*SMILE* You knew I would be one of the first to post here. Excellent topic, Wolfie! Lets see, most of my gemstones are set in mountings, but I have some unmounted and some in the raw state. Amongst the latter is the ubiquitous amethyst, smoky quartz (sometimes know as smoky "topaz",) opals of various sorts, "native" gold (natural pure ore in nugget form still in the matrix rock), native copper, black coral, malachite, lapiz lazuli, native silver, gem turquoise, amber, imperial topaz, garnets in various forms, tiger-eye, jade in various forms and colors... (I have to go check the collection and report back)

Oh, and an emerald-cut Alexandrite-in-waiting. Various gem Spinels are also in my cut but not set collection. So is gem diopside.

all of my stones are mounted: amber, aquamarine, sapphire, diamond, ruby, jade, topaz... wish list: ALEXANDRITE (natural stone)

i've considered purchasing jewelry just for the gem itself regardless of metal (i'm a gold person but gold can be so expensive).... am looking for opals that aren't so milky. the stones here seem to all be milky and then any fiery ones seem fake. do yourself a favor and invest in a good gemstone book (a couple) and a loupe or other strong magnifyer (you can find similar items in gardening catalogs for looking at pests). never be ashamed or afraid to question a jeweler, this is your investment! i spoke to one who didn't understand the difference between gemstones that were mined in different places. oh, and let me add to the list of what I own, my tanzanite (it's a dark purple, not like the lilacs being sold today)....look for a stone that changes to slate when you view it from an angle.

labradorite is in my collection now. what an interesting piece of rock! *grin*

oh yeah, and another item to add to your collection--a black light to test for inflourescence (boy i hope i spelled that right)

fluorescence?! Indeed a good test to use. Excellent advice about the gemstone book and loup. KNOW your stones before shopping and you will get the best out there for what you can afford. Opals tend to go in crazes. First was the milky one (ugh!) then the fire opals from Australia (gorgeous and expensive) and back to the milky ones. I have a bluish floating opal pendant which is lovely. I'd love to have a real one much larger in the blue cast. It is a baby blue color!

If citrine counts, I have a new addition to my list - a large geode of citrine I found in a creek bed last week. Talk about being lucky...!

the only australian opals i've seen are triplets.

Same here, Wolfie. I've only seen pictures of the real thing...*sigh*

but even the triplets are beautiful!! i don't like the milky ones either!!!

I wonder what and where my next one will be. Far different from what I anticipated just a few months ago before coming to the mainland. I am more likely to find specimens than to wear cut stones, but that is wonderful, too!

If anyone would like cut and polished stones to purchase, I know a possible source. It's ACNTV. It's on TV in some areas, and on Sattelite in others. It's also at . I have purchased some from them, and have found that the mixed packets can be avarage, but some are well worth the money. I got a small cab ruby and a small emerald that would retail for what I paid for a set of 30 carats worth of small mixed stones. But, a lot are not good. The opals I got are all milky. So, with caution,(caveat emptor!), they might be a source if you do not want rough.

BTW, I am not working for ACN, just a reasonably satisfied customer.

We have some lemurian quartz for sale, have you ever heard of this? http://www.lemurianquartz.com

i know i haven't!! lance, are the loosestones worthy of a setting? have added tourmaline to my collection (pink variety). earrings, pendant, and ring. very lovely....but i still want an alexandrite!!! *LAUGH*

We are selling some pink lemurian quartz at http://lemurianquartz.com . . . if you want to see the inside stuff: http://lemurianquartz.com/ebayquartz will show you the unlinked to stuff. This is the only place you'll have a link to it.