We Found a 49 Carat Sapphire… and Something Even Rarer!

Out here, hidden in the gravels of Tasmania’s north east, are stones that once meant nothing… Thrown aside by tin miners, discarded without a second thought. Sapphires, topaz, zircons… even the odd ruby. Formed deep within the Earth under immense heat and pressure, these stones were brought to the surface by volcanic activity. Over thousands sometimes millions, of years, they’ve been carried downstream into rivers… settling in bends and pockets of the watercourse. Just sitting there… waiting to be found. What makes Tasmanian sapphires special isn’t just their rarity it’s their colour. Yes we have the deep royal blues most people picture, but the stones here lean softer… pale blues, greens, yellows, even parti-coloured gems that shift in the light. So, it’s time to pick up the shovel and see what we can turn up. I’m meeting up with my mate and gem expert Des Grey to explore an old abandoned tin field where not long ago, he unearthed a massive 36 carat sapphire. #sapphire #gemhunting #fossicking #tasmania #australia #gemstones #prospecting #rockhounding #goldfields #treasurehunting #hiddenhistory