Gemstone City Trade Co.

• ColorNatural Pink

Topaz is one of the more common gemstones on the planet. However his should not stop them being treated as a beautiful option in the coloured world. Pure Topaz is white. It is mineral impurities that cause changes within its colour, and funnily enough it is these impurities that lead to increased price. Natural Pink and Imperial Topaz are generally the varieties that command the highest prices. Both of these come primarily from the most famous Topaz mine in the world; Ouro Preto, Brazil. The brilliant blue shades of topaz which they are mostly known for are usually achieved by artificial means. Topaz is exposed to radiation (a process known as irradiation) and then usually heated, to produce striking blue colours. A deep blue enhanced topaz is known as “London blue”; medium blue is called “Swiss blue” and light-blue is termed “sky blue”. Natural Blues do indeed exist but are generally a fainter greyish shade of blue. These weaker colours still command a higher price because of the fact it has not been artificially enhanced. Being a common gemstone, it is found all over the world. Some of the larger deposits are in Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria , Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and the United States. Although topaz is a fairly hard gemstone it has perfect cleavage and is therefore susceptible to being damaged if struck upon a hard surface. Hardness (Mohs):8 Cleavage: Perfect

• Colorpink

The composition of rhodolite garnet is a mixture of pyrope and almandine garnet. Perhaps the most underrated and undervalued gemstone in the coloured world. Rhodolites produce intense shades of reds, pinks and purples which are generally very expensive colours to purchase. But due to its connotations with cheap red garnet and its relative broad availability it is still rather inexpensive. Recently they have found an intense purple deposit in Mozambique that looks similar to the finest royal purple Amethyst. This has been one of the few discoveries of new product in recent years.

PAIRS We stock a range of matching pairs in the majority of gemstone varieties. From small to large these are best suited for earrings, shoulder stones or the savvy jewellery designer whose imagination exceeds basic design concepts. SETS AND SUITES Anything where three or more gemstones have been cut with the intention of selling together. This can be the exact same material so there is no colour variation or colours meant to compliment each other regardless of type.

• sizes1mm, 1.25mm, 1.5mm, 1.75mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 3.5mm, 4mm

Our smaller calibrated sizes come in 1mm, 1.25mm, 1.5mm, 1.75mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 3.5mm, 4mm, etc. We have these in varying coloured gemstones including Tsavorite, Spinel, Amethyst, Sapphire, Rhodolite Garnet, Demantoid, Topaz, and many more. Most of our material is diamond cut, but we do have flower and step in some older material. There is no minimum order.

• Colorblue, red, yellow, orange, green, brown

Zircon’s rise to gemstone stardom has been subdued due to the fact it shares its name with cubic zirconia, a diamond simulant. For this reason “Zircon” has negative connotations of fake or imitation but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Zircon is very real, completely natural and extremely beautiful. It is an interesting note that before diamond simulants could be created in the lab, white zircon was traded as the cheaper alternate to diamond. This was probably due to the fact that it has a high birefringence that provides a ‘fire’ equal to diamond. It is also the oldest mineral on this planet, with a specimen found on a sheep ranch in Western Australia that is 4.4 billion years old! It comes in a verity of colours including blue, red, yellow, orange, green, brown and a range of combinations in between. But it is the Blue zircon, a variety of heated stone out of Cambodia or Burma that is the crown jewel of the zircon family. Gem dealer reports indicate that at least 80 percent of zircons sold are blue. This is primarily because of its electric colour which is both intense and beautiful. MOHS Hardness Scale: 6.5-7.5 Refractive Index: 1.810-2.024 Cleavage: Indistinct

• Colorpink

Spinel is a curious case in the gemstone world. They are equal in beauty and rarer yet somehow cheaper than their more celebrated corundum counterparts they are so often confused with (Ruby & Sapphire). Two spinels within the British Crown Jewels have been considered rubies for centuries (The Black Prince’s Ruby and The Timur Ruby). It seems only recently they are getting the recognition they so richly deserve. Spinel is becoming a bit of a buzz word as public knowledge of this exceptional gem grows. The interest within Australia has still not caught up with the international interest, but it holds a special place in the hearts of more educated buyers. Spinels come in a vast array of colours. The most desired colours are the intense, brighter shades of the colour spectrum. However pastel colours are more affordable and have a soft, serene beauty about them. Origin: Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam and Australia. MOHS Hardness Scale: 8 Cleavage: Indistinct