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Show Us Your Semi-Precious Crystals


Frank Menser

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We all know about Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires and Emeralds; but what about the next level down. Those stones whose crystals are still valued for jewelry but not quite as precious. Here's some to get it going...

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This is a Giant. A 5 inch plus monster Topaz from Brazil.

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Brazilianite, a nice yellow gem from (guess where?)

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A two for one--Rare Pariba Tourmaline with Morganite (pink).

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Not gemmy, but a giant. 3 inch Spinel from Vietnam.

Be true to the reality you create.

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Well, nobody's done anything, so I'll start it...

3 of my better ones, I have lots more but I won't bother to dig them out cause I've got more fossils to find soon.

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Jasper. I have tons of it, but this is the best one that's polished.

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Polished amethyst, a whitish-purple shade.

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And finally my malachite.

For a more impressive amethyst and some lapis lazuli, they're under the respective "Show me your..." posts.

I was gunna take a picture of my bismuth but it's so shiny that it made things fuzzy.

Edited by Crimsonraptor

What a wonderful menagerie! Who would believe that such as register lay buried in the strata? To open the leaves, to unroll the papyrus, has been an intensely interesting though difficult work, having all the excitement and marvelous development of a romance. And yet the volume is only partly read. Many a new page I fancy will yet be opened. -- Edward Hitchcock, 1858

Formerly known on the forum as Crimsonraptor

@Diplotomodon on Twitter

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LOVE that brazilianite...I've wanted one of those for a while. Very, very nice.

Here are a few of mine. Some are gems, some probably could be :P

First, it's nowhere near the size of yours. But here is a one-inch-in-all-directions topaz from Pakistan. Nice color zoning near the termination, too.

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A nice 5"+ pink tourmaline from Australia.

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Apatite, from Mexico. The largest individual crystal is about 1".

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These last two aren't normally cut, but here are a couple others.

Apophyllite, 4" crystal from India.

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Selenite, from Winnipeg, Manitoba.

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Here's the largest Stonestone that I've found, about 2 cm by 1.5 cm. Because of the common color and fractures its an simi-precious simi-precious stone :P

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Superb pieces Frank, Bob, Darwin, Crimson.:wub:

My poor one is a 33 cm selenite crystals piece with a small plant on it...:D

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Astrinos P. Damianakis

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Some great stuff!

Love that Topaz--a color not in my collection yet. :wub:

Here's a couple more colors of Topaz ...

post-1313-0-19881900-1303233575_thumb.jpg 2 inch 'Imperial' Brazil

post-1313-0-51874000-1303233593_thumb.jpg Three inch Brazil

A Tabular Pink Apatite.

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A three inch Scheelite.

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Edited by Frank Menser

Be true to the reality you create.

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That's a big scheelite! Very nice! I've got a big green kunzite that I'll try to get a picture of tomorrow night. After that, I'm out as far as things that can be considered semi-precious gems :P

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Okay, so this one is usually only faceted as a novelty, but I like this thread and want to keep it alive!

8" Pink Scolecite with some stilbites scattered around, India

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Okay, so this one is usually only faceted as a novelty, but I like this thread and want to keep it alive!

8" Pink Scolecite with some stilbites scattered around, India

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:wub:

What a wonderful menagerie! Who would believe that such as register lay buried in the strata? To open the leaves, to unroll the papyrus, has been an intensely interesting though difficult work, having all the excitement and marvelous development of a romance. And yet the volume is only partly read. Many a new page I fancy will yet be opened. -- Edward Hitchcock, 1858

Formerly known on the forum as Crimsonraptor

@Diplotomodon on Twitter

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Okay, so this one is usually only faceted as a novelty, but I like this thread and want to keep it alive!

8" Pink Scolecite with some stilbites scattered around, India

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Very impressive, Darwin :wub:

Thanks for sharing ;)

Astrinos P. Damianakis

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Here are two selenite and a calcite pieces.

Maybe they are under semi-precious but I am sure many members have enough to show.

Come on guys... Don't hide your treasures...:)

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Astrinos P. Damianakis

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A couple rare examples of common minerals used in jewelry;

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Rose quartz rare in this form--showing actual crystal faces. Brazil

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Zincite (while not a rare mineral) is frequently artificially produced in several colors making this 1" gemmy natural crystal a very unusual find.

Be true to the reality you create.

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Woah! Where is that zincite from? The two largest locations I know of are Poland and right here in New Jersey. Most of what is here occurs as larger masses, while Poland's crystals are an accidental by-product of a manufacturing mishap. While New Jersey CAN produce crystals (saw some nice ones at the latest mineral show) I've never seen one quite like this!

Here are a couple more minerals to keep it going. The barite isn't really a gemstone, but hey, it's all in the name of looking at pretty crystals, right!?

Hyalite (form of opal) in rhyolite, Transylvania.

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Blue barite, also from Transylvania.

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Chalcedony...while more massive forms are used for cabbing, this is a nice plate of stalactitic chalcedony from India.

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And talking of 'Baryte' and 'stalactitic', here's a stalactitic Baryte, with label. Unfortunately it snapped and has been glued.

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Edited by Bill

KOF, Bill.

Welcome to the forum, all new members

www.ukfossils check it out.

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  • 7 months later...

I am on my laptop right now, here is Garnet in mica shist...

I"ll post some more once I get to my desktop, I have some cool ones too share.

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Troy Nelson

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Here is a nice cross section of my gemstone natural/crystal collection. This will take a few posts, sorry if you find this too long.

1, Smokey Quarts - Phatom - Brazil

2, Green Tourmaline - Brazil

3, Lapis Lazuli - ????

4, Corundum - Star Sapphire - the biggest I have seen in crystal form @ 365.75ct - opaque

5, ???? - I will have to find the info...it's around here somewhere?!?!

6, Fire Agate - New Mexico

7, ???? - I will find it....

8, Corundum - Sapphire - North Carolina

9, Beryl - Aqua Marine - Brazil

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Troy Nelson

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10, Amethyst stagtite slice - Brazil

11, Topaz - river pebbles - ???

11.5, Ruby chunck - Burma (sorry I missed this one the first time)

12, Ruby Zoisite slice

13, Emerald crystal - Brazil

14, Fire Opal rough

15, Watermellon Tourmaline - Brazil

16, Titianite - Sphene - ???

17, Prope Garnet - Africa

18, Almondine Carnet - Africa

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Edited by dudeman

Troy Nelson

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