He sunk a shaft and he struck it rich........ Not
once but three times.................He then took his swag and went on
his way..........
Albert's home page
Not unlike many Gemfields residents, I first arrived to this wonderful
area with only a short holiday in mind, hoping for a good time and maybe
make my fortune while at it. This was over twenty five years ago. Instead
I discovered a new way of life as a gem miner and more recently as a gem
trader.
Since the early 70's, foreign buyers, mostly from Thailand where taking
advantage of the lack of local sapphire heat-treatment knowledge to buy
what we believed to be a lower grade sapphire material for a pittance(
in fact it turned out to be the better grade).
In 1976, I endeavoured to research heat treatment processes. In 1977 for
the first time in the Gemfields
history , a much needed heat treatment service was finally available
to the Gemfields residents. I continued to provide this service to the
mid 80's until a new heat treatment operator began offering a duplicate
service. Heat treatment has become very important in an industry where
ninety five per cent of the marketed gems are treated.
.
These days in my spare time (spent mostly over my computer), I enjoy faceting
some of my best sapphire material.To all of you people also keen on gemstones
and with an inclination for adventure, my advice: Come and visit the
Sapphire Gemfields of Australia. It will be an experience you will love
and remember for ever.....
Countdown to GEMFEST...
AUGUST 10 2006
(Days : Hours : Minutes : Seconds)
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To email me please click on address below:
sapphire@tpgi.com.au
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