Green Apatite
Gemstone Quality Standard
Gemrocks Apatite "mining"
In 2021, Gemrock staff members went rockhounding in the central Peruvian desert mountains and discovered an area with a very rich geology locating epidote, tourmaline, tourmaline in quartz, and apatite as possible minerals to be exploited for decor and jewelry products. The area produces small amounts of Apatite. Peruvian green Apatite can appear as big but brittle and cracked mass or in small more concise tube-shaped crystals.
Apatite is usually green in color but can be yellow, brown, blue, purple, pink, or colorless. These colors are often so vivid that apatite has frequently been cut as a gemstone.
Apatite is a brittle material, it breaks by both fracture and cleavage. However, at Gemrock Peru we have developed a method, which enables us to cut this material and provide you with amazingly beautiful cabochons.
Ethical and environmental friendly “mining”
Our Apatite was not mined, but surface-collected (rockhounding) in the desert foothills of the Peruvian Andes. No mining or habitat destruction occured.
Rarity
While Apatite is known to be a relatively frequent crystal accompanying Pyrite from Huanzala mine, it is very rare to find it as a cutting material in Peru. At Gemrock we posses a few kilos of such cuttable green apatite crystals that appeared as rare finds in our crystal mining project in the Andean foothills outside of Lima.
Availability
We do not sell rough Apatite. We sometimes offer Apatite Cabochons. We produce custom made jewelry with Apatite. You can obtain small editions of our Apatite jewelry.
Color
Peruvian Apatite displays shades of green.
Polishable
Peruvian Green Apatite is a very brittle material, but with care, it can be polished to glass-finish.
You can buy our finished top-quality cabochons for jewelry makers.
National and international shipping from our US-based warehouse.
Cutting Quality
Challenges:
When apatite appears as a bigger mass the brittle and cracked state of the apatite makes it very hard to cut for an unexperienced cutter.
Top-cutting-quality is characterized by:
- a polished backside
- a sharp unchipped edge between the backside and the bezel
- a very straight and even highly polished bezel
- a sharp unchipped edge between the bezel and the dome.
- Top-quality polish
Pricing
Adequate pricing must take into account the cost factors to obtain top-quality cabochons:
- Cuttable Apatite is very rare in Peru and nearly impossible to buy. Our apatite comes from a rare find during our crystal mining operation.
- A usual material loss of approximately 90 % of the material during the cutting and shaping process.
- The level of experience required by a cutter to produce cabochon from such a brittle material.
You can buy our finished top-quality cabochons for jewelry makers.
National and international shipping from our US-based warehouse.
Cutting Quality:
- Straight bezel, 3 mm high
- Flat and perfect dome (3 mm high)
- Edges between bezel and dome, as well as bezel and backside: sharp and crispy, minor chips on lower edge possible but very rare.
- Backside flat, at 280 grit
Additionally (AA+): Backside polished to 3000 grit
Pricing:
Recommended Retail Price (AA): 1 USD per carat
AA+: 1.1 USD/c
Cutting Quality:
- Cut only by our best master cutters
- Straight bezel, 3 mm high
- Flat and perfect dome (1-3 mm high)
- The edges between the bezel and dome, as well as the bezel and backside, are sharp and crispy, with no chips on the lower edge.
Additionally (AAA+): Backside flat, polished to 3000 grit
Pricing:
Recommended Retail Price (AAA): 1.5 USD per carat
AAA+: 1.6 USD/c
Cutting services
Do you need reliable high-quality cutting services for a reasonable price? Are you looking for a service provider that is willing to develop new products according to your requirements? Would you like to get expert advice in order to improve your product? Do you wish for someone to optimize the process and get the most out of your rough? Just talk to us.
Get in Touch
+51 994104206
gemrockinternational@gmail.com