Newsletter July 2021
Contrasting stories of fortune in southern Africa this past month. First of all a diamond of exceptional clarity weighing in at over 1000 carats was discovered in Botswana making it the third largest diamond ever mined.
The biggest diamond was discovered in neighboring South Africa more than 100 years ago – the famous Cullinan - which was over 3000 carats in size. In 2017 the second largest diamond ever was also found in Botswana. It was named Lesedi La Rona – meaning Our Light in Tswana - and sold for $53 million! The latest find has not been named yet and no price has been set either.
Over the border in South Africa, a ‘diamond rush’ broke out in KwaZulu-Natal when locals discovered large crystals literally lying on the ground in an area not too far from Ladysmith – site of the famous siege during the Boer War.
Thousands flocked to the site in the hopes of making a fortune overnight but the latest news is that it will all be in vain as the large clear stones have turned out to be quartz.
As is so often the case in gemstone mining, you win some, you lose some.
From the grasslands of Africa to the mountain tops of Asia.
We have just managed to lay our hands on some stunning Turquoise all the way from Tibet. This gemstone is very prized by the local Tibetans and the neighboring Nepalese for its powerful spiritual strengths as well as its beauty.
Turquoise has a special relationship with Buddhism, the religion which dominates both Tibet and our home country, Thailand. There are a number of beliefs connected to this lovely teal or light blue stone, some straightforward and some a little strange.
As a ring stone, Turquoise will ensure safe travels while as earrings, it will prevent being reincarnated as a donkey or ass! All round it is considered a gemstone of good luck. It also happens to be a secondary birthstone for July if you or a loved one is celebrating a birthday this month.
Back to Africa for the next gemstone we would like to mention. We have some stunning new arrivals from the acclaimed Diego Mines of Madagascar – Parti-colored Sapphires.
Parti-colored sapphires – sometimes called polychrome sapphires – display two or more colors in a single stone, most commonly yellows and greens but more rarely teals and blues. It is the amazing Teal Blue parti-colored sapphires that we would really like to bring to your attention.
They are heat treated like nearly all sapphires but are outstanding value for money – I do recommend you take a look. Teal has a special meaning within the world of crystal spirituality. The color combines the cool and calm of blue with the revitalizing energy of green – like England at the football the other night – a winning team!
If it is your birthday this month not only do you share it with Vin Diesel, Harrison Ford and Jennifer Lopez but you have the glorious Ruby as your birthstone. Known as both the ‘Stone of Love’ and the ‘King of Gemstones’, this deep red beauty is spiritually connected to passion and energy.
Much of our gemstone stock is sourced in Africa and South America. Travel restrictions both within these continents and into Thailand have meant our usual traders have made fewer trips with stock to sell.
At the moment our large inventory – the biggest on the internet – is seeing us through this tough period but there is sure to be a shortage of high quality stock especially if the trade shows are postponed again this year.
Keep an eye on gemstone prices worldwide as dwindling supplies usually leads to higher costs.
On a positive front, delivery and shipping seems to be operating smoothly around the world at the moment.
Just time for a couple of your questions:
Question
What does cat’s eye chatoyance effect mean?
Answer
Chatoyancy is a natural phenomenon known to occur in only a handful of different gem types, including chrysoberyl, the original and most well-known variety of cat's eye. The chatoyancy effect is a unique reflection of light that resembles the slit-eye of a cat when viewed under certain lighting conditions. The cat's eye effect is highly desirable and is usually the result of parallel fibers or needle-like inclusions formed within the stone.
You can view our extensive selection of Cat’s Eye Gemstones here
Question
What is the difference between Citrine and Yellow Quartz?
Answer
Both are natural Quartz stones. The only difference between Citrine and Yellow Quartz is the color tone and saturation. Citrine has a golden-orange tone, while Yellow Quartz has a more pure yellow tone. In general, for quartz to be traded as Citrine it must be naturally colored or enhanced by heat-treatment only. Yellow Quartz on the other hand obtains its brilliant sparkling color through an artificial irradiation process followed by a mild heat treatment.
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Happy Gemstone Hunting!
Team GemSelect
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