11.04.08 -April News

The Crown Jewels

Last month I finally got round to visiting the Tower of London so I could see the Crown Jewels, which has been on my "to do" list for quite some time. Apart from having to dodge round loads of tourists, as I went on a bank holiday the spectacle of the jewels did not disappoint.

Kings and Queens of England have stored crowns, robes and other items of their ceremonial attire at the Tower of London for over 600 years, and since the 17th century this collection has been known as the Crown Jewels. The main centre attraction is the coronation regalia which comprises of a group of precious and highly symbolic objects used since 1661 to crown sovereigns of England. These objects form a working collection that is still in use today. Apart from the crowns, swords, orbs etc. there is also a magnificent display of royal church and banqueting plate, the majority of which are made of gold, and some pre-date the great destruction of the English regalia in the mid-17th century.

Amongst the amazing array of jewels in these items are some of the world's most exceptional and historic precious gems, including the Cullinan I and II, the largest top quaility cut diamonds in the world and the Koh-i-Noor.

The Cullinan I diamond.

The Cullinan diamond was the largest diamond ever discovered in the Premier mine in South Africa in 1905 and weighed a staggering 3,025.75 carats. It was presented to Edward VII by the government of the Transvaal as a birthday present! It was taken to Amsterdam to be cut where it yielded 2 principal stones (the Cullinan 1 and Cullinan II ) and another 7 major stones (Cullinan III - IX), 96 splinters and 9 carats of rough ends. Edward VII bought Cullinan VI from the cutting firm Asscher as a present for Queen Alexandra, while the remaining stones were purchased by the Transvaal government and given to Queen Mary in 1911. The Cullinan I weighs 530.2 carats and the Cullinan II 317.4 carats and both were set in the Sovereign's sceptre with cross and the Imperial State Crown respectively, while the remaining stones form part of The Queen's personal jewellery collection.

The Imperial State Crown is worn by the newly anointed King or Queen after the coronation, and is also used by the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament, as well as other state occasions. It was made in the Jewel House in 1937 but contains many of the stones which adorned it's precursors in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. It contains the Cullinan II diamond, a great red spinel known as the Black Prince's Ruby, the Stuart sapphire, St Edwrad's sapphire, 4 drop shaped pearls known as Queen Elizabeth's Earrings, in all so I have heard 2,783 diamonds, 17 sapphires , 277 pearls, 11, emeralds and 5 rubies.

The Koh-i-Noor diamond.

The origins of this diamond are somewhat obscure, although it's name means "mountain of light". In the early 19th century it came into the possession of Ranjit Singh, Maharajah of the Punjab. Following the annexation of the Punjab in 1849, the Treaty of Lahore was signed which included the stipulation that the diamond be surrended to the Queen of England. Originally it was simply cut and weighed just over 186 carats being part of an Indian armlet. The stone was later re-cut and now weighs 105.6 carats. It was first worn as a brooch by Queen Victoria and upon her death in 1901 became part of the Crown Jewels, set into the Crown of Queen Alexandra along with 3,688 other diamonds. It is today set in the front of the Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

The sceptre was made in 1661 out of gold and is three feet in length. It contains an enormous amethyst and a superb emerald and n 1910 the largest cut diamond, the Cullinan I was added.

The Sovereigns Orb which is an ancient imperial emblem made in 1661 is hollow gold and set with pearls, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, some 365 diamonds and one amethyst.

These are just some of the amazing Crowns and regalia to be seen at the Tower of London which truly took your breath away. A recommended visit.

06.03.08 -March News

Tucson 2008

This year we were subject to a variety of weather conditions in the first few days of February. It was nice to see snow on the mountains and new friends of mine took me up to Mt. Lemmon where people were actually skiing, even though temperatures were around 76 degrees down in Tucson.

There were several new finds this year which luckily I managed not only to see but to buy some examples of as well. Some of those specimens can be seen in my worldwide gallery, but these ones were some of the best that I saw.

These were the Spessartite garnets from Tanzania. The large one on the right which was the largest I saw at around 6-8cm had a price tag of £6000!! Below is an ajoite in quartz cluster.

