An ardent lover of gemstones, learning more about them.
Kunzite, 531 carats; seen at GIA "Mega-Gem" display at AGTA GemFair Tucson
Just a teaser Tucson post: my favorite giant gem from the GIA display at AGTA GemFair Tucson this weekend. Kunzite is a pink variety of spodumene, named after U.S. mineralogist G. F. Kunz, who first described the gem in 1902. (Sadly this picture lacks scale — bad geologist! — but the gem looked to be over two inches in diameter. Very nice!)
Yes, it's my official AGTA lapel pin!
I feel funny having a “Joining the…” post two posts after a “Joining the…” post, but it’s my own fault for not getting the rest of my GIA museum photos processed and uploaded. (By the way, I should tell you all about my GIA visit and labs, before I go there again, a month from today. Eheh.) ANNNYYYWAYYY….
So I’m going to Tucson in February, after my lab. Yes, TUCSON!!! (Just for the weekend.)
This all started when I noticed that my Gem ID lab in Carlsbad (January 30 – February 3) coincides with the first week of Tucson’s rock-n-gem show extravaganza, including the AGTA Gem Fair. (39 shows spanning three-ish weeks. Intense.) At first, I only thought as far as, “what sucky timing, that’s the week I’m in lab!” Then someone asked how far Tucson was from Carlsbad. The gears, they turned. Flights and lodging arrangements came together. And suddenly, I was going straight from lab, to the airport, to Tucson. TUCSON!!!
My first purpose in going to Tucson is networking opportunities, and as such, I want to go to two wholesale shows: AGTA Gem Fair and GJX. Since I could join AGTA as a student member now (and thereby qualify for pre-registration), I sent off my check and proof of enrollment in early December. (Lest I forget, my second purpose is to oggle as many gems and minerals as humanly possible, without uh… bankrupting myself. Eheh.)
Look at all these goodies!!
So I’ve been waiting for what I thought would be a small packet from AGTA: a letter, a membership card or whatever, maybe a pamphlet. Instead, today, I got a BOX OF FUN. What you see here is numerous information booklets; the latest issue of their magazine, Prism; two DVDs of AGTA Gem Fair seminars (from 2010 and 2011); the AGTA Source Directory (members), including wholesale suppliers, retailers, appraisers, and a student section (thats-a ME! Or it will be, next time it’s published.) Also, an AGTA lapel pin, a membership certificate, a pretty postcard, and two window clings (I put it up, with my GIA Alumni cling, in my home-office window. That way, people driving down my street can see how awesome I am. Or something. Awesome is probably not the word that applies here.)
I’m amazed at what my AGTA membership entails, and all the benefits I’ll get from it! Admission to the AGTA Gem Fair in February seems like a bonus, compared to what I’ve already received.
Pink tourmaline and lepidolite on the mine walls
Earlier this month I made my first trip to the Carlsbad area of California, north of San Diego, to take GIA’s Colored Stones Grading and Pearl Grading labs. Before class started, however, I had my first gem adventure: a field trip to the Stewart Lithia Mine in Pala, California. This mine has a long history, over 100 years on and off, first mined for the lovely purple mineral lepidolite (for its lithium, used primarily in grease), and later for a variety of gems (most of them pink.) Pink, green, bi-color and black tourmaline is found here, as well as kunzite, morganite and heliodor (pink and yellow varieties of beryl), and quartz.
San Diego County is known for its pegmatite deposits — lenses of igneous rock with large/abundant crystals, usually a dozen feet thick, give or take — and the Stewart Lithia mine sits in an unbelievably thick pegmatite (120 feet thick, in some places.) The geology was quite interesting driving out to Pala from the coast, with mountains looking like piles of boulders, from a distance. (Okay, so it was interesting to me. Never mind.)
Looking for gems is hot work!
Gem-finding is hard work under the sun (which got uncomfortably warm, despite the low-for-San-Diego temperatures.) Fabulous gem rough was found, but not by me — a few chunks of gemmy rubellite (pink tourmaline) in the 30-40 carat range, and a gorgeous gemmy bi-color (green to seafoam blue) tourmaline crystal, easily two inches long. We were told to limit ourselves to ten pounds of rock apiece (!!), but I brought home a bit less since I had to fit it all in my suitcase.
What I brought home. Please excuse my hotel bathroom sink.
After lunch, we toured the mine. I didn’t take many pictures inside (none with flash, out of respect for everyone’s low-light vision), but the workings were quite impressive.
The mine entrance. Peligro!
In the lower levels, we saw a remarkable mineral formation, where white spodumene crystals against a dark grey background formed a perfect Chinese dragon, easily 15-18 feet long (complete with head, teeth, ear, eye and sinuous body.) At the bottom was a lake of pure, ancient water, rich in calcium. (If you breathe upon the water, the calcium absorbs the carbon dioxide you exhale and forms calcium carbonate crystals on the surface. Magical.) The water was quite drinkable, and tasted wonderfully smooth. I admit, the lake was my favorite part.
