Aussie Sapphire

Rock Tumblers are one of our most popular products at Aussie Sapphire and we’ve been thinking of ways to improve our service to customers even more.

For beginners to rock tumbling, our Starter Kits are a great way to get the most suitable grits/polish so you can get up and running quickly.

Previously we packaged these in plastic bags but these can be fiddly and messy to handle when you are spooning out of the bag.  Therefore, we are now moving to plastic screw-top jars for easy and convenient storage – with lids in our distinctive Aussie Sapphire blue and informative labels on each jar so you know exactly what to do.

So far only Kit A has new photos but we’ll be doing new ones as we transfer over.

What about value for money?

Even better than before with a bonus 250 gram pack of plastic pellets now included.  If you are using a 3 pound barrel rotary tumbler such as the Lortone 3A or 33B, our starter kits should do about 3 to 4 batches of rock.  Remember, the Lortone 4-step kit includes less silicon carbide grit, does not include plastic pellets and uses aluminium oxide (grit size unknown) as the pre-polish and polish steps.  We believe that cerium oxide is a better choice for the kind of rocks most people start out with.  Lortone tumblers are fantastic but we reckon we can do a better deal on Grit and Polish.

Stay tuned for news on tumbling rock – heaps of people have asked us whether we can supply rocks to go with their brand new tumbler.  Up till now, we have not been able to help but we think we have finally cracked this one.  We’ll announce the details here when we get these listed online.

Bye for now from Aussie Sapphire

Hard to believe we are now running up to Easter when we’ve only just got over the Christmas rush.  It’s been nice and busy over the past few months and we’ve got lots more good stuff in store over the coming year so thought we’d better outline a few highlights for you in this newsletter.

Firstly, time is running out for our Customer Survey – return the survey with a valid email address for your chance to win a $50 gift voucher.  Be quick – the prize will be drawn 5:00 pm 31st March 2010.  We’ve had some great feedback already but we’d love to hear from you!

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS

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As we now have containers of supplies arriving on a regular basis and need to order many products months in advance, good stocktaking is essential to good customer service.   Call or email to arrange your exclusive shopping visit – would make a great outing for your Gem Club ?  (Please note we do require advance notice of visits so we can give you our undivided attention).

New and Best-Selling Products

Auscut-303 Diamond Saw Blades for Lapidary - these have been a while coming but after testing, we are thrilled with their performance.   These premium continuous rim blades are exclusive to Aussie Sapphire – we are so sure of their quality, we will fully refund anyone who finds Auscut doesn’t perform as well or better than a comparable 303 type such as Barranca or MK.

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In the Auscut range is the new 7″ x .050″ x 1″ Diamond blade to suit almost all tile saws.  We’ve had many enquiries from customers wanting to use the cheaper tile cutting saws for lapidary work – great idea except that the commonly available blades are too thick for lapidary work and the larger shaft on the saws mean standard lapidary blades wont fit..

It took us a while but as the development work on the Auscut Saw Blades allowed us to make some custom ones specially designed for tile saws.   If you would love a Trim Saw but just cant find the cash, you now have the option to mount a Lapidary blade on the cheaper Tile Saws.    These Auscut-303 blades have a 7″ (180mm) diameter, thickness of 0.05″ (<1.5mm) suitable for most lapidary work and an arbor of 25.4mm (standard inch shaft).

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Auscut Laps: We have been producing our own Diamond lap now for some years and continuing to improve our quality.  Out in the market, the difference in Diamond quality, cost and bonding procedures is vast – my old saying “Diamond aint Diamond” still applies.  We have supplied many lapidary clubs with our Auscut laps and they keep coming back – try them today and wont be disappointed.

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Loupes: We have several new options in this section – one of our most popular is another Aussie Sapphire exclusive – the 10x LED loupe with white and uv lighting incorporated.  A great quality little unit and a must have for your gem toolkit.  Remember, most of our loupes come with a free Aussie Sapphire lanyard.

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Gearloose products:  We have continued to receive great feedback from hundreds of customers now polishing on the Darkside and BATT Laps and are proud to be the exclusive Australian dealer for these great laps along with other innovative products from Gearloose.    We also now have BATTstiks in Cerium, Aluminium and Chrome Oxide as well as DIAStiks in 3k, 60k and 100k diamond – an easy, no mess way of applying lapidary polish.

