Tourmaline is a Many-Coloured Thing

Joopy Gems Bi-Colour Tourmaline Polki mix

John Ruskin said, ‘The making of tourmaline is more like a medieval doctor’s prescription than the making of a respectable mineral’. This refers to the extraordinary colour range of tourmaline, completely unparalleled, which amusingly does not necessarily relate to the chemical composition. Yes, that’s correct; there is no simple relationship between composition and colour! And tourmaline stones are named more for their colour than their composition. It’s complicated, but lets break it down a bit.

MJS Jewellery Design Chrome Tourmaline Ring

The name comes from the Sinhalese word ‘toromalli’ meaning ‘mixed gems’, a term that the Dutch merchants in Sri Lanka applied to the rough, water-worn pebbles found in the gem gravels. It has been routinely confused with other gems; emerald, ruby for example, and it wasn’t until a few centuries after the first stone had been discovered, and confused with emerald, that it was recognised as a separate species. It is small differences in chemical composition that give tourmaline its differing colours. If you look at tourmaline as being a collection of related mineral species that have the same crystal structure but slightly differing chemical and physical properties, that helps to explain. They are all silicates – silicates being compositions of silicon and oxygen, and making up some 95% of the earth’s minerals, so very common. They all share certain elements – fluorine, boron, aluminium, but contain differing levels of other elements: sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, titanium, copper, and iron.

A tourmaline’s chemical and physical properties are used to define its species: elbaite, liddicoatite,
dravite, uvite, and schorl. However, each species will demonstrate a variety of colours. So you can’t say elbaite is pink, liddicoatite green and so on, although schorl is always black. This is what I mean when I say that tourmaline is referred to by colour rather than species. So intense hot pink tourmaline is called rubellite, blue to teal is called indicolite, green tourmaline is verdelite and paraiba is an intense neon turquoise, named for the state in which the gem producing mine was found.

Tomfoolery London One of a Kind Tourmaline Ring — Vram Jewelry Yellow Tourmaline Ring

The most fascinating, though, for me is the parti-colour and bi-colour stones. This tends to happen with the liddicoatite species, and it occurs when the trace elements change in either concentration or composition during the crystal’s growth. This can give rise to really striking patterns, and these stones can be cut as slices if the colour zoning occurs parallel to the length of the stone, familiarly known as ‘watermelon’ tourmaline. This term was coined for those stones with the bright pink interior and green rim, but can and is used for any slice with particolour characteristics. Alternatively the zoning can take place across the length of the stone which gives the half and half effect on a long crystal. Another very valuable type of tourmaline is known as chrome tourmaline, and this is a very vibrant green colour, and this is of either the dravite or uvite species, or a combination of both. Whilst these normally produce yellow to brown coloured crystals, when vanadium or chromium is present, they will come up bright green.

Because tourmaline crystals tend to grow long and narrow, with those very distinctive striations down the sides, you often find them in very non-standard sizes and they can be harder to find in more familiar, calibrated forms. You can only really cut them along the length as the stones tend to be dead down the length, or in very thin slices. Tourmaline is extremely strongly pleochroic, and one colour is typically much darker than the other. When you consider also that tourmaline absorbs more light down the length of the stone rather than across the width, a crystal that appears, say, light green across the width of the stone may well appear almost black down the length.

Julia Lloyd George Modern Art Tourmaline Earring

Pala International Paraiba Tourmaline Pear — Julia Lloyd George Modern Art Tourmaline Earring

You can also get chatoyant tourmaline, although the fibres are relatively coarse, and tourminalted quartz. Schorl is not used much these days but was popular in Victorian times as mourning jewellery, as it was a great deal tougher than jet. As always, to shop my tourmaline, click here

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It’s my Birthday, It’s Time for an Offer!

It’s my birthday and usually around this time I run a little sale to celebrate and just generally spread the joy! This time it’s 25% off your entire order, with code celebrate25 and you can use it up until midnight on Friday 29th September EST. I was hoping to re-open my destash sale at the same time, but I don’t quite have it ready, so that will happen mid to end October. Click here to shop!

