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)

Aussie Sapphire has long been a fan of Black Spinel and we take pride in being able to offer one of the largest range of calibrated sizes anywhere.  So it is always good to see others extol the virtues of this wonderful gemstone.

Came across this article in the Indian media recently which clearly outlines all the advantages of Black Spinel that we’ve been talking about for some years.  But it also had some really interesting snippets about how black gems are used in Indian culture.

The writer talks about a well-known custom in India for babies to wear bracelets on both wrists for the first year to ward off evil – the bracelets using beads of gold and black gemstones.   I have read of this custom elsewhere so it does appear to be an established custom.

He also mentions the Mangalsutra - one of the most important symbols of a Hindu marriage, traditionally worn by a married woman until her husband’s death.  The Mangalsutra usually consists of a gold ornament strung from a yellow thread, a string of black beads or a gold chain (or some combination of those elements) – it is said that the black beads are a protection from evil and so are an important part of the design.

An example of Mangalsutra from Mumbai Pluses

The examples above show some great modern variations on the traditional designs – see more about this trend at this Mumbai Pluses Blog article.

cheers for now from Andrew and Leah (Aussie Sapphire)

We have had quite a few requests from customers asking about books on gemstones and lapidary.  After quite a search to find a good source, we are proud to announce that Aussie Sapphire now carries a range of books that will be of interest.

Please see the Books & DVD category to select from a range of lapidary books covering gem cutting, rock tumbling, jewellery making, gem collecting and more.

These books are imported from the USA so will be ordering new stock periodically – if you are after something that is not listed, please feel free to contact us or browse the catalogues of our affiliate partner Fishpond (use the search box at the top of the list).

Book prices are extremely reasonable and they make fantastic gift ideas so please take a look at our selection.  If you are choosing for someone else, sending a gift voucher allows them to make the perfect choice.

The equipment and lapidary supplies category continues to be very popular with another Gemmasta faceting machine going out last week (replacement machine expected late this week) and lots of gem display cases, laps, tools, etc being despatched each day.  We continue to work on sourcing new products so keep an eye on this section for more bargains to come.

Have just finished another batch of sapphire cutting and in the middle of cutting some nice rough tourmaline so please contact us if you are interested in sourcing anything like this.  Mining continues to be challenging with fuel prices soaring and costs of production generally being too high for the return.  Sapphire rough is in short supply presently but we hope to list a few new pieces in the facet rough section as soon as possible.  This appears to be a general problem with very little sapphire being produced in Australia currently and similar shortages in many of the other producing countries. 

cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire

We have been searching for some time for a supplier of blank gold settings at a reasonable price.  We have now sourced a small range of blank stud earrings that we’re sure you’ll find great value.

These settings are 14k yellow gold and are of the “Snap” type so are easy for anyone to set their gems.  Currently, we have 3mm and 6mm round in 4 prong studs and 4mm and 5mm round in 6 prong studs.

Please see our Earring catalogue for these new items.  Pricing is for one pair of earrings with butterfly backs included.  All you need is a pair of gems to complete the project – of course, you’ll find a great selection at Aussie Sapphire.

Making your own jewellery is very satisfying and you can make great savings on retail prices.

Please note that we can source most of our silver items in 14k gold from our original supplier – please contact us for a quote any time.  We’ll be including more items in this new range as soon as as can but we are obliged to place large orders to obtain the best pricing possible.  Quoting on single items must be from our original supplier and pricing will reflect this.

Cheers from now from Andrew and Leah (Aussie Sapphire)

Those stuck for Christmas present ideas need look no further.  Aussie Sapphire is offering a fantastic 25% off our already discounted internet prices on all Gold Jewellery. 

We have just received some new pieces in 18k white and yellow gold – these look fantastic and would make someone special very happy. 

Here is a lovely 18k Ring with sapphire and diamond

Click here to see more Gold Rings 

These Triangular Sapphire & Diamond Earrings look great!

 

Click here to see more Gold Earrings

Last example is our Sapphire/Diamond Circle Pendant

Click here to see more Gold Pendants

Hope this has given you some gift-buying inspiration.  These discounts will last until Christmas Eve but remember, these are one-off pieces so dont wait too long.  If your tastes run along more practical lines, please view our range of other products including rough and faceted gems, blank jewellery settings, gem storage and lighting and more.

NEW: Fossicking at home with our Bag a Beauty Sapphire Gravel and Concentrated Gravel packs – check out the Fossicking section for more information.  Great gift idea!!

Cheers for now from Aussie Sapphire