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Aussie Sapphire is the exclusive Australian Dealer for these and other fantastic products – if your supplier hasn’t got them, ask them why?

POSTING NOTICE

Everyone have a great Easter break.  We certainly look forward to trying our best to look after your Lapidary Needs through this year and beyond.

The response to our new Aussie Lapidary Forum has been fantastic.  In only 3 months, we already have around 80 members with almost 1200 messages on the boards.

The interest has been great so keep it up.  With the new media gallery, members can post any number of photographs with comments and rating features available so everyone can get involved. 

One of our members has done an amazing amount of work posting photographs and descriptions of various fossicking spots – this is very generous as often this data is very tightly held by those who dont want their seret spots to be over-run.

If you’re an expert gem cutter or just learning, we’d love to have you along – you can show off your work and discuss any aspect of the craft.

Why not join us at www.aussielapidaryforum.com

cheers from Andrew and Leah (Aussie Sapphire)

Didnt get around to posting a Christmas message so here’s a Happy New Year post just in time.  Have been busy with family committments over Christmas and then harvest (more on that later) with the usual post-Christmas trickle of orders.

In some ways, the last half of 2008 has been pretty challenging but with some exciting new developments.  Thank you to all our customers for your support over the past year.  We have more planned for 2009 and look forward to bigger and better things for Aussie Sapphire.

We wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2009,
cheers from Andrew and Leah (www.aussiesapphire.com.au)

Look out for lots to come in 2009

We’re still getting plenty of orders but we want to let people know that for most areas, it is now unlikely that your parcel will reach you in time for Christmas.  We will be processing orders as usual right up to Christmas and as soon as postal services resume afterwards.  However, the cut-off date for guaranteed Christmas deliveries has now passed.

For those last minute gifts, we can still help you out.  Gift vouchers make great presents and are very simple to order through our website - available in denominations $10, $25, $50 or $100 (or multiples) to suit any budget.  The system will generate an email which contains all the necessary details to redeem the voucher – but to add a special touch, we have a printable version of the gift voucher available online so you can print it out at home and hand it over with style.

Alternatively, you can still place your order and print out the details of the item for the recipient – although it may not make it in time, you can be sure that we’ll get it despatched as soon as possible.

We’ll post a Christmas message later but in the meantime, we hope you all enjoy the festive season and we look forward to a happy and prosperous New Year.

cheers Andrew and Leah (Aussie Sapphire)

Tumblers are one of our most popular sellers and it is no wonder – these little machines are really versatile.  Apart from polishing rocks, they are commonly used to polish metal including gold and silver jewellery.  We get a lot of questions about this subject so thought we’d do a quick article with some links to further reading for you.

No matter how you create your jewellery piece, the final step for anyone is polishing it up so it looks great.  While you can do this by hand, a much more efficient method is to use a tumbler.  There is a whole range of polishing media which can be used in a tumbler, but when chosen properly, it is a great way to get a fantastic overall polish.

WHAT TYPE OF TUMBLER?
Both rotary and vibratory tumblers can be used for this job and as with rock tumbling, the vibratory types tend to work faster than the rotary but are more expensive.  When choosing a tumbler, consider how much capacity you need in a tumbler.  We find that the 3A Lortone tumbler is a great choice for most people and being one of the cheaper, good quality tumblers around, allows you to get set up at very reasonable cost.

WHAT MEDIA IS NEEDED?
There is a whole range of different media which can be used for this job and the choice can be confusing.  We find that most experts recommend stainless steel shot which is an excellent burnishing media – mixed shape shot is most efficient at polishing all parts of the jewellery piece.

The other item you will need is some kind of burnishing soap – you will find many American sites recommending things like Dawn detergent or Ivory soap flakes.  The basic story is that you need a degreasing detergent without any other additives.  We sell P13 burnishing compound which is used for the same purpose – supplied in powdered form but is a soap which foams up and assists the burnishing action of the shot.  Feel free to experiment with other soaps/detergents but perhaps best to use “sacrifice” pieces when trying something new in case something goes wrong.

INSTRUCTIONS:
The amount of shot required will depend a little on how much jewellery you are intending to polish.  Most methods will suggest adding enough stainless steel shot to fill about a third of the barrel – this might be around 500 to 900 grams adjust as required depending on your needs.  Dont use too much as it might overload the tumbler and the polishing process will not be as efficient.