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I Like My Stones Like I Like my Men: Sober and Rich

I’ve got some chrysoberyl cat’s eye in, for the first time ever, some nice cabochons in a 3mm and 4mm round. I think that this is not the best known gemstone, and that’s partly because it’s pretty rare. The entire group, made up of transparent chrysoberyl, alexandrite and the cat’s eye variety is mined in very few locations making it very rare and very desirable. It’s a good stone choice, as it is both tough and hard, and just to remind you those are not the same thing – something may be hard but not tough – glass is fairly hard, but if you drop it, it breaks. Whereas something like putty is very soft but it’s tough – if you drop it, it just squishes a bit. Stones that are hard and tough, such as diamond, jade, chrysoberyl, make excellent ring stones as they can stand up to the harsher treatment rings can endure. As a gem group, it is a relatively recent discovery, between the 1780s to the 1830s, with Alexandrite named for the then Tsar, given it was discovered in Russia, and the two colours it displays are red and green, the then colours of the Imperial flag.

Chrysoberyl is the only chatoyant stone that is permitted to be called simply ‘cat’s eye’. The old name for it is Cymophane, which in Greek means ‘wavelike form’ which I think must refer to the way that the cat’s eye undulates across the stone. This chatoyancy is caused by parallel needles or tubes in the stone; light reflects off them, causing the ‘line’, and since the needles run all the way across the stone, this line will move as you turn the stone in the light.

Below, from left to right, you can see the simple beauty of this stone; The Bonham’s ring was sold at auction for around $38,000 USD, which gives you an idea of how much it can command. This is an exceptionally beautiful example; large, at 23 carats with a very sharp eye against an almost transparent golden body. I love the combination of the chrysoberyl with the sapphire in Evgad’s engagement ring, and what an unusual but effective choice; the blue of the sapphire brings out an array of cooler tones in the chrysoberyl. The stone also works well in chunky, streamlined settings such as the Gemsography men’s ring, right; the honeyed tones of the stone contrasting well with the blocky silver of the ring.

Bonhams Cats Eye Chrysoberyl And Diamond Ring, $300000 HKD

Evgad Natural Cats Eye And Sapphire Engagement Ring, $433+ — Bonhams Cats Eye Chrysoberyl And Diamond Ring, $300000 HKD

People often mention the ‘milk and honey’ effect when talking about chrysoberyl, and I confess, when I first learned about this, I didn’t really understand it. It isn’t something that necessarily photographs very well, but what it means is that, with good quality material you get a phenomenon whereby it appears as if the stone is different colours on either side of the cat’s eye. When I unwrapped these stones I literally cried out, as I could see it, plain as day! What you are looking for in best quality is a golden yellow semi-transparent yellow colour on one side of the eye, and a greenish or brownish yellow on the other. In real life it’s pretty striking. In terms of quality, as well as this ideal colour, you are also looking for a nice, sharp, silvery cat’s eye which stands out in relief to the bodycolour of the stone. This stone is found in fine quality in Sri Lanka but also in Myanmar, Brazil, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. Because of its durability it is popular in rings, cufflinks and probably because of its subtle colouring is a popular stone in men’s jewellery.

In looking at chrysoberyl jewellery, I’m finding alot of antique and Victorian jewellery; I think it must have been a popular choice due to its sober yet rich colouring. It is beautifully subtle, in an array of creamy golden to brown tones. Makes me think of dulce de leche, buttery and indulgent. Chrysoberyl is traditionally supposed to provide protection from the evil eye, and to help with decision making, that’s something I could certainly do with.

There’s another example of male jewellery with the Assay Jewellers ring, left, and I do like the effect of the two baguette cut diamonds running perpendicular to the cat’s eye. Another beautiful, stripped back design. But then I think that the Kardamome design, with its complex engraved design, oxidisation and added diamonds also looks awesome. I love the look of the stone against the black-gold of the metal; it looks almost ancient, medieval. And then finally, the Gem of Art ring, with the sunray baguette cut diamonds places the chrysoberyl within the rays of a bright star, the diamonds appearing to illuminate the stone, make it glow from within.