All in all, it was a wonderful day! If you’d like to see more pictures, check out the set on Flickr.
Shiny new membership
Ever since I was in a stroller, I’ve been going to the Roxy Ann Gem & Mineral Society‘s annual rock show in Medford, Oregon. (My dad pointed this fact out to me, at this year’s show.) Based in Central Point, Oregon, the Society operates the Crater Rock Museum with a terrific collection of minerals, lapidary arts, Oregon thundereggs, arrowheads and more. They also have a large workshop and offer classes in cabochon-making (“cabbing”) and silversmithing, both of which I’m interested in exploring. Right now I’m in love with all aspects of the gemstone and jewelry industry, and my interest could carry me in several directions. I’m trying to explore as many different avenues as I can, while I’m still “in school” and at leisure to weigh my options.
Colossal rhodochrosite!
I joined the Roxy Anns yesterday, my first “rockhound club” — I’m happy to support their activities, and I get access to their workshop and other benefits out of the deal. I was given a tour of the facilities and museum by a volunteer named Jack, who teaches knapping (arrowhead-making, etc); some of this work was on display, all of it lovely. The museum has some gorgeous mineral specimens, most notably (to me) the one seen to your left. Rhodochrosite is a beautiful red/pink mineral that is quite rare in large, crystalline form. The largest and best specimens come from the Sweet Home Mine in Alma, Colorado, and are treasured by the finest museums in the world. Needless to say, I was surprised to see that, not only does Crater Rock Museum have one, it is the third largest rhodochrosite crystal IN THE WORLD. Yes. Third-largest. Right here in southern Oregon! Go see it, you’ll pay no more than $4. Seriously.
I had a great time at the museum yesterday, and made some new rockhound friends. Speaking of rockhounds, below is what was stapled to the front of my membership packet. My question is, are there higher rankings for how fast you lose them? Because if not, there should be!
Extra points if you lose them in one day? In one hour? Why are you laughing?
Phew, it’s been a while! I had it in mind to write “article”-type posts here (read: LONG), which I think may have been a mistake, as I’ve missed several “update”-type opportunities to post over the past few months. And now here it is, November, and interesting things have been happening, none of which I’ve told you about!
Here’s a sampling of what I’ve been up to, since July:
I completed my Accredited Jewelry Professional diploma through GIA, which means I can add the words “dangerous enough for retail” to my credentials. Wait. No. It means I can add the initials AJP to my credentials. Sorry about that.
I started Colored Stones at the end of July, and Pearls at the beginning of September; I am nearly done with Pearls now, about halfway through Colored Stones (somewhat behind, in my original estimate; got bogged down with work this fall, which has curtailed the studying significantly.) I am going to Carlsbad next weekend to take the Colored Stone Grading and Pearl Grading labs. I plan to take the Gemstone Identification lab in late January.
My prize: a Chatham created emerald crystal (a bit over 1/2" long.) I keep it on my desk.
In late September, I had the pleasure of meeting Tom Chatham, of Chatham Created Gems in San Francisco. Tom was very kind, extremely generous with his time, and quite patient with this googly-eyed gemology student (who spent the entire visit with her fingers in a bowl full of synthetic emerald crystals. Don’t judge me. You wouldn’t be able to resist them either!)
Lavender star sapphire ring, Art Deco. Yes, please.
After my visit at Chatham, I made my way over to Lang Antiques and met some of their enthusiastic staff (hard not to be enthusiastic, working with their inventory every day!) I was happy to finally meet the awesome Barbra Voltaire, administrator and gem-goddess of GemologyOnline.com and the helpful GO Forums. (I visited Lang earlier in September, but she was off that day. I did spend some time ogling the stone to your left, which is probably my favorite piece in their inventory. Not sure, but I think I need to be queen of something before I can wear a ring like this.)
The back/inside looks as good as the front/outside.
This visit, I spent some quality time with the piece to your right, a fabulous onyx and diamond locket from the Art Deco period. You really must go look at all of the pictures, because the inside is as beautiful as the outside, and the whole thing is just… dreamy. [swoon] Why is it, that I always like the expensive things? Maybe if you work with expensive jewelry every day, you get over it. (I’d like the opportunity to test that theory…)
For the record, Barbra was swooning over the locket, too.
Last but not least, a week from today, I will be joining the GIA Alumni Association’s Los Angeles chapter on a field trip to the famous Stewart Lithia Mine in Pala, CA. I’m going in a mine!! And then I get to sort through mine tailings and look for gems!! I’m ever so excited about all this. (In case you can’t tell.) I hope to have PILES of gems to photograph and post (but really, I’d be happy with just a small handful.)
There’s more to tell, but that will have to wait for the next post. Stay tuned!