Add about a tablespoon of P13 burnishing compound (approx 10-15g/L water) or a good squirt of a suitable detergent and then just cover the barrel contents with water.   You may need to experiment with the best ratios of shot, water and soap to suit your job.  Tumble for a while – how long?  Again, you may need to do some trial and error to get this right but it might range from about half an hour up to a few hours.  Best to check frequently at first so you dont run the batch too long until you get some experience.

WARNINGS – WHAT NOT TO DO!
Obviously this method is not suitable for absolutely everything so dont just chuck it all in without some thought first.  Jewellery that is set with gems should be treated with care - some may still be able to be tumbled but any stones which are likely to be particularly soft, brittle or fragile might be better hand polished.  Likewise, stones that are glued (eg. opal doublets/triplets), heavily treated (such as resin infused emeralds) or composite stones such as some types of turquoise are risky to put in a tumbler.

FURTHER READING
There are quite a few articles and tutorials out there on the web dealing with this subject but I’m only going to point to one website.  This article is extremely detailed and provides all the answers you are likely to need so definitely check it out:

Urban Maille – How to Tumble Polish Jewelry

Lots of other information out there but these guys practice what they preach and have plenty of experience.  Another couple of good articles are this one from Hodgepodgerie and more on the subject from Lapidary World here.

Cheers for now – remember if we can help with any advice, feel free to enquire any time.
Andrew and Leah Lane (www.aussiesapphire.com.au)

Rough Gem Supply
What a difference 6 months makes!  There has been a significant shortage of rough gemstones in most catagories – this has been a gradual trend developing for a considerable time but has really started to bite since December 2008.

REASONS:  A combination of factors, most completely out of the control of the trade but some the direct fault of some in the industry.

• Huge increases in the cost of production (fuel, electricity, parts and supplies, etc) at the same time as only modest increases in rough prices.
• The closure by the Madagascan Goverment of exports of Rough Gems (mainly Sapphire but many others gems as well).  This is probably the biggest news in the industry for many years.  It appears all Gems are to be Cut and Heat Treated in Africa before they can leave (similar to current rules in Sri Lanka prohibiting export of gem rough).  

One must remember that this small island is probably the richest gemstone resource ever discovered and most importantly this is where the largest majority of that “CEYLON” branded Sapphire has come from for some time. 

I would like to hope this works for the financially struggling Africans on the ground but I fear that not much will change.  Already, signs are that the more powerful USA and Indian companies are trying, although with difficulty, to move their cutting operations to this country and carry on as before.

• Enviromental and Farmers rights.  The global weather concerns and the desperate need for food production has really had major effects on production especially in China.  A good friend and major Sapphire miner Alex reports that the local farmers are not allowing them to mine on the productive river flats any longer (most of the easier river beds are already exhausted) so they are forced to mine deeper harder ground.  Mine production in China is still large but much less than even last calendar year.

More interesting Gem News:
Ruby Rumblings - The Ruby game has been in a mess for some time since the “Lead Filled” treatment became almost commonplace.  There has been mountains of Ruby in the market, mainly lower grade Indian product (often large and almost opaque) and lead filled African material.  Unfortunately for the retail customer, the altered Ruby looks very good to the eye but in my strong opinion it just “aint Ruby”!  (Oh I forgot the Berillium treated Ruby as well).

Burma Ruby Dead ?  President  Bush in his “wisdom” has banned the import of Ruby  and Jade from Burma (now known as Myanmar) into the USA starting in September 2008.  This in my opinion is a silly decision based on politics not common sense.  Although there has been a Ban in place since 2003, this latest move is supposed to tie up the loophole of Gems being processed in another country (mainly Thailand).  This is aimed at the Military Goverment but in my opinion will just hurt the individual and long suffering Burmese poor while the rich Generals will see little change.

Just how will it work?  In short it wont!  Any Ruby or Jade already in the USA prior to the cut off date can still be legally sold as Burmese.  Reports from the ground in Thailand show large US based companies pouring as much cash as they can spare into getting stockpiles into their country before the deadline.  I suppose the USA customs will now be able to tell the origin of a Gem just by looking at it.  A difficult job even for the most experienced Gem Labs.  Of course there will now be a lot of Burmese type Ruby coming from other countries or “New Finds”.

