Checking My Stones

I'm a tad embarrassed to say this, but over the years I've built up a collection of hundreds of sapphires and zircons of various sizes. They range from near microscopic to about 20crts in size. I have never been too fussed about getting any of them cut as I was more into getting out and finding them, then worrying about if they were any good.
For a while now I have enjoyed seeing the results you fellas are getting with your faceting machines and I thought to have a look at my stones.
Errrrrrr, I can't see inside any of them to look for fractures/faults/etc.
My question is this - could I throw them into a tumbler with some fine diamond powder, rattle them around for a few weeks and get a clearer look inside them?
If this sounds silly, please forgive an old man for his foolishness. :8

Why can't you see inside of them? Colour or rough surface.

Try this. https://facetingacademy.com/learn-faceting/learn-faceting-free/rough-class/
Quite a good read

If it's the surface of the stone try putting oil on it. You can buy liquids that are close to the refractive index (RI) of the stone being tested where you submerge the stone in an immersion cell (small jar) and the stone becomes invisible but the flaws stand out. This is because of the difference of RI in the flaws and the stone.

Some chemists and new-age shops stock this. Try a drop of this on your finger and rub on the stone - hey presto, you will be automatically transported to a higher plane of existence.

You will also be able to see through the stone.

Wally69 said:

https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...3727_9b251e7c-6188-41ac-b8dc-299a61ddfd02.jpg

Some chemists and new-age shops stock this. Try a drop of this on your finger and rub on the stone - hey presto, you will be automatically transported to a higher plane of existence.

You will also be able to see through the stone.

Click to expand...

That's a Goldie :Y: :Y: :Y: erfect:

Hi chiron

Shine a very bright light through them. Should give a very quick idea of if they are cloudy or not. Easiest one to use is the little torch light on most smart phones.

Aniseed oil is excellent :Y:

It also smells better than other things that also work

There is a product called "Refractol" designed for that very purpose but you need to order it from lapidary suppliers. It will probably be faster and easier for you to go to one of the shops Wally mentioned and buy a little bottle of aniseed :Y:

Btw - aniseed oil will damage some plastics! :argh: I have a little dent in the top of the plastic housing of the speed control box of my machine, caused by a cotton wool bud dipped in aniseed oil being accidentally left there overnight. It might possibly weaken epoxy as well.

Just realised that no one has answered your question

YES - you could tumble your stones but diamond powder is pricey

Not sure how long sapphire on sapphire would take, might be feasible??? or if the sapphires would wear away the zircons quickly.

Yeah, kinda diverged a bit

I think Wally is correct in that by the time the surface of the sapphires was smooth and transparent, the zircons might be just slurry if they were put in together - big difference in hardness.

I've never done any tumbling, I think silicon carbide is a standard abrasive for it. Much cheaper than diamond but I'm not sure how long it would take with sapphires since it's only slightly harder than them.

I think aniseed oil and strong backlighting are probably the way to go.

Why is it so ? Why just Aniseed ?

Wally69 said:

https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...3727_9b251e7c-6188-41ac-b8dc-299a61ddfd02.jpg

Try a drop of this on your finger and rub on the stone - hey presto, you will be automatically transported to a higher plane of existence.

You will also be able to see through the stone.

Click to expand...

oh oh oh oh, I want to go to a higher plane of existence, the sapphires might be easier to dig there. :inlove:

Seriously though, thanks everyone for your input. I sort of remember reading a posting somewhere about oil. I will give it a try. :Y:
Thanks again everyone.
Dave.

Wishfull said:

Why is it so ? Why just Aniseed ?

Click to expand...

You could even use water to some effect maybe but the refractive index of aniseed oil causes the weathered, frosted surface of a stone that is difficult to see into because of that fact seem to "dissappear" and you can easily see right through the stone and any inclusions will stand out. You can use other colourless light oils but aniseed seems to be one of the best I've tried.

Though I can't say that I've ever transcended this world to a higher plane of existence just from sniffing aniseed oil - I must have been doing it wrong :lol:

Wishfull said:

Why is it so ? Why just Aniseed ?

Click to expand...

- it isn't just aniseed - clove and wintergreen oils are very good as well and for that matter even Vick's Vapor Rub is handy.

Why is it so? - as Mr Magoo said, they are "liquids that are close to the refractive index (RI) of the stone being tested ".

For very good diamond powder at very good prices - https://www.landfdiamond.com.au/ in outer Melbourne.

Was with John Broadfoot last weekend and he showed us an invaluable tool to see inside stones, a fibre optic probe that attaches to a small LED torch then place the end of the probe against the side of the stone, what it highlights is incredible.



Available from fleabay: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fiberop...rentrq:bc8687961650ab455362cbe3ffff53df|iid:1

It's easy to move around and you can use a lupe.

Hi all, this is great info. Would love to see before and after shots of your results "Chiron".

At least now I have an excuse to have Aniseed oil in my 4x4.... Fisheries don't like it, but My reason, 'It's for my 'Rocks' sir'.... Lol...

LW....

Squint said:

Hi all, this is great info. Would love to see before and after shots of your results "Chiron".

Click to expand...

Hi Squint,
This is some of my finds from last October (2 days worth).



When I get 'em all oiled up and lit up I'll post another pic (or maybe 3).
Cheers.

PS. Quite a few yellow sapphires among them too.