Assay Jewellers Cats Eye Chrysoberyl Mans Ring, $6850

Kardamome Ring With Chrysoberyl Cats Eye And Diamonds In 18K Gold, $852 — Assay Jewellers Cats Eye Chrysoberyl Mans Ring, $6850

You can browse my selection of chrysoberyl cabochons here

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Joopy Gems Prasiolite Rose Cut 10mm Round

Gem of the Week is White-Not-Quite (and definitely not green amethyst which isn’t a thing)

Joopy Gems Prasiolite Rose Cut 6mm Round
Joopy Gems Prasiolite Rose Cut 6mm Round
Joopy Gems Prasiolite Rose Cut 8mm Round
Joopy Gems Prasiolite Rose Cut 8mm Round
Joopy Gems Prasiolite Rose Cut 10mm Round
Joopy Gems Prasiolite Rose Cut 8mm Round
Joopy Gems Prasiolite Rose Cut 10mm Round
Joopy Gems Prasiolite Cabochon 4mm Round
Joopy Gems Prasiolite Rose Cut 4mm Round

I have noticed a phenomenon over the years, whereby people tend to buy the same stone the same time. It’s not a trend thing and it can only be by chance, but it is noticeable. Like one week, everyone’s at the London Blue and the following week it’s citrine. This week it is the turn of pale, pretty, unassuming prasiolite. When I started out, this used to be called green amethyst, until the Federal Trade Commission called time on this practice, pointing out quite correctly that amethyst came in one colour: purple and so therefore it was a misleading and inaccurate name. So, hence, prasiolite became the name for this stone. Don’t tell anyone but I do sometimes put ‘green amethyst’ in brackets because I’m sure there are people out there who still have no idea what prasiolite is, and certainly you will see this name used a fair bit in the trade. You also sometimes see it referred to as green quartz. It is a particular thing; amethyst which has been heated, and not just any amethyst either. Only amethyst from certain locations will turn green on heating; from some mines in Brazil and a few other places. You can see this with the settings below, from the gorgeous architectural styles of Janine Decresenzo and Parts of Four to the malchite surround of the Goshwara pendant and the pairing of the Joon Han earrings with the yellowish green tourmaline.

Janine Decresenzo necklace with coral and green amethyst

Goshwara 'Mélange' Prasiolite & Malachite Emerald Cut Pendant in 18K Yellow Gold — Janine Decresenzo necklace with coral and green amethyst

Joon Han Jewelry Prasiolite, Green Tourmaline, South Sea and Tahitian Pearls, and Diamond Drop Earrings in 18K Gold, $11,950

ifutzwithfire Silver & Prasiolite Green Amethyst Ring with Braided Band — Joon Han Jewelry Prasiolite, Green Tourmaline, South Sea and Tahitian Pearls, and Diamond Drop Earrings in 18K Gold, $11,950

It is, as I say, a rather unassuming stone, so it does deserve a bit of love. It has the splendid clarity you’d expect from quartz, and its colour varies from a light yellowish to bluish green. It can be very pale indeed and as it gets smaller, it gets consequently lighter. I don’t think of it as a centrepiece stone but I’ve seen it used in that way quite a lot recently and what’s great about it is that it is a bit of a chameleon stone – it tends to take on the colour of what it surrounding it, or the metal it is set in. Set it in silver, and it will bring out the cool, almost bluish tones; set it in yellow metal and it will appear more gold. Surround it with darker green to emphasize the colour, or purples and blues to make it look more blue. I like it set in oxidised silver; I think the black does a lot to bring out its colour, as in the Yoki Collections pendant and Hagerskan’s The Cone Ring.

Arden Jewels Fantasy Triangular Prasiolite Pendant, $370 — Arden Jewels Fantasy Triangular Prasiolite Pendant

Yoki Collections Green Amethyst and Diamonds 18K Gold Brooch-Pendant — Arden Jewels Fantasy Triangular Prasiolite Pendant

To check out our selection of prasiolite stones, please click here. We have new stocks of 10mm rose cut coming in soon!

