The Story of *Truth* and her many siblings......with photos

[Monnyjay]

What a great find Bron, lucky you. I’m I’ve in Melbourne too and haven’t heard of that little spot. What a sad story regarding the family. Breaks your heart, she must have been a very lonely lady. I wonder which jewellery store her husband had in town. Next time I see one of these estate auctions, I might be tempted to go.

 

[Bron357]

What a great find Bron, lucky you. I’m I’ve in Melbourne too and haven’t heard of that little spot. What a sad story regarding the family. Breaks your heart, she must have been a very lonely lady. I wonder which jewellery store her husband had in town. Next time I see one of these estate auctions, I might be tempted to go.

You never know, if you never go !
And I’m actually in Sydney.

 

[suzanne2]

What an amazing story! I've always had vague fantasies of something like this happening to me (like a lot of other people, I'm sure). You are literally living my dream--finding an incredible, historical, wonderful, valuable treasure. And I love how you told the story. It's especially cool that this incident led to you becoming interested in the study of gemology. I'm excited for you and happy to know that dreams really do come true!

I can't say it any better. This is the stuff of dreams. Thanks, @natasha-cupcake.

I just spent an hour looking at your pictures @Bron357. the one I like the best, well, one of the ones, is the one with all of the beautiful cabs.
The rich greens, reds, pinks, browns.
This one:

I know I'm weird, but I love cabs.

But my mostest favorite is this:

Beautiful!!!

 

[MissGotRocks]

It really is a great story and I thank you for sharing it with us. Some things are just meant to be and this is one of those stories. I wish you all the best with your new collection!

 

[KristinTech]

Another snippet of the story.....
I took this Ruby into my Gemology course and showed it to my lecturer.
“Hmmmm, what do you want to know?”
Is it a Ruby?
He is examining it under the “fancy” expensive microscope.
“Where did you get it?”
Um, er. Auction.
“Really, what here?”
Um, yes.
“Well yes, it’s a Ruby, how much did you pay?” (Aussies have no shame)
Um, I’m a bit embarrassed to say.
“Well, even if you paid more than $5,000 its ok, it’s a good Ruby”.
Looking again down the scope “Actually a really good ruby, where did you get it”
Um, a deceased estate auction.
“Ok, Well you got really lucky, it’s unheated and probably from Burma”.
Oh, thanks.
Footnote - I took in the smallest one and lucky might be an understatement.

I’ve been wondering when you would post about your treasures over here! I remember when you first discovered there were more than coral beads and crystals.... and thought that at least you had some nice opals! I love the way you write.

 

[BlingObsession]

I think it's fair to say that we are all green with envy!

Well done, @Bron357 . It's nice to hear about a real life fairytale.

 

[ringcat]

Good on you @Bron357 What a magnificent adventure!! I didn't even know we had such auctions here. So happy for you!!!

 

[prs]

Bron, I've said this before, but I think the jeweler who died unexpectedly would be very happy to know his treasures remained hidden for thirty years until discovered by someone who would truly love and appreciate them.

 

[Bonfire]

Bron, I've said this before, but I think the jeweler who died unexpectedly would be very happy to know his treasures remained hidden for thirty years until discovered by someone who would truly love and appreciate them.

Perhaps he helped facilitate the process?

 

[msop04]

WHOA!! What a collection!!!

 

[Maggiemeans]

This is insane!!!! And meant to be.......

 

[Gussie]

I'm in awe! I'm not sure I've ever heard a better fairy tale. This is the best story ever!!!!! Completely thrilled for you!!!! I really think you should have a documentary made about this story!

 

[cokitty]

What an amazing story. The best part is how you decided to learn all you could by educating yourself. You did not ship them off to be assessed and analyzed by a third party. You took the time and put in the effort to learn how to evaluate the collection yourself. It is easy to imagine how pleased the jeweler would have been to have his treasures in such capable hands.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

WOW!!!

