Latest News from the Rock n Gem Magazine
opal meteorite
Recently the 2nd example of opal found in a meteorite was discovered, the evidence bearing meterorite was found in the Antarctic, the opal may have formed after its asteroid was probably bombarded by other ice bearing space traffic!
Katy Perry tries Crystal Healing
User Rating: 5 / 5
Kay Perry has been been using crystal healing for her well-being as recommended by buddy Madonna.
Enough Tazanite for 100 years
Tanzanite in the news again, as with many minerals, stories spread regarding the lack of supply and availability often in order to sustain pricing, however the current news is that Tanzanite will be around for another 100 years.
solar power
US researchers have developed a technique with perovskite crystals which has increased solar cell conversion efficiency by 300%, the key was to allow a clear path for the electrons to flow down the layer unobstructed. This creates huge potential for future solar cells and opto electronic devices.
Perovskite was first discovered in 1839 in Russia and was named after Lev Perovski
Flawless 'The Blue' Diamond Sale at Christies
The largest flawless natural blue diamond (13.22ct) was recently sold at Christies for in excess of $24.2 million(and change)
Tanzanite Production
TazaniteOne declared production for Q1 2011 at 609 737 cts up 46745ct on the previous year. No doubt boosted by the 12100ct(2.42kg) massive single rough crystal piece, currently the 3rd largest found. The company is also actively setting up a Tsavorite operation.
70 issues of the printed rockngem magazine 1997-2016
User Rating: 3 / 5
from rock n gem magazine issue 70
At a glance you can see how the rockngem magazine has evolved from, switching focus to the online edition is another step & challenge but will enable instant access to the latest news & articles.
Interestingly our all time bestseller was issue 51 from 2011 possibly due to the amazing multi million dollar rhodocrosite specimen on the cover pictured during a trip to the Tucson mineral shows.
Read more: 70 issues of the printed rockngem magazine 1997-2016
The Treasure Hunters
More TV this time BBC the treasure hunters
last week included diamonds, pearls, fossils & opals, with some non minerals treasures thrown in, next time amber is featured.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b040v3sw
Rock Gem n Bead in Manchester
New venue for the Rock Gem n Bead shows in May - Event City Manchester formerly Museum of Museums.
Massive Bosnian Stone Sphere
An Archaeologist who's been studying stone spheres for 15yrs suggests that this latest example could be the work of ancient civilisations whilst other experts say it's probable a huge natural concretion. for pic and further info
Game of Stones
Yet another 'drama documentary' with rocks this time hunting for gemstone rough on the Discovery Channel Thursday 22:00
Royal Mint Collectable
March 2011 -The Royal Mint also produces commemorative and collectable coins and this years favourites we presume will be The Royal Wedding and 2012 Olympics. Last years rise in sales was due in part to a new Olympic 50 pence piece and a Royal Engagement coin...
Rock Gem 'n' Bead Shows
User Rating: 5 / 5
2000 was the first Rock n Gem show I ever exhibited at, naive with a few boxes of freshly imported stock and a small cash tin empty albeit with a woefully small amount of change but keen to learn & sell. I was positioned near another relative newbie who was selling natural stone drilled beads. I could see a queue forming at the entrance and once the clock struck 10am to my amazement a wave of visitors surged through the building, they seemed to be striving towards their favoured exhibitors eye’s rapidly surveying all before them in case a purchase had to be made.
Rock Gem 'n' Bead Show in York Cancelled
Rock n Gem Ltd have announced that the the October 2014 York Racecourse show has been cancelled.
We buy Gold and Silver
Tempted by all the adverts for selling your 'old gold', well you may have noticed a little drop in price (at the time of print), however the overall trend seems skyward, don't overlook the value of silver as well...this February saw the highest price since 1980.
metaphysical news - issue 69
Having a bit of a revival recently is that often overlooked combination of amethyst with citrine - ametrine, for clearing negativity and connecting to our more spiritual being. Also on the buyers list is a particular favourite possibly reminiscent of a childhood sweet - mangano calcite, the beautiful powder pink stone from Peru often referred to as a higher heart centre stone, one for forgiveness and helping with valuing ourselves.