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Dopamine Dressing Lite

Pink Tourmaline 3x4mm rose cut pear
Tanzanite 3x4mm Rose Cut Pear
London Blue Topaz 6mm Round Cabochon
Lapis Lazuli 8mm Rose Cut Cabochon
Rose Quartz 6mm Cabochon
Light Pink Tourmaline 3mm Round Cabochon
Citrine Rose Cut 4mm Round Cabochon
Rhodolite Garnet 6mm Rose Cut Cabochon
Tsavorite Garnet 6x4mm Rose Cut Pear

This is the buzzword, well, buzz-phrase really of the season. It refers to the idea that dressing a certain way can make you feel good. Obviously this is going to mean different things to different people, but it has been defined this season as meaning bright, mood-boosting colours. I love the idea of this; and in fact, I am a big fan of colour in my surroundings – I love a yellow sitting room; a red dining room; a blue bedroom. I’m just not sure I can go to bright pinks, oranges and acid greens in my clothing. My pale, English skin won’t take it! The fashion mags are saying, don’t put too many different colours together, which seems like sensible advice; keep it to one or two colours.

To me, it seems a much easier trend to wear in jewellery form, as most coloured stones are bright and saturated and that’s how we like them! Think of a juicy pink tourmaline, or a glowing yellow citrine; a vibrant green peridot or a velvety purple amethyst. Garnets like drops of blood and lapis the colour of a summer sky. And these can look amazing when put together, six or seven colours in the same piece.

Below, from left to right: I love the mismatching riot of colour in Grainne Morton’s Rainbow Multilayer Balance Victorian drop earrings, the joyous technicolour tribute to Bowie in Jennifer Loiselle’s Let’s Dance Earrings, and Nardi’s knuckle duster of coloured stones. Bottom centre is one of my favourite designers; Suzanne Kalan with her rainbow choker. Any of these would be an instant mood-booster!

grainne-morton-rainbow-multilayer-balance-victorian-drop-earrings — Grainne Morton Rainbow Multilayer Balane Victorian Drop Earrings, £1,050

Jennifer Loiselle Let's Dance Earrings — Grainne Morton Rainbow Multilayer Balane Victorian Drop Earrings, £1,050

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Apatite is The Sincerest Form of Flattery

I’m talking about apatite of course, although you might be mistaken for thinking that you were looking at some sublime pieces of paraiba tourmaline. Apatite actually takes its name from the Greek ‘apate’ which means ‘to deceive’, which really is the perfect name for it. It is a shade of gemstone that is just very unusual, very hard to find and which really only has paraiba as a similar colour. Bright, neon aqua, it is a beautiful stone in its own right, although it is a lot cheaper than paraiba. It’s also a lot softer; at 5 on the Mohs scale, its going to scratch fairly easily and even break, so it should really be reserved for either special occasion jewellery or be put in settings where it’s not going to get rough treatment. If you’re going to put it in a ring, it’s probably not for everyday use or for, ahem, doing the washing up in. It’s hard to cut, hard to polish and so it would be easy to dismiss this stone, but one look at it and you’ll be lost, I promise. Treat it nicely and you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking gem. There’s plenty of lower grade material on the market, and this is lovely in its own right; it makes for a very nice dark blue to teal opaque stone. But the transparent material is the most eye-catching and as it grows in small crystals, larger stones are pretty rare.

Interestingly apatite is part of a group of minerals that is abundant in nature. It’s found in the human body as tooth enamel and bone, and in rocks from the moon. It’s also the world’s most common source of phosphorus, and so some forms of apatite are used to make fertilizers and chemicals. When I read that I had to check it, as it seems so extraordinary. I’ve been selling apatite for a long time now and it is a very steady seller. Even though it is unusual, I think the colour is so beguiling that people don’t worry so much that they haven’t heard of it.

Below you can see what I mean. The stunning blue of the Kat Florence ring, the bright popping colours of Nikos Koulis’ apatite, pink tourmaline and agate earrings and Poppy Jewellery’s apatite and tourmaline pendant. I suppose if I had to guess I’d say the bottom stone was the apatite, but I could not say for sure!

Kat Florence Neon Apatite Pear Ring with Diamonds

Nikos Koulis Eden Collection Earrings — Kat Florence Neon Apatite Pear Ring with Diamonds

The oval mixed cut apatite stones in the header image are now available on discount at around £35 per stone; an absolute bargain! To check out all of our apatite, click here

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Sphene, it’s Sphecial.