BEST.STORY.EVER on PS

This is incredible, really. I am thrilled for you!

Put me first in line for a RUBY!

 

[Bron357]

Thank you everyone for your kind words and appreciation of what really is a remarkable tale.
Not without its “twists and turns” (we won’t mention the adoption fail) of course, what good tale doesn’t have drama and intrigue?
To be honest, I look at them sometimes and think “Nah, how can this be” and I get out the Loupe or whatever to make sure they haven’t “morphed back” into Swarovski crystals or something.
I still have a laugh (at myself) trying to scrub the “red” off the edges of the small blue crystals! I honestly thought them rust stains from the old tins!
Tanzanite was lecture 3! Oops.
And if Ruby Ruby is truly an unheated Burmese ruby and not rendered worthless by her chip or feather inclusion, at 6 carats what would she buy?
Funny thing is I’d really like to take all those wee Rubelittes and make 3 stone rings, symbolic for their past, the present and the future (run away David K, run away while you still can - imagine the order “I’ll have 12 x size 4, 42 x size 5, 59 x size 6, 103 x size 7, 31 x size 8 and 10 x size 9) and then they all have a loving home and there’s a piece of a great tale for everyone.

 

[Monnyjay]

You never know, if you never go !
And I’m actually in Sydney.[/QUOTE

That’s why I haven’t heard of it. We have a Burwood here as well.

 

[eapj]

I read much of this thread to my husband and he was so amazed! He’s a collector of old toy soldiers and was relating your experience and what it must feel like to finding a treasure trove of old soldiers (of course the gems are much more valuable). All this couldn’t have happened to a nicer person! Thanks for letting us all in on this fabulous story.

 

[stracci2000]

@Bron357 ,
It was meant ro be. Kismet, Fate, good luck, whatever you want to call it, YOU were destined to find this fabulous treasure.

 

[suzanne2]

It's an amazing story. I've told it to everyone who will listen, even to those who won't. Many thanks to Bron for sharing it with us. Your generosity has been proven over and over.

Don't we all wonder what we would have done if it had fallen in OUR laps? Would we have recognized them for what they are? And if we did, what would we have done?

Me, I would have sent them off to AGL so fast the envelopes would have been smokin' Me, I can't BELIEVE Bron's self restraint. I'm in awe. Do ya hear me Bron? I'M IN AWE.

 

[pearaffair]

Masterfully told, beautifully shared. WOW! I have no more words, I'm just gobsmacked.

 

[MollyMalone]

What an utterly captivating story -- as is Truth herself So very happy for you & your treasure trove!

 

[mrsgreeneyes]

I’ve so enjoyed this journey and the captivating way you’ve shared it with us.

 

[prs]

Most I have been able to ID. It’s just the darn *rubies* that have me puzzled. There no easy “test” you can do that separates good flux grown corundum from natural. They don’t even use a “seed” with the best lab ones. Even the inclusions are identical to natural. I believe you need to use some fancy “atom spectrometer” thingy to actually analyze the full chemical composition and minute trace elements. I was told that we don’t have such equipment for gem analysis here (or the people I asked at least said no) so they would have to go OS to be tested.
Obviously if I was going to sell them I would have to get them assessed but I haven’t decided yet what to do with them.

GIA headquarters are in Carlsbad, about a one and a half hour drive South of Los Angeles. It occurred to be that if someone flew into LAX with a ruby or two stashed in her handbag, she would be able to hand deliver the stones to GIA and, if she chose the express service, pick them up in a couple of days complete with certs!

If the rubies turn out to be lab created then a cheer me up margarita in the nearest ocean front bar would be in order, followed by a sight seeing trip of the West Coast, complete with frequent stops along the way to party with all her new PriceScope friends. If they turn out to be natural, unheated Burmese rubies then substitute a bottle of their finest champagne for the margarita!!!!!!

A sale of one of the smaller stones might finance the trip, the certs, and maybe a DKJ setting or two.