Fossils On TV
On BBC4 Tuesday 11/3/14 Professor Richard Fortey presents the Fossil Wonderland series, the first episode is entitles 'Weird Wonders'
Rough Diamond Prices
January 2011 - With the economic concerns over the last couple of years mining of rough diamonds was scaled back, however sales picked up last year, as retailers stocks were low this surge in demand has now pushed up prices by over a third!
news - issue 69
meteorite watching
Utilising the FSU National High Magnetic Field Laboratory to study the Gujba meteorite, researchers are convinced that it was formed as a
result of a collision between a large metallic body and planet. The planet though to be larger than the asteroid 4 Vesta (a large dweller within the asteroid belt) reinforcing the meteorites are ‘construction debris of the planets’ statement.
Meteorite Frenzy in South Korea
Allegedly the last found meteorite in South Korea was in 1943, since a recent shower on the 9th March a frenzy of meteorite hunter has entailed, the largest so far weighing it at 9kg. Already USA hunters are handing out business cards in an attempt to acquire some of the samples. However there's no provision in Korea law(currently) stating ownership rights.
Old Meteorite Diamonds
February 2010 An 'old' meteorite that fell to earth in 1971 was taken for cutting and polishing and it was found to contain a 'harder' type of diamonds created during it's impact from graphite already present, similar to how diamonds are synthesised today.
Meteorite Lights Up Sky over Scotland
March started with a rumble and double flash of light in the evening sky around teatime for many people living in Scotland, the BBC has clips and more info regarding the potential 10cm space rock.
Asteroids on TV
Did you catch the Horizon episode this week, The good the bad and the ugly "asteroids are the fossils of space", might be a rerun but worth a viewing.
Remnants that didn't quite make a planet? New resources for man to plunder? A piece of remarkable history?
8k Gem of Tanzania
According to the FT the 'Gem of Tanzania' it's just been sold for £8,010 allegedly the optimistic purchaser believes that it could realise anyway between £200 000 and £2m when 'broken up'
Sam Smith 1st Crystal Collection
User Rating: 3 / 5
"Either way thou, they are beautiful xx" Sam Smith announced on Instagram the purchase of his first crystals, including a quartz crystal ball..
Gem of Tanzania
The 'Gem of Tazania' has hit the headlines again, an advertisement for it's sale will be in the Winter Issue, purchase here
Rock Gem 'n' Bead Shows Sold
19/9/15 Keith & Carole owners of the Rock Gem 'n' Bead shows announce retirement and sale of the company(Rock and Gem Limited)
Retirement & Sale of the Company “Rock and Gem Limited”
"2015 will be the 8th year that we have been running the Rock and Gem shows and we have loved every minute of it – it is hard work but very satisfying. We like to think that we are a large travelling family and we have made a lot of friends.
Gem n Bead Shows
After 2013 the Gem n Bead shows will be combined with the Rock n Gem shows under the banner of Rock Gem n Bead for details visit the companies website.
Founder of the Green garnet
Founder of the Green garnet - Tsavorite was killed by a mob in Kenya last month(August 09), Campbell Bridges was also involved in the discovery of the much publicsed blue variation of zoisite named Tanzanite.
news - issue 68
Asteroid watching
Asteroid watching may have been given a boost as astronomers are testing a ‘digital shifting’ techniques on short snapshot exposures of the sky, the outcome could provide images of asteroids 10x fainter than current techniques.
1st Rock Gem n Bead Show 2014 Venue Flooded
The Hop Farm has hosted the Rock Gem n Bead show for a number of years however heavy rains at the beginning of the year have caused considerable damage to the venue forcing a last minute change to the nearby Mascalls School.