Richard Hughes changes jobs:
Richard Hughes, gemologist and author, has resigned as senior staff gemologist for the AGTA, (American Gem Trade Association) to join a jewellery TV company based in Singapore and Bangkok.  Richard has vast knowledge and experience in the Gem world - he seems to be willing to give these alternative methods of selling some support – hopefully he will bring some much needed credibility to the system.  The thought that springs to my mind though is that perhaps the old fashioned bricks and mortar Jewellery stores need to do some catching up or they might die?  Good luck Richard.

Lapidary Gear:
We have had several questions asking if Lapidary supplies will decrease in price because of our high dollar. The answer is simple Yes but No. Confused ?  I dont blame you but the simple fact is freight cost increases have wiped out in most cases more than the gain in currency exchange.  On top of this, all manufacturers face large increases on all the material they use with many increasing our buying prices.  Having said this the choice of where or what to purchase has never been better so shop around and enjoy the savings that come from competition.  We’re pretty confident you wont find a better deal than at Aussie Sapphire.  Just remember, when comparing prices, check if stock is ready to deliver immediately and if any additional costs apply – such as for 220 Volt (a common trap when buying from the US), credit card fees, foreign currency fees and charges, etc.

Tips and Tricks:

• Need storage for your 6″ Faceting Laps, diamond saw blades, etc ? Inexpensive Size 1 padded envelopes are a cheap solution or try CD cases - ideal for your 4″ or 5″ diamond blades.  You can mark each type clearly and avoid contamination.  
• Dull Diamond Blades – if your diamond blade becomes dull try redressing it before you throw it out. There are specific dressing sticks available but a old silicon carbide grinding wheel does the same job cheaper.  Just cut into the wheel a couple of times this removes tiny particles of metal that melt into the Diamond while cutting.  If this doesnt work then there is no Diamond left so your blade is only a drink coaster now.

Website Reviews:
http://www.gemologyonline.com - A great free forum for everything to do with Gems and Lapidary.  Cannot recommend this site highly enough – filled with genuine experts who are genuinely happy to help out with advice and share knowledge.

Not long to go now until Father’s Day and we’ve got heaps of great gift ideas available right now.  If you get your orders in quickly, we’ll do everything we can to get it there on time.

We have just received our latest order of books from the USA so check out the BOOK category for lots of fantastic titles.  We have reactivated the “out of stock” titles and have a few more new ones to add such as the Vargas Faceting Diagrams I and II, Gold Panning and some great geology and fossil books. 

Another order we have been waiting anxiously for was from Lortone – we were very low on stock but we have just unpacked the boxes and now have plenty of 3A and 33B Lortone tumblers as well as the vibratory TV-5 from Raytech.

Note on freight – if you are planning a gift purchase, please keep in mind delivery times from northern NSW.  Urgent orders should request courier delivery but this is road freight and can still take some time to more remote locations.  If you have any concerns, just call us on our Toll Free number: 1800 50 21 40.  And remember, we do offer Gift Vouchers to make gift giving even easier.

Cheers for now from Andrew and Leah (www.aussiesapphire.com.au)

Emmaville Gemfest is coming up very soon so make sure you keep this weekend free for a really friendly and fun gem show up in the heart of the New England gemfields.

GEMFEST – 6th, 7th & 8th September

For more information, please contact the Emmaville Mining Museum 6734 7025, Ron Jillett on 6734 7210 or Kay Schroder on 6734 7281.

There will be field trips for Molybdenite, Topaz, Quartz, Silver, Tourmaline & Copper - all leave from the Caravan Park in the morning.  Camping is available at the Caravan Park - for bookings, contact Debbie Lowe on 0429 333 122.

We wont be trading there all weekend as Andrew will be heading overseas a few days later but we hope to visit on Saturday and might load a few items in the back of the ute.  We’ll see how we go for time.  However, we have always really enjoyed going to this one and higly recommend it to everyone.

cheers from Andrew and Leah (www.aussiesapphire.com.au)

Have just received a new parcel of tourmaline facet rough and have spent the last couple of days listing some of the better pieces.  Some excellent intense pinks and other colours so make sure you check these out now.  We will be progressively listing more of this material – much of the remaining lot will be more affordable so there will be something for every budget.  Colour is great in this lot!!

See our imported facet rough catalogue for more details.

Cheers from Andrew and Leah Lane (www.aussiesapphire.com.au