 

[Mcgregor]

These stones found themselves to where they were supposed to be! Truth is magnificent!!

 

[Tekate]

I am speechless! all so beautfullll! all.

 

[Bron357]

And I forgot all about this one. Terrible when you have too many gems.
Luckily this one still has silk inclusions or it would be harder (impossible?)
Truth had a little sister, in a very similiar cut with a high crown, small table, though she is like an OEC with a flat cutlet.
White sapphire 4.05 carats.

 

[Ally T]

@Bron357 This is just the most INCREDIBLE thread ever in the history of ever! I can see you now, rocking up on Antiques Roadshow with your tale & your bagged up gems, and the experts having to gasp for breath & then provide you with a chair!! And if you ever fancy having shared custody with any others besides Truth, flick 'me my way, would you? There's a sweetheart

 

[ringo865]

Wow @Bron357 this thread is amazing. Your stones are amAzing and this story is AMAZING!!!

I LOVE all of the stones. So amazing! The intaglio carnelians look like one I have in a ring given to me by my (birth)aunt some 40 years after her brother (my birth father) had drown (while wearing it)(while I was in utero without his knowledge). Fate intervened there; and his identity was revealed even though nobody knew about the pregnancy (and my birthmother wishes to remain anonymous). That ring dates back to the mid-late 50s Italy/Greece when he went on vacation with his family sometime before his father died in 1958.

The Ruby Ruby - holy amazeballs!!!! Even with a chip, that sucker must glow from across a room and definitely is the belle of the ball! UnReal!

Thanks for sharing your story, unfolding minute by minute, and all the pictures. Thanks for leaving out the insect carcass(es). Yikes! But UN EFFIN BELIEVABLE!!!

So glad this happened for you and so glad that you are interested in gemology and are able to experiment with identification tools. What a trove for a budding gemologist.

I also loved your other thread - the dream where you were at the airport without ID and the customs agent went all "enforcement" on you while you explained to him about tourmalines and whatnot. Then all the PSers were hiding in the room where he brought you and yelled "surprise"! I think I was there. Haha.

You have a great flair for painting the picture of this dramatic tale unfolding. I was on the edge of my seat on that airport dream story, and the one(s) above. Then I saw the thread about Truth and @suzanne2 showing us the map and how Truth was hopping about the globe. Suzanne has a great writing style, as well!

I look forward to more updates (and MORE. PICS!) in the days and months to come. This really is an unbelievable find. I think the universe had a hand in you being the "finder" of these gems. Also prolly Mr. Jeweler or the Mrs. did, too. So happy for you!!!!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[AprilBaby]

Those reds are to die for! Some day I hope to get one but I never see such lovely red. 40th anniversary in 2 years so I can look!

 

[LocaLaPerla]

@Bron357,
I rarely post on here (although love to look when I have time!) I received the weekly email and felt drawn to your thread. Even I feel as though it is fate that I was able to share in READING your amazing story, when I so often don’t see the weekly updates amongst all of my other emails or have time to read everything.

I am simply COMPELLED to say what pleasure this story brings me, as a gemologist second and a gemstone lover first and foremost. I have every confidence that both husband and wife would be overjoyed to have this collection go to someone with your evident passion for gemstones and who shows them the respect and care that they deserve, both in the way that you present and store them and in the way that you are educating yourself about them.

Who knows, maybe they were kept out of the safe for strategic reasons and the kids have ended up with the Swarovskis?!

A wonderful outcome for the world of gemology that these treasures were not abandoned. One day, if you can bear to part with one or several interesting pieces, perhaps a donation to a gemological institute’s (or other) museum or educational samples might be a nice idea to continue this notion of ‘wonderful things happening unexpectedly’ - particularly if you think that you have something a little unusual or rare. Just a thought. I’m based in Perth and happy to discuss this sort of concept with you anytime - for now though, enjoy those amazing treasures!!!!!!