If you think that sphene makes you sound like you have a speech impediment, you can always go for its alternative name: titanite. Either way there’s a good chance that you have never heard of this incredibly beautiful, unusual and lively stone. Sphene has more fire than a diamond; its dispersion – that is, its ability to separate white light into the colours of the spectrum – is higher than a diamond. This fire is obvious to the naked eye and is even more extreme under incandescent light. It is hard to describe the colour of this stone as it has strong pleochroism and will change colour according to the angle it’s being viewed but think autumn leaves, many-coloured and flashed through with oranges and yellows. Most sought after is a bright, chrome green. It’s hard to find it completely clean; it normally will have needles, mistiness and veils but this in no way detracts from the beauty of this most unusual stone. It’s soft – 5-5.5 Mohs, which means really it’s best for necklaces and earrings, maybe you could get away with an occasional use ring, especially if it’s in a protected setting, but do give it a go, you’ll be amazed.

Sphene was discovered in 1785 but not named until 1801, with the name deriving from the Greek word for ‘wedge’ – which is not the most romantic entymology, and also I’d have thought a name that applies to quite a lot of crystals! Its alternate name, titanate, derives from the presence of titanium in the mineral. It’s always been considered a bit of a collectors gem, due to its scarcity but if you’ve never used it, give it a try. It really is unique.

I currently have sphene rose cuts in 3mm-5mm including half sizes, and you can find it all by clicking here

Devta Doolan Moonstone and S phene Earrings

Joopy Gems Green Tourmaline Rose Cut Cabochon 5mm Round

5 Alternatives to Emerald and Why They Might be Better

Joopy Gems Emerald Rose Cut Cabochon 4mm Round — Emerald Rose Cut Cabochon 4mm Round

Joopy Gems Emerald Cabochon 4mm Round — Emerald Rose Cut Cabochon 4mm Round

Yes, it’s May and the birthstone for this month is emerald and it’s time for me to do my customary post about emerald alternatives. Not that I have anything against emerald per se, I don’t want the Emerald Appreciation Society on my back, but I just think that there are many alternatives to emerald that are both cost-effective and just as beautiful, and less likely to break on setting, or in general use. I’m always surprised by emerald engagement rings, for example, as emerald is a brittle and often included stone, prone to breakage. Not a great ring stone. Why is it often so brittle and included? The jury is out; it could be that that is just how it grows; it could be an artefact of how it is mined, which is often using explosives. Because it is such an included stone, some 95% of emerald is routinely fracture-filled, either with oil or resin. It’s completely accepted by the trade, and it should be disclosed to the customer on purchase so if you are buying emerald, make sure you are clear about this.

Here’s a few alternatives, ranked according to my personal opinion! I’m not talking about imitations and synthetics here; simply what might you use if you want a green stone and want to get a bit more bang for your bucks.

5. Peridot.

Joopy Gems Peridot Rose Cut Cabochon 6mm Round — Peridot Rose Cut Cabochon 6mm Round

It’s a bit too yellow to be a particularly convincing substitute, and it can have a bit of an oily lustre but it is the most affordable untreated green gem, and it has in the past been mistaken for emerald. It is speculated that Cleopatra’s famous emerald collection was in fact peridot. It isn’t particularly difficult to find clean quality up to around 6mm; after that it gets a bit harder to find clean quality and whilst its characteristic lily-pad inclusions are rather beautiful, you also often get small, black mineral inclusions which are less appealing. I have clean quality up to 6mm but my 8mm stones are sprinkled with these tiny black inclusions. It is possible to get clean quality at this size, but expect to pay around 5 times the price. Peridot looks particularly beautiful with gold, which draws out the warm, gold tones. It isn’t, however, a great ring stone as it is rather soft – 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale – and it doesn’t take much for facet edges to become abraded. It’s iron that causes its attractive yellowish-green tones and most of it comes from China and Arizona in the USA. You have to be a bit careful with it – plunging in cold water after soldering can crack it and ultrasonic cleaning can wreck it. Below you can see how the warm gold of the setting picks up and complements the warmth of the stones.