The Westward Look show was a small exclusive show for the most expensive specimens to be found probably. But there were some beauties which took my eye. For instance...

This new find of pink calcites from China.

This stunning pink fluoruite.

And this amazing pink tourmaline. Oh all pink varieties!

I stayed a little longer this year and thankfully decided to visit the TGMS main show. I was so glad I did as the theme was minerals of the USA and several museums, collectors and dealers had supplied probably the best specimens that the USA have ever unearthed. The cases were superb and breathtaking. Unfortunately as I was flying home later that day I didn't have that much time to take photos, but managed the few below.

This was the star of the show, 3 blue capped tourmalines on matrix from Pala, California. There was also a case of smaller crystals.

These varieties of benitoite formations were quite amazing.

Amazing red beryls from the Wah Wah mountains.

Incredible gold specimens from California. You can get an idea of the size of the largest specimen by comparing it to the lady standing beside the case.

Whoever thought emeralds and hiddenites like these were found in the USA?

And the exhibit would not be complete without a case of rhodochrosites from the Sweet Home mine.

Ohio celestites were truly magnificent .

And amazonites from Pikes Peak, Colorado.

And of course calcites and fluorites from Elmwood. Oh if only I were a multi-millionaire.......

More detailed descriptions along with videos and other photos can be seen on other websites if you're interested, but also for me the beauty continued in Arizona itself. A wonderful place to be.

Hummingbirds were frequent guests where I was staying. And I just had to take some photos of this sunset. Glorious. A great trip.

09.12.07 -December News

The Vault London

Whilst spending a couple of days up in London I went to visit the new exhibition at the Natural History Museum called "The Vault". I love the Natural History building as it has ornate stone carvings, rich coloured stone and a wealth of interior and exterior design.

The new exhibit, although not very large I thought was well worth a visit as it was expertly displayed and lit, with plenty of information and included some stunning specimens. These were some of my favourites:

This was a board of 296 naturally coloured cut diamonds that has taken the owners 25 years to put together. They show the full range of colours in which diamonds can be formed and show their colours under UV light as well.

These were 2 stunning British specimens. A cogwheel bournonite from Herodsfoot mine Cornwall, and a siderite psuedomorphous after fluorite from the Virtuous lady mine, Devon. Crystals of brown siderite were deposited around a fluorite cube. The fluorite dissoved away and quartz and chalcopyrite crystals grew in the cavity left.

Possibly the largest and richest Hopes Nose gold from Devon that I have seen.

Some bright and lovely opals and a very large diamond in matrix.

A wonderful beryl from Paprock, Afghanistan which has an aquamarine interior surrounded by pink morganite.

I also found that part of the existing mineral exhibits had been upgraded since I last visited and were much better displayed, with more information, better labelling and with some amazing British specimens which is well worth a visit. Unfortunately the interactive information videos in the Vault kept crashing but I did see enough to recognise a couple of people I know who had been videoed. Congratulations to those responsible for putting the exhibit together. It maybe the only opportunity that some public get to seeing really good quality minerals.

03.12.07 -December News

The Paris Mineral Fair

I paid a flying visit to The Paris Mineral fair last week which was the first time I had attended this fair. My impression was that it is mainly a retail fair with obviously the majority of dealers being French, although there were one or two foreign dealers. It took place in the conference hall of The Marriott hotel in the South of Paris, which was a very plush venue but extremely hot inside the show, due, not in some small way because of all the halogen lights. I was hard pressed to spend my money but did find some very beautiful manganocalcites from the N'Chwaning mine in Africa which had only recently been mined. Below are some photos of some of the larger specimens, but I also have an example as my mineral of December. If you fancy one I'd buy one quick as I sold two at the Oxford show yesterday and only have 4 left. I made sure I kept one for myself, just incase there are only a few to be had.

I must say that I think the one for sale in my mineral of the month gallery looks much better than these photos!

May I also take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and New Year and many thanks to those of you who have continued to support me. I absolutely love this job and you have helped to make it possible for me. I send you my gratitude.

