Favourite gemstone or mineral and why

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Having a couple discussions with some people in the lapidary world really got me thinking. It really is interesting that people have differing favourites of minerals and gems. I found it interesting why people choose their favourite mineral.

I must admit whilst I lust for finding gold since a recent trip to Graben Gullen I have an ever increasing fondness for sapphires. I like the blue sapphires most of all. I think an article about the ring the prince William gave Kate Middleton really got me set on finding one for the future engagement ring. :) I guess if its good enough for a princess it has to be good enough for the Missus.

I am interested why everyone else has chosen their favourite mineral.
 
Got to say GOLD first but as for stones I love Ceylon sapphires, or any sapphire for that matter. They are very diverse in colour and have great appeal. Cheers, Rick
 
Personally I have a fondness for all minerals. Black Opal will always be my number one simply due to being in the industry all my life. Very hard to beat a good gem quality Black Opal. Gold would definitely be a close second followed by tourmaline and the exceptionally large Crocoite specimens from Tasmania.

I remember seeing some of the worlds best pieces of those in Warren Somerville's collection in the eighties and early nineties when he was still based at Orange -before it was put on display at Bathurst in more recent times. He had stunning large golden Tourmaline crystal specimens that blew my mind, amongst many, many others. They seemed to almost glow in the dark! I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Next time I'm in the Bathurst area I'll have to drop by the collection again if it's still on display.
Cheers,
Shauno.
 
Beat me to it Shauno, most of my favorite minerals are from Tassie. Crocoite and Stichtite are both very cool. Favorite metal would be Osmiridium, slightly ahead of gold.

DD
 
Geez DD , you had me googling all of those , that Crocoite has an amazing structure . I like Sapphires . but would love to have some Red Beryl
 
Haha me to headbutt glad I did. The stichtite is amazing looking stuff.
 
I got some good spots for getting all those, let me know if your ever down that way and I will show you where to get it. I have given most of mine away, will have to get some more when I'm down there at Xmas.

DD
 
Zircon's would have to be up there highly under rated gemstone and from what I've read up to 4.4 billion years old :eek:

C&L
 
For favourite gemstone would have to say two: sapphires and agates. For minerals it would be cassiterite (tin) crystals
1374022679_ac3634.jpg
Love the fine detail and colours you can get in agates. :)
 
jimnyjerry said:
For favourite gemstone would have to say two: sapphires and agates. For minerals it would be cassiterite (tin) crystalshttps://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/101/1374022679_ac3634.jpgLove the fine detail and colours you can get in agates. :)

Wow! What a stunning piece of Agate that is! Always had a soft spot for Agates myself. I guess it was one of the first rocks I had ever seriously looked for (other than opal) as a kid. We have a lot of white Quartz gravel quarries around the area and most have small Agates, Chalcedony, Onyx and the odd Topaz here and there.

I could easily add Rhodochrosite and Natrolite to my favorite minerals also. I have a chunk of Natrolite here that my father and uncle found at Peat's Ridge NSW back in 67. The crystals are as fine as needles and are still intact today as luckily it was put inside a protective glass case. My Uncle hit a huge boulder that they were sitting on (after an unsuccessful day of looking) and it happened to have a nice geode of Natrolite crystals inside.

Kindest regards,
Shauno.
 
The Ridge also has petrified wood as for the topaz a mate picked up a yellow chunk in the main street years ago :)
 
Jeez Shauno , you have me googling again & another stunning mineral that Rhodochrosite is , love the patterns & colours, from light pink to red
 
Favourite would have to be a nice crystal of molybdenum, dont have one in my collection as yet but do know where theres an old open cut moly mine that might be worth a look :D
 
I agree with Colin about the Zircon, :)
Topaz is great as well.
but the one that drives me nut is Welo honey Opal :D :D .
Can't stop looking at it 8)
 
Jerry that's one very nice Agate you've got there,, :D :D
I can almost see the map of The great Australia in there. if you look closer 8) 8)
 
I spent some time as a kid helping an old family friend gather gemstones... I remember the excitement and anticipation of what we might find when cut them with his diamond saw... I was pretty young then and can not remember where he took me to find them! It was not far from maitland nsw is all I remember... 8.( He called the agates thunder eggs... I remember a lot of petrified wood ect as well.... :)
 
I have only recently taken notice of minerals and gems.A couple of months ago I was browsing through a science shop and noticed a beautiful Amethyst, I liked its crystal structure and color. This rock was to be the first of my collection, so I guess this is my favourite at the moment. I also like agates and have a couple of them that I collected from Queensland years ago. Opals are special as well, geez I could keep going down the list lol....As I am new to this hobby I dont have a large collection but hope to add to it in the future.
 
Gold689 said:
I agree with Colin about the Zircon, :)
Topaz is great as well.
but the one that drives me nut is Welo honey Opal :D :D .
Can't stop looking at it 8)

Never heard of that till now & I see what you mean , stunning !!
 
Something has come to my old memory... Your agate has a black outer casing... The ones I saw were a whitish colour on the outside,, He called the outside potch???? Sorry old timers disease has me not so sure anymore... Yours is very nice but differant inside and outside to the ones I saw as a little snapper.. And another old thing has come back.... The old guy called some others tiger eyes?? :/
 
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