DIAMONDS may have a reputation for being rare and desirable, but there are gems in the world that are even more eye-catching and rarer still.
With names like musgravite, jadeite, alexandrite or red-beryl, some gemstones are more valuable than diamonds, but their names may not seem familiar to many.
Musgravite was discovered in 1967 and is arguably the rarest gemstone in the world. It was first discovered in Australia’s Musgrave Ranges.
As for gem-quality stones, there are about ten specimens known and documented.
At the core of these rare gemstones are the people that forge into the wilderness in search for them.
George Fadersen, field trip reference coordinator, has spent the best part of the last few decades seeking out gemstones from around the world. He leads a small informal group of gemologists as the Goulburn Valley Gem Club here in Shepparton in searching for, and then cutting and polishing magnificent gems into things of beauty.
Bringing these beauties out into the open to trade or sell, or simply to show how it is done, the Goulburn Valley Gem Club in conjunction with the Victorian Gem Clubs Association presents the Gem, Jewellry & Mineral Show, at Quest Shepparton Racing, Goulburn Valley Highway, on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22, 2022.
There will be traders inside and out, selling and showcasing fossils, jewellery, minerals, tools and much more. Entry is $5, with children under 12 free. Contact George Fadersen on 5849 1716 or email wendybergamin@live.com for further information.