Best wishes

Sara

12.11.07 -November News

STOLEN FROM MY STAND AT CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE 10/11/07

This Ethiopian opal was stolen from my stand and I would be extremely grateful to anyone who has any news about it's whereabouts, or has seen it. The opal is in a gold mount and is highly individual. There will not be another like it anywhere. More photos of this opal can be seen in my opal gallery. Many thanks.

08.11.07 -November News

I have just come back from the Munich show, where I had a great time hunting out good stock and catching up with friends from all over the world. The exhibition this year was Pakistan and Afghanistan specimens and once again the specimens on display were superb. Several stuck out for me which I have photographed.

This was the star piece. A 20kg and 35 cm long tourmaline from Afghanistan named the Asian Rose.

A stunning fluorite specimen with great shape and colour.

An amazing spessartitie gearnet wrapped round a quartz crystal.

The gemmiest bastnaesite I've ever seen with great shape.

Two multi coloured tourmaline crystals on a smoky quartz.

And this twinned kunzite crystal was stunning.

The show seemed a bit flat for me this year, with prices quite high and not many bargains to be seen. Many Americans who came over to buy, I was told went back empty handed. Fewer people seemed to be attending, which is a little worrying and you needed to look hard for good specimens. But I did manage to buy a few things which will be added to the site over the next few weeks. Mineral fairs every weekend will hamper me updating the site quickly, but for a small taste the apatite from the Sapo mine, a new find this year is my mineral of the month.

17.09.07 -September News

I have been negotiating with suppliers of my Ethiopian opal and am now able to offer them wholesale as well as retail. Anyone interested in wholesale quantites, that is 1kg parcels upwards should contact me for prices. I only have good quality parcels with plently of colour play, so rest assured you will not be buying poor quality items, that you will not be able to sell.

Also, I am offering my sevices as a polisher of opals. So any Ethiopian opals bought that you want polished I can deal with and charge by the hour. Again contact me for more detailed information.

01.08.07 -August News

I have just received some really sad news. Tony Rance, one of the partners who organises the Rock and Gem shows has recently passed on. This was quite sudden and a great shock to many. He will be very sorely missed, as he was not only a lovely man but a great show organiser as well. Helen Carver, his partner is thankfully going to continue organising the shows with some additional help.

08.06.07 -Ste Marie News

A typically colourful house at Ste Marie, makes this a lovely place to be.

This year there seemed to be fewer exhibitors with tables unoccupied, which I have never know before. The weather was not that brilliant with it raining most days. This was okay for me as I had a table inside the new exhibition halls, but friends of mine who were outside got absolutely drenched and this of course affected their business, not to mention, make their minerals wet. They had to buy a big patio umbrella to keep the worst off their stock. I felt really sorry for them. Numbers of visitors I also thought was down on last year and there wasn't really any new finds to make the show buzz. We made up for that in the evenings though with great company.

Some great minerals were to be found as usual in the Theatre. Here is a taste of some of them.

Blue tourmaline - indicolite.

Cobaltian Calcite

Blue topaz, tourmaline and I think calcite.

Wulfenite

08.02.07 -February News

I have just got back from the Tucson Mineral show and am busy sorting everything out, labelling, photographying, etc. So shortly new items will begin to appear on the site. I have photos to upload from the show on this page too so please be patient, jet lag takes it toll. The 7 hour difference does interfere with sleeping patterns.

08.12.06 -December News

I'm working on a new gallery at the moment which should be available to view by the second to third week of December. It is a gallery offering for sale the mineral collection of Dr. John Crocker. There will be some superb and beautiful specimens for sale.

Also I have to report that recently my site was victim to a seriously pathetic individual with nothing better to do then hack into other people's websites. It meant that he managed to write over my database so all the specimens I had included since August of this year have been wiped. We had to reinstall an earlier database, so please be patient whilst I get back to updating the pages again.

I would like to wish a happy xmas and New year to everyone and to thank you all for supporting my site.

24.11.06 - November News

I've finally got some time to write about my trip to Munich. As usual it was great fun and wonderful to meet up again with friends. There were some wonderful minerals, the best being some pink fluorite crystals recently mined from Pakistan. They were the largest I have seen and very beautiful as you can see.

