June 2018 – Gem Junkies

Hi-Ho Hi-Ho, Off to Mine Tourmaline We Go.

Welcome fellow Gem Junkie!

This week we discussed Tourmaline, and as we have said before this is a complicated and beautiful gemstone that comes in every color, and sometimes more than one! Have a look.

Like we said, everything but the kitchen sink. Photo courtesy of http://navneetgems.com/tourmaline-wholesale-multi-pink-green-indicolite/

The most commonly found Tourmaline- Schorl- ‘Skroll’- photo courtesy of https://www.crystalclassics.co.uk/product/schorl-tourmaline-with-albite-and-quartz/

Watermelon Tourmaline- Don’t forget the rind! Photo courtesy of https://auction.catawiki.com/kavels/14965741-beautiful-polished-watermelon-tourmaline-slices-14-25-ct-3

The coveted Paraiba Tourmaline- Photo Courtesy of https://www.gemselect.com/other-info/paraiba-tourmaline-info.php

As promised, the Namibian Tourmaline Jonathan picked up.

A Parle one-of-a-kind Bi-color Green Tourmaline piece.

Shop our Tourmaline Jewelry

June 8March 26

Cleopatra- Girl Loved Her Emeralds

Rough Emerald in an elongated 6 prism structure

Picture courtesy of https://www.minedirect.com/EnlargedPages/FacetCabbingRough/Emerald/Emerald-12.html

Map of Emerald locations world-wide

Picture courtesy of http://amazonpueblo.org/emeralds-for-amazon-stories-from-jungle/

Jose Elias Vallejo has been a barequero in the ravine of the mining river for more than 40 years. He lives in Matadecafe, an informal settlement of shanty towns in the vicinity of the Muzo mines.

Picture and caption courtesy of https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2017/03/green-land-emerald-mining-colombia-170306110821882.html

Emerald Cut

Cabochon Emeralds

A final Parle product

Shop our Emerald Jewelry

June 1November 2

All Hail The King

Rubies- Every one knows them, but only the fierce don this power gemstone. Are you one of the few?

Find our cover photo https://www.instagram.com/thirdcoastgems/

The Corundum Family

How did you react when you found out Sapphires and Rubies are siblings?

So where is Ruby found?

While not perfectly drawn, (I am no historian or geographer) this does touch many of the locations that we know of today as the Ruby Sources. See for yourself below!

Including the Inclusions

I won’t take any of his pictures off the website, but if you want to see some cool shots of inclusions on Rubies, and other gemstones you should check out https://www.instagram.com/microworldofgems/?hl=en

Rubies & their sources

East African Ruby