New Look
August 09 - The new look of the RocknGem Magazine is released, not only a cleaner appearance but also a wider range of content, including minerals, fossils, gemstones, crystals, uses in modern and ancient times, gemstone and bead jewellery making. A resource for everything Rock n Gem.
metaphysical news - issue 68
Using crystals in the home for Feng Shui and grids seems to have resurged along with crystal elixirs(care should be taken with preparation).
Shopping: Popular crystals at the moment are selenite, chlorite quartz, amethyst and clear quartz. Also beauty and home care products infused with crystals.
If you’re looking for natural stones avoid ‘glow in the dark quartz’ asian (cats eye)quartz & resin amethyst geodes!
Saving for a fossil
Been saving up for a fossil, perhaps a dinosaur fossil, well here's your chance a near complete diplodiocos is up for auction at Summer Place Auctions just remember it's about 17m long!
matching obsidian to specific volcanoes - how clever
Dr Ellery Frahm from the University of Sheffield has continued with research from the mid sixties of chemically matching obsidian from early tools to specific volcanoes. Later work now developed using magnetic analysis is able to pin point the source of obsidian to within metres of it's origin. This development enables researchers to understand early human movement and exact quarry locations.
news - issue 67
how close will it be?
Worth noting in your diary that on Oct 12 2017 asteroid 2012 TC4 is thought to be pass by the earth extremely close...
general news issue 64
general news issue 64
Remember the Popigai crater from 35 million years ago, or after a recent study now thought to be 33.7 million years ago which being one of the 10 largest impact sites known also suggests it could be linked to the Eocene extinction.
Apparently it was also a potential major diamond source, however due to it’s remoteness and synthesised industrial diamonds it may never be ‘exploited’ fully.
metaphysical news - issue 67
Natural citrine points and formations from the Congo (Africa) often referred to as cathedral citrine due to the clustering of points are now being sold under the name of ‘kundalini citrine’ other quartzes from the Congo have also been prefixd with kundalini.
Dinosaur TV
Are you following the dinosaur season on BBC1
September 14th 2011 Fossil hunting on ITV Calendar
Shows & Events
A list of shows supplied by organisers, contact us to add your event, even better advertise in the magazine to reach your target audience.
Rock Gem n Bead Shows & Gem n Bead shows (formerly Rock n Gem) everything natural crystal, mineral, fossil, gemstone, and mineral beads numerous events throughout the year. Combined with Gem 'n' Bead shows - crystal, mineral, fossil, gemstone, and mineral beads and every type of material bead including organic, synthetic, glass etc numerous events throughout the year often combined with the Rock Gem n Bead Shows
Munich Mineral Show One of the largest mainland Europe Events held at the end of October
Sussex Mineral and Lapidary Society Show Annual November event
Euro Mineral Euro Gem Annual June event held in France
Tucson Gem & Mineral Society Show Held Annually at the end of the Tucson show month in February
Gems TV on ITV
On 2/9/14 you could see a documentary (or possibly an advertorial) giving a brief insight into the daily operation of Gems TV if you missed out you can watch it on catchup.
Highlights were the creation of a new name for spessartite garnet to make it more customer friendly and the admonishment of a potential sales presenter for sounding like a salesmen.
dinosaur eggshells
In June 1997 it was announced that the first dinosaur eggshells ever to be found in the British Isles had been unearthed in Dorset. Excavations also revealed a tiny limb bone, possible from a dinosaur embryo or hatchling.
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The eggshell and bone dated from the Cretaceous period, around 140 million years ago.
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From issue 2, purchase print copy below:
The New Doctor Who is a Fan of Amber?
Jewellery Designer Kate Dumbleton creates ring for Doctor Who at the request of the BBC, you can see Doctors Whos' green amber ring here.
To see a list of mineral, crystal, gemstone, fossil shows/events both UK and worldwide visit our show page, if you organise or know of a show please get in touch to list it here.
