IZRA PRIVE

The colour was already there in the rough.

This vivid green tourmaline came to us as part of a parcel acquired through one of our sourcing relationships in Arusha.

What made the material stand out was the colour — an unusually lively green that became even more striking once the stone was polished.

It is also a useful reminder that colour alone cannot establish gemstone identity. Different gem materials can appear remarkably similar before proper identification.

We bought this one because the colour was simply too good to ignore.

Previously sourced and sold.

Sometimes the stone is better than the cut.

We acquired these two natural pink spinels from Mahenge, Tanzania at approximately 4.02 ct and 4.21 ct.

In their existing cuts, neither stone showed the material particularly well. An experienced buyer saw them at that stage and passed.

We believed there was considerably more potential in the pair, so both stones were recut into balanced oval spinels of approximately 3 ct each.

When the same buyer saw them again after recutting, the reaction was completely different.

The pair was subsequently sold.

A good cut cannot create quality that is not there. But it can reveal quality that a previous cut was hiding.

Around 20 ct of rough. 5 ct finished — loupe-clean.

This natural spinel came to us through one of our alluvial sourcing relationships in the Mkwega area of Mahenge, Tanzania.

When we acquired the rough, we initially hoped it might produce a finished stone of around 4 ct. After showing it to several experienced rough analysts, some believed even 3 ct could be optimistic.

For almost a month, we considered selling the stone in rough rather than taking the cutting risk.

Eventually, we showed it to an experienced cutter we work with in Beruwala. His assessment was very different — he believed there was a path to a clean stone approaching 6 ct.

We decided to cut.

The final spinel finished at 5 ct and loupe-clean.

Rough is never simply about starting weight. Orientation, inclusions, fractures and the judgment of the cutter can completely change what a piece of rough ultimately becomes.

At source in Mahenge, Tanzania.

During a visit with alluvial miners in Mahenge, we spent time seeing how material was being recovered and washed directly at the workings.

We were there as stones were being found and sorted, including spinel rough from the same pit.

Much of the ruby material from this particular area tends to be cabochon quality, with garnet and spinel also appearing in the production.

Visits like this are not about creating a romantic story around mining. They help us understand the material, the people producing it, and the realities of what actually comes out of the ground.