Sumatra Gemstones chapter 1

Here I am again with the gemstones that can be found in West Sumatra,I am really
inlove with Sumatra gems;they are just unique and exclusive and something that makes even more unique is the man who carve them,Filpus Kesuma also known by his Chinese name Kwee Goan Siong;he is
really blessed by God to do this artwork
and very difficult to find any skilled carver like him;he creates art,he paints with the stones;I used to spend days after day watching him cuting,grinding,polishing stones for my three months stay in West Sumatra
Some of the gems that he did carved were Turquoise,Tourmaline,Amethist,
Kunzite,Jadeite,Nephrite,Fossil Coral,
Fossil Wood,Garnet,Hydrogrossular Garnet,Jasper,Agate,Riicolitte,Idocrase,
Quartz,Chalcedony to mention only a few of them.

This is an 58.00 Carat Idocrase,and I think at some point have some proportion of Hydrogrossular Garnet;this photo has been taken with backlight so can see the transparency;is quite semitransparent this huge cabochon cut like emerald cut shape;this is my favourite of all the gems I have and I would not be able to give a price as is priceless to be able tu cut a big sized idocrase like this one without creaks,normally for this quality the most can get is 4 until 8 carats;so this could be clasified as very rare gemstone

I feel like one day this could demand a very top end price,maybe 10's of thousands,maybe 100's of thousands or maybe millions of UD dollars,maybe in 10 year,maybe 30 eyas ahead I am not able to say

But the deposits are almost exhausted and unless new deposits are found in sumatra will no ever again be able to get a good one like this;it can make history this gemstone.

It has been cut and polished by the incredible Filipus Kesuma,known also as Kwee Goan Siong,in Padang,West Sumatra

The size is 30.38x19.27x10.56 mm and I would say is class AAA+

The rough came from Dharmasraya 

This one is another super rare Idocrase from West Sumatra from Surian in Solok Selatan area

This is 10.85 Carats and 27.95x9.52x4.98 mm 

The colour is something quite rare as it looks like black at first view but once backlited it turns to be dark strong green;it looks like very much a black jadeite jade;I supposed is idocrase as comes out from same source of idocrase and when carving it the texture,the hardness all is similar;I have sent some sample to a laboratorium in Spain to test it and am awainting the results

In the area where it comes from the rough there are many bauxite and manganese mining

I read the black colour in Idocrase comes from the chromophote Titanium Ti4+

This elongated cabochon it would demand a high price on the market;it has some very nice inclusions of different green tones;it has also some 2 inclusions white colour that I do noy like them but still very nice.

I would classify as AAA+ class as the colour is a rarity.

This is a heart shaped idocrase from Dharmasraya and cut also by Filipus Kesuma

This is another top end quality AAA+ with an inclusions that make it even more astonishing this gem

Simply astonishing,I love this one very much;the colour is delicious like a green leafes,rather not strong and not soft green,with a the softer whitish inclusions that make it even better.

Cut encircle by Filipus Kesuma

The rough came out from the river Batanghari in Dharmasraya area.

This is the same gem as the first picture that I made with the back light,this how it look slike at 

simple eye view,very nice colour soft green olive and is very well polished 

As the hardness is somewhere between 6 and 7 in the Mohs scale,all idocrases are polished by diamond powder.

I could not say more better things about this incredible Agate from Ujung Tanjung,an area in Pesisir Selatan in the border of West Sumatra with Bengkulu;it was taken from over a sandy beach the rough;Ujung Tanjung is a seaside area that is rich with Agates and Jaspers

Pesisir Selatan is a Regency of West Sumatra that runs along the west coast of sumatra and is where my wife is original from;we have still the old house at the village of Tarusan and made up of wood over stilts.

The colours displayed by this agate can are a mix of reds,oranges,yellows,blacks,whites...and is like a moss inclusions of these colours all embedded in this semitransparent stone;it has been very well polished by my good friend Filipus.

Can not say much more than wow,amazing gemstone from west sumatra

Top Quality AAA9+ Superb Idocrase made by Filipus Kesuma

Origin from Dharmasraya from a rough found in Batanghari river.

This is a pink Specimen of what looks like Idocrase mixed with hygrossular garnet

 The pink colour could come from manganese content in the form of anions Mn2+ and Mn3+

and as I know many Manganese mining also in the same area that the rough of this can comes from,in Surian,Solok Selatan
Regarding some gemstones appraisal online web pink idocrase can go at 400$ per carat

What to say about this onw but wow!!!it astonishing the display of colours of this Moss Agate,red,orange,yellow,white...itis a full world inside there.

This is viewed with a lamp as at naked eye one can not distinguish the world inside this magnific agate,it is woth of a museum gem and I am not able to give a worth price as for me is priceless

Again has been cut by my friend Filipus Kesuma from a rough that he found over the sand on the beach of Ujung Tanjung,Pesisir Selatan,Sumatera Barat

Another big sweet and sour candy

This Agates are known in Indonesia as Pancawarna(the literally means

multicolour) as one can see the incredible array of reds and oranges and yellows,blacks,browns and whites 

The rough was found in an old Dutch mining area at the ouskirts of Padang named Kayo Aro(not to mistake with Kajo Aro in Kerinci)

Again Filipus Kesuma made it this miracle possible

This is a photo from the base of the stone 

An astonishing Idocrase made by Filipus Kesuma and backlited 

Incredible

Later on another photo of this one I gove more info about it

This is made from an Orange Hydrogrossular Grnet rough from Surian,Solok Selatan

This is what in Islam world we call a Tasbih and is to pray.