William White Peridot Drop Earrings in 18k Gold

4. Chrysoprase

Joopy Gems Rose Cut Chrysoprase 4mm Round — Rose Cut Chrysoprase 4mm Round

Joopy Gems Rose Cut Chrysoprase 5mm Round — Rose Cut Chrysoprase 4mm Round

This will substitute for translucent emerald – the kind you often see in polki cuts and beads. The kind of emerald that is used for this is often very included and often has those blackish inclusions. The colour and lustre can be poor, so lovely chrysoprase can be a good option if you want a brighter colour and cleaner look. Chrysoprase means ‘golden apple’ in Greek, and indeed, its best colour is a zingy apple green with just a touch of yellow. This stone is coloured by nickel and makes fantastic earrings. Again, it is really complemented by yellow metal settings but it is also quite soft – 6-7 on the Mohs scale, so is best suited to earrings or pendants that don’t get a lot of rough treatment. These two earrings below are a perfect example of the kind of clean, opaque material with that lovely emerald-like blue-green shade.

3. Chrome Diopside

Joopy Gems Chrome Diopside 4mm Rose Cut Round — Chrome Diopside 4mm Rose Cut Round

This is an excellent choice as it is a stone that is not routinely treated and tends to display much better clarity than emerald. A fantastic, saturated green with great sparkle, it is coloured by the same elements as emerald; chromium or vanadium. In some cases this may be too good, as it tends to look dark in larger sizes; it needs careful cutting to maintain a good, open colour. The flip side of this means that it retains good saturation even in small sizes. It is pretty soft – 5.5-6 on the Mohs scale and so is not really tough enough to make a good ring stone. This also means that facet edges will abrade over time. Below you can really see the density of colour even in the tiny studs on Isueszabo’s stud earrings.

Zoe Morgan Chrome Diopside and 18k Gold Pendant

Michelle Pajak Williams Leskea Dangle Earrings — Zoe Morgan Chrome Diopside and 18k Gold Pendant

2. Tourmaline

Joopy Gems Mid Green Tourmaline Cabochon 5mm Round — Green Tourmaline Rose Cut Cabochon 5mm Round

Tourmaline comes in a dazzling array of colours, which makes it an excellent option. Although some green tourmaline shades quite yellow, the brighter grass greens are lively enough to make an excellent alternative. High quality chrome tourmaline certainly can rival emerald and tsavorite. Highly regarded as a stone in its own right, it is coloured by the elements iron and possibly titanium, and the brightest green stones contain traces of chromium and vanadium, like emerald. Measuring 7-7.5 on the Mohs scale, it’s the hardest so far of our potential substitutes and can be used with care in rings. Bot of the earrings below demonstrate the colour shade range that tourmaline can display and I love the arrangement of the different colours.

Verdura Candy Ring in Green Tourmaline and Tanzanite

Rona Fisher Green Tourmaline Cluster Stud Earrings — Verdura Candy Ring in Green Tourmaline and Tanzanite

1. Tsavorite Garnet

Joopy Gems Tsavorite Garnet Rose Cut Cabochon 3x5mm Pear — Tsavorite Garnet Rose Cut Cabochon 3x5mm Pear

Joopy Gems Tsavorite Garnet Rose Cut Cabochon 6x4mm Egg — Tsavorite Garnet Rose Cut Cabochon 3x5mm Pear

In my view, the best option. Like tourmaline, garnet comes in an array of colours, although it’s possible that this is not quite so well known. For many, garnet refers to the dark and dusty jewellery belonging to your grandmother. The green versions of garnet are tsavorite and demantoid, and the most appropriate of these as an emerald alternative is tsavorite. It’s not the cheapest, but it’s vibrant green, it’s not hard to find in clean quality and as it is garnet, it also has great brilliance and fire. Yes, fire. Garnet is often so dark that you can’t see this, but with tsavorite you often can. Its colour is caused by the element vanadium, like emerald, and indeed the colour can often rival that of emerald. It’s one of my favourite stones and at 7-7.5 on the Mohs scale it can make a ring stone. You can see how beautiful it is both in the larger rings stone below left and in smaller stones on the right.

