Location: North Carolina
Marlow wrote:
Quite sure that „Riesling beryl“ is a trade name.

Absolutely, but one tied to an (almost certainly) fictional story about the material first being found in Germany, see https://www.gemologyonline.com/riesling.html

_________________
Rough and cut classic and exotic synthetic gems:https://store.turtleshoard.com


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:23 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Mon May 26, 2014 9:42 pm
Posts: 1033
I am also looking for some of that Vietnamese transparent "Amazonite".


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:21 am 
Offline
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:31 pm
Posts: 4015
Location: North Carolina
Ooh, another two. There are two old papers that report finds of hiddenite in India and in Siberia. I would love to see some of those!

_________________
Rough and cut classic and exotic synthetic gems:https://store.turtleshoard.com


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Looking for Hard to find stones
PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 4:57 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 1:10 pm
Posts: 850
dchallener wrote:
I am also looking for some of that Vietnamese transparent "Amazonite".


Baldergems has one impressive 3,82 ct mint colored oval...

I think some rough too...

I have only two small faint bluish-green ones from Vietnam

Attachment:
6087FEF0-3250-4356-9D42-D7C08FCEAB60.jpeg
6087FEF0-3250-4356-9D42-D7C08FCEAB60.jpeg [ 73.42 KiB | Viewed 3932 times ]

_________________
http://www.gemstore-24.com/
gemstones, precision cuts and more...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 34 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 4 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Gemology Style ported to phpBB3 by Christian Bullock