Regarding an article in modern jewellery magazine,orange hydrogrossular garnet,an very trusted gemologist says that 400$ per carat for a orange hydrogrossular garnet he thinks still is quite cheap and that is underpriced and that green hydrogrossular at 200$ per carat the same as there is very little of this material available inthe world.

Again Filipus Kesuma made it possible.

A rough brown andradite garnet from Surian Jungle

This ring is made from a meteorite found in west sumatra and carved by Filipus Kesuma;at naked eye is not possible to see the gold colour inclusions but once I made this photo with a macro lens I can see all the gold colour inclusions that I suppose are from gold.

Same heart idocrase like in a previous photo but this time without the back light

Amazing inclusions.

An incredible orange hydrogrossular garnet with a natural crosslines forming an X

Photographed with back light.

This a bicoloured brown and strong green Jasper from Ujung Tanjung

It has a very nice shape and been cut also by Filipus

 it has a size of 32.84x24.13x7.94 mm and weight 35.55 Carats

Very well polished 

This is what is known as Petowskii coral fossil and the rough  it comes out from Jambi province and in it can bee seen the skeleton of the former coral;it is coral that has been petrified during millions of years

it is an average of 48.75 mm long and it has a nice shape of a number 9 or 6 depending from where it loooked through.

Another petowskii coral fossil from Jambi same rough like the previous one.

45.04 mm long and has a nice colour like some pinkish white and brown.

Wow,I am absolutely impressed by this Idocrase coloure,one side almost transparent white and on other end some intertwined with soft green;an authentic sweet candy for a gems collector.

Again cut by my friend Filipus Kesuma.

This is also a rarity 

It is known in Indonesia as Batu Tali Merah(red line rock) and basically is chalcedony transparent with iron oxide inclusions;itis something really unique to see

It is a 2.55 Carat weight and 11.70x10.93x2.51 mm

It is a quite flat small cabochon and really nice and is higly searched by gem collectors;the red inclusion is really delicious.

A white mix of hydrogrossular garnet and idocrase from Surian Jungle;has some soft green tint that is difficult to take on the camera;this also can be classified a rare one and top AAA+ and semitransparent.

A top end quality fossil wood cabochon also from west sumatra province;the colour display is quite astonshing compared to the other fossil wood I have seen;it has brown,red,yellow in many tones.

One of the top end quality idocrases AAA+ Superb 

The rough coming from the basement of the batanghari river in Dharmasraya area of west sumatra;the inclusions even make it more valuable;itis really a worth only to see it.

I have my doubts of what this can be,could jade I thought but when I tested in a laboratorium jakarta it resulted to be Serpentine;I am awaiting now also a results from a Spanish laboratorium of geology as I do not trust much the gem labs in jakarta;serpentine is quite soft material and this the hardness is quite high,so that is why I tested again in another lab and can't wait for the results;will not be ready until maybe 1 month more.

This another rare one Idocrase from Surian,the darkest green background with the younger green inclusions it gives an outstanding look.

As is a rare one could be classified in AAA+ and is semitranslucent

Simply unique;a turquoise from west sumatra from pesisir selatan;very unique the golden inclusions over the blue greenish background colour

Again thanks to Filipus Kesuma 

Incredible sword idocrase mix with hydrogrossular garnet;quite semitransparent;the inclusions like moss are really something unique;the material comes from Surian.

AAA class gem and I would not sell unless it is paid very good as this not easy to find again.

Filipus Kesuma made it

Another Petowskii Coral Fossil carving from Jambi Province

An abstract design from Filipus Kesuma;this is the back side of the coral art work;it is a quite good quality

petrified coral 

Wow,this is something very difficult tp see,three colours in the same gemstone of idocrase,pink,green and yellow in many tones and semitransparent

An snowflake obsidian from Ujung Tanjung in Pesisir Selatan;even obsidian is not a very high price gem I really love this heart shape obsidian.

One of the best and most beautiful agates I have seen,with an incredible array of a mosslike roots inside

in all tones of orange and yellow,really worth to see a piece like this

Worth of a museum and priceless.

A strong red blood Jasper from Pesisir Selatan;it has a unique semitransparent white line in the middle

Something really exclusive.

An incredible and unique in the world Opal from Suranti,west sumatra

Looks like an eye and I would never sell it unless it can get a good price as probabily there will be no more like this one and once again is cut by the great stone carver Filipus Kesuma.

This one is a smoking pipe carved out of a Ricolitte rough find in Tarusan;this is the village of my wife

the colours are really nice black,grey and white in several tones.

Again another magic Jasper from Ujung Tanjung with a really beautiful pattern;one of my favourite jaspers.

Here agaia an orange hydrogrossular garnet from Surian and semitransparent

This is same Moss Agate as in a previous picture but this time pictured from the other side

As can be seen both sides have the incredