We celebrate our 50th episode with Matthew's favourite gem, that stone with the incredible, one of a kind play of colour that is Opal.

Known as the pride of Australia, it's a gemstone Alyce knows pretty well but she talks about how her initial perception has changed since when she was a kid growing up Down Under.

Listen to the end for the triumphant return of Gem Trivial Pursuit and find out who prevailed...

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#opal #gems #jewellery #antiquejewellery #vintagejewellery

Renowned for it's remarkable colour-changing properties and 10,000 rarer than diamond, Alexandrite is undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary and sought-after gemstones on earth.

Matthew and Alyce give an overview of the short history of the gem, provide some insight into it's fascinating colour change and, as usual, offer a few nuggets of insight from the trade to help you on your own Alexandrite treasure hunt!

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Jade is a super versatile gem with a rich history and enormous cultural significance all across the world.

Matthew explains the difference between toughness and hardness when it comes to gemstones while Alyce shares some more stories from her own cultural heritage and personal jewellery collection.

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Long known as "the Great Imposter" due to the frequency with which it was mistaken for ruby and other more commercial gemstones, Spinel is nonetheless a rare, beautiful and durable gem that is especially prized amongst dealers in the antique jewellery trade.

Famous Spinels discussed include the Black Prince's Ruby and the Côte-de-Bretagne in the French Crown Jewels.

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This episode focuses on one of Matthew's favourite gemstones, Peridot.

Alyce shares some some fascinating Polynesian peridot mythology and reveals why she'll never ever be able to forget how to identify Peridot!

Matthew talks about a stunning piece containing Peridot which has mysteriously disappeared...

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We journey deep into the gemological weeds in this episode to discuss the characteristics of this naturally colourless gemstone.

We discover some of the history and lore of Topaz, the reasons why Topaz can vary wildly in value, as well as what to be mindful of when caring for your own Topaz pieces at home.

As always, we will also be talking about some of the most amazing Topaz that exists in the world today.

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Opaque, porous and relatively soft, Turquoise is an incredibly unique - and therefore highly-prized - gemstone and yes, you guessed it, it's all about the colour!

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The latest edition in our Gemstone saga is about one of the rarest and most diverse gemstones in the world - Tourmaline.

A gem of many colours, Tourmalines have been misidentified as emeralds, rubies and diamonds down through the centuries.

We discuss some of the most famous Tourmalines in history and, as always, discuss the ins and outs of identifying and valuing this gem!

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The purple gemstone - Amethyst - has long been associated with royalty, aristocracy and clergymen.

In this episode we discuss the story behind its glory days as one of the big five "cardinal" gems as well as the reasons why this all changed in the 19th century.

We'll also give you all the tips and tricks you need to know about this popular purple gemstone.

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The Gemstone Series is back with a bang!

We return to our roots to discuss the incredible gemstone known as Aquamarine.

As always we discuss the history & lore of this beautiful blue stone as well how to identify and value the gem. We also bring you stories of some of the most famous and interesting Aquamarines in history, as well some trade tips for you to add to your arsenal.

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A Tape Deck podcast