Diana Porter 18ct Fairtrade Yellow Gold Ring With a Large Oval Tsavorite Garnet

Estevana Jewelry Tsavorite and 14k Gold Coralli Ring — Diana Porter 18ct Fairtrade Yellow Gold Ring With a Large Oval Tsavorite Garnet

Click individual titles for links, or to view all my green stones, click here

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Everything Teal is Awesome!

Australian Sapphire Polki
Australian Sapphire Rose Cut Round 6.5mm
Australian Sapphire Polki
Australian Sapphire Rose Cut Round 4.5mm
Australian Sapphire Rose Cut Round 6.5mm
Australian Sapphire Polki
Australian Sapphire Rose Cut Round 6.5mm
Australian Sapphire Rose Cut Round 5.5mm
Australian Sapphire Polki
Australian Sapphire Polki
Australian Sapphire Polki
Australian Sapphire Polki
Australian Sapphire Rose Cut Round 4.5mm
Australian Sapphire Rose Cut Round 6mm

Australian sapphire is popular. Otherwise known as teal sapphire, I know this partly because when I took delivery of stocks of it in calibrated rose cuts and polkis, it pretty much sold out immediately. It’s not hard to understand why – I generally struggle to keep stocks of anything in the teal colour family as it is found in so few stones – tourmaline is the other main stone which displays this colour, and even Santa Maria Aquamarine a bit, and they are all very popular. The Australian sapphire has something extra, however, as it is very often parti-coloured, displaying blues, greens and yellows in the same stone, making it appear pleochroic, shimmering and completely unique. It isn’t pleochroic as such – which is seeing different colours from different angles according to the light properties of the stone, it is actual colour-zoning within the stone. You can see this below in Lindsay Lewis’ Sway Ring Set – the blues and greens across the stone – I also love the orientation of this stone – so unusual.

It’s a fairly recently popular stone, too. When it is dug out of the ground, it can appear dull and rather dark. It is often filled with so much silk that it can appear oily. It requires heat treatment and sometimes bleaching to bring out its beauty, and traditionally it is treated in Thailand, where conrundum treatments have long been a speciality. You can get it in blue shades, but more common is the green-blue, and more rarely it comes in yellows, or greenish yellows. I’m seeing it more and more in jewellery as the market is becoming more used to it, and it makes an economical and unique alternative to bright blue sapphire.

Below right, you can see the silk in the Eden Philippa ring, giving it a lovely velvety appearance, and on the left is Melanie Katsalidis’ Elevate ring, the clean setting showcasing beautifully the the colour variation of this beautiful stone.

Melanie Katsalidis Freeform Australian Parti-Sapphire Elevate Ring, $9200 AUD

Eden Philippa Australian Sapphire ring — Melanie Katsalidis Freeform Australian Parti-Sapphire Elevate Ring, $9200 AUD

I have sold out of most of my calibrated stones, although I do have some 5mm rose cuts – including a lovely yellow and green one – plus some rose cut freefoms (polki). To shop all of my Australian sapphire, click here

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Aquamarine, Tourmaline, Emerald

My June newsletter is out and I have a whole bunch of beautiful new stones. The ever-popular Santa Maria aquamarine I now have in an array of sizes and half sizes from 3mm to 8mm, rose cut green tourmaline and emerald, plus there’s free standard shipping for the whole month of June. My newsletter is always the first place to find new stock announcements, offers and sales and sometimes these are newsletter exclusives. You can read this months by clicking here and you can sign up at my website.

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Joopy Gems | The Blog

Dream. Create. Inspire.

Author: Julia Aufenast

Tourmaline is a Many-Coloured Thing

It’s my Birthday, It’s Time for an Offer!

I Like My Stones Like I Like my Men: Sober and Rich

Gem of the Week is White-Not-Quite (and definitely not green amethyst which isn’t a thing)

Dopamine Dressing Lite

Apatite is The Sincerest Form of Flattery

Sphene, it’s Sphecial.

5 Alternatives to Emerald and Why They Might be Better

Everything Teal is Awesome!