I give up. I have no luck with PM. Now some admin message came through to fill out my profile, but when I PM’d back asking how to send a PM, I got an error - sigh. I’m not a forum person … email would be better. If PatHogan would PM me an email address (as I can apparently receive PM), we can get on with polishing a facet off forum.
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I did it with 3 different quartz and topaz pieces, with the same result 3 times - the ‘diamonds’ stayed cold a lot longer. Interesting.
Hi @tasmanianartist, those messages are automated, I don’t know for sure but you can probably ignore the one about filling out your profile.
To PM someone, you can click on their name / icon and a box should flash up that gives you a message button. However the way that this forum site works is by asigning a trust level to users to prevent spam, and I don’t know whether you’re able to send PMs straight away. I’ve upgraded your trust level since I know you’re a person and not a bot, so you should be able to have access to messages.
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Yep, got it at last - I’ve not been in many forums, and those few had the PM and messages feature on the rhs top. But I got it now. Thanks. (I won’t be filling in too much profile - my forum presence is almost done - it was merely to get my head around these ‘diamonds’.
cheers
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Just like to say thank you to everyone who helped me identify my ‘diamonds’. They are cold enough, and hard enough, and from a source that, 25 years ago, came well recommended, for me to accept that they are the ‘world famous’ Killiecrankie Diamonds.
I’ve decided to polish one of the faces of the blue stone - it’ll be a one-off novelty experience, but if I’m successful, the stone will join a few other ‘oddities’ next year for a pendant.
Again, thank you to everyone, and cheerio.
(I’ll keep my account here, just in case I have need of any other advice on rocks).
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G’day Marlies,
Your pebbles look certainly like Killecrankie Diamonds (topaz) to me. They are sought after and fetch a better price then topaz from other locations. Hang on to them as they are harder to find nowadays. I’ve been over on Flinders isld a few times and last trip January this year I didn’t find any .
Cheers
Ray
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Hello oldrocknut
They’re definitely not going anywhere - I’ll polish one face of the blue one, to include it in a pendant (next year - this year is already taken up by waiting for 2 other pendants … that’s okay, I’m patient). I’ll see how far I get with my polishing endeavour. When done, I’ll post a pic to show off a little.
Bought them about 25 years ago as an artisan, makrame-knotted pendant that had 9 stones knotted into the thread. The name ‘Killiecrankie’ always tickled my fancy - that’s why I bought them - I never believed that they’d be ‘some real thing’, and it was merely the imaginary name-giving of the artisan. When the makrame knotting gave out, cos of moths, I rescued the stones. Out of their string cage they looked different, and when a friend mentioned ‘Killiecrankie Diamond’ for a wedding ring for his bride-to-be, I thought they might be worth a question or two.
Thanks for your note. Could it be that the ‘Killiecrankie’ finds were a mere fluke, originating from an accumulation of a one-off ‘seam’ (or whatever rock/stream deposits that may be)? The mind boggles …
cheers
Marlies
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So here I am - three weeks or so later - resting my fingertips. I invested in 1200grit silicone carbide wet n dry, some glue, a board to glue the sandpaper to, and the polishing leather - and once I had it all together (which isn’t easy nowadays when stores’ shelves aren’t sync’d with the online ‘stock’ - never mind), I was finally ready to go this past week.
I did say I’d show a few pics when done.
I can now appreciate the comments about ‘clear’ stones - the camera had a devilish time focussing on the ‘empty’ inside.
The last photo (the one just above this text), shows a ‘raw’ ‘dome’ with a split face - that’s now smooth, and the fifth ‘window’.
Holding it between the tips of thumb, index finger and middle finger, and the fingernails, I hunkered down and started grinding. I’d like to make it clear - it’s my first, and only stone polishing endeavour - a novelty that will do its natural wearing off.
One of the photos is taken with flash (the one that looks very blue). The one with fingers all black silhouetted is taken against the window.
(Just bragging a little, but I’m quite pleased with the result).
I have one question - and it seems to me that hand-polishing a mirror finish is basically impossible just holding such a small stone with only my finger tips (I’ve used a few tricks, but sore fingers put a stop to it). In the photo where the stone looks like rubik’s cube, the not so mirror finish is evident. The surfaces get that ‘brochure mirror sparkle’ only when I rub a little oil on it.
Edit: I forgot to formulate the question: what’s the easiest way to get that ‘brochure sparkly mirror’ finish?
(I’m basically happy with what I’ve achieved, but if there is something I can try without investing in an expensive tool, I’ll try it.)
Cheers
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I’m back - I lost my login, so had to create a new one. I’m hoping that next week I can finally pick up the pendant that contains the topaz pictured above 8 months ago. I thought, since so many people helped me identify the stone, and explained how to polish a side or two (which I then did), it would only be fair that I’ll take a pic of the finished piece of jewelry and show it here. So, as soon as I have it home, I’ll post a pic. Cheers for now. Marlies
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Hi Marlies,
Safe to say we are looking forward to seeing the results!
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had a call from the jeweller after I got my new login and posted - the old smokey quartz broke and we’re waiting on a replacement … I’m not surprised - that smokey quartz had seen some rough wear over the decades - there are 13 (!) stones in that pendant (long story - don’t ask - I won’t subject you to it). This actually completes a 3-year clean-out of my box of ‘krimskrams’, in which I found some treasures after all, including the Killecrankie Diamonds. I love the two earlier pendants the jeweller made from other stones I found in the same box, and am sure I’ll love this third one, too - it’ll be eclectic and excentric. Won’t be long now … Cheers - Marlies
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YAYEEE! Picked it up today - it’s massive. I post a few pics. The why and what for is a long story, I’ll spare you, so don’t ask. Some of the stones in the pendant are older than me (not in a geological sense, but in a ‘when did it become jewelry’ sense) and the names are on the one pic that shows the entire pendant. I’m very happy with it, considering what Dean had to work with. It’s a gold and silver mix, as I want to wear it with silver (most of my bling is silver), as well as gold. It is 11cm top of bail to bottom of pendant.
And since my second login (lost the first one) let’s me upload only one pic, I’ll post 4 pics in separate ‘replies’.
Cheers
Marlies
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO REPLIED. Unfortunately, some safety bot won’t let me continue with the dialogue, so this must therefore be it. I am only allowed to edit the existing post.
So I am wishing everyone all the best with the stones … and, NO, I did not find even one of the stones (they all found me - as jewellery - I wouldn’t be able to tell one pebble from another). --------- For example, the one on the top, the tourmaline was in a 18ct gold ring, given to my mother by her father when she was 16 - I’m now 67 - so that stone in ring is definitely older than me. And so it goes for all the 13 stones. ------- As Bob Ross always said ‘God bless’
Cheerio
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Okay - safety bot tells me that’s it … someone needs to reply to me so that I can upload the other 3 - made pics of all 4 sides. It looks good from all sides. Love it.
Cheerio
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Looks great well done
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Very nice, did you find all the stones.??
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Wow! What a creation! Very nice range of colours, types and possibly better still, some important back- stories to go with each.
Thanks for sharing 
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