My friend Francois Lietard also had a rather wonderful aquamarine and schorl combination the like of which I've not seen before as the aquamarines formed a perfect cross which he called "The Passion" rather than a windmill.

Also on show were some masterpieces from the Houston musuem. They were truly astounding and stunning. There isn't room enough here to show you them all, but my favourites had to be the rhodochrosites and here's why.

The alma Queen from Sweet home mine.

The emerald wasn't bad either.

I managed to pick up some specimens which some will make onto the website, although others have already been sold including a wonderful Romania realgar, a set of 3 Frizington barites, a zincite crystal specimen, to mention a few. The cutstones I bought are really exceptional and most are very rare. They are already on my site.

25.09.06 - September News

Just heard from my friend Robert in Australia who went out to Coober Pedy "fossicking" for opals. He told me the temperatures reach 50-51 degrees in the summer months, no wonder no-one stays there then. Anyway he should be sending me some material that he has cut and also some specimen material shortly.

I've booked my flight for the Munich show which happens in early November and am looking forward to getting some more choice pieces.

10.08.06 - August News

This month I visited North Wales principally to attend a family wedding and whilst there my family and I took advantage of a short few days holiday. One of the attractions we visited was a slate cavern. This was very interesting as a lot of the mountains seemed to be composed almost entirely of slate, and it was a wonder that anything grew in it.

A lot of the slate you can see in the photo is really the tip, slate that is not usuable. Inside the cavern we went on a tour and found out just how tough it was living and mining this material when it was all done underground. The miners from the age of around 8 upwards worked underground for about 12 hours a day 6 days a week and if you were in a good position where the slate was usuable they could make a fairly good living, but a lot of the time the men were living continually in debt to the mining company. Not much of a life.

04.07.06 - The French Show


I am once again back from my annual trip to the Ste Marie aux mines mineral fair in the beautiful region of Alsace. This area is very heavily influenced by it's Germanic neighbours, which can be easily seen in the architecture of the area.

The countryside all around is stunning with valleys between heavily forested hills, numerous vineyards and plenty of wildlife.

This year some major changes were made to the show and many dealers who would normally have been exhibiting in large marquees, were transferred to a new building which used to be an old warehouse. I was one such dealer and must say I preferred this new venue, and being next to a window did mean there was plenty of light but also when the sun shone, I got very hot, as the picture shows. Thank God the radiators weren't on!!

Attendance at the show I felt was lower than previous years which I believe helps point to a global recession. This has hit the mineral business quite hard in the past 18 months, but my opals have been doing very steady business for which I thank all opal lovers.

A few new minerals were to be found, some of which can be found in my on-line shop. Such as spectacular quartzes with epidote from Pakistan and plumbogummite from China. Many stunning specimens were to be found in the Theatre where all the top mineral dealers were to be found, and also where all the highest prices were to be found too!

I have also come back with even more Ethiopian opal which when polished will find their way to my opal shop. A few have already been added including a stunningly beautiful light coloured opal that is pure joy to behold. Many thanks to my friend Ross for the photos as my camera's batteries decided to fail just when I needed to take photos.

I have just acquired an amazing collection of predominately Australian opal specimens and cabs. This is an an extraordinary story, as these items are around 60 years old and have been sitting in a London bank fault since the Second World War. My contact found me at the Last Kempton mineral fair where it transpired that we not only had investments with the same people but that those people, and where one of his homes is, is with some close friends of mine who emigrated to Spain 3 years ago to start a park home site!! What a coincidence.

The story goes that a jewellers got bombed during the war and they removed everything to the bank vault and there it stayed for around 50 years. When the bank got flooded my contact was brought in to help with salvage and restoration of the contents of all the secure trunks and boxes. The inheritor of the jewellery store items wasn't interested in them so my contact bought them, which was over 10 years ago. And now I have them.

Most of the 44 specimens are fantastic and several of them can be found in my opal shop. None of this material was available when I went to Tucson this year so I am really pleased to be able to offer them for sale.