gems, corundum, treatments.6, Australia.12

The late Geoff Tombs was always interested in heat treatment, publishing several papers on the subject (Tombs 1978, 1979, 1991). However the paper that sticks in my mind the most was written in 1974 and titled ‘Synthetic-like fluorescence in a natural sapphire’ Tombs 1974. At the time of writing I suspect Geoff While describing a Fine blue Ceylon sapphire submitted for testing………., Geoff was surprised by the results he obtained when examining the stone under UV light, summing up his report: Microscopic examination proved the stone to be natural. This stone is particularly interesting as it is the first naturai sapphire I have examined in which blue sections showed fluorescence characteristics exactly the same as those exhibited by the typical Verneuil synthetic blue corundum. The fluorescing areas (under S/W) were curious in that they did not follow the blue colour zoning. (Tombs 1974). In hindsight I believe Geoff was examining a heat-treated Ceylon blue sapphire a few years before such a treatment became generally known amongst the gemmological community. Most importantly, he recognised that here was something different enough to be worth reporting in his favourite magazine, The Australian Gemmologist. I dedicate this paper to him. I would like you to join me in tracing the lives and interests of several people associated with Australian sapphire. They come from widely differing backgrounds and cultures. Some are university educated, while some never went to school. Some are even still alive today. It is through their fascinating testimonies that I have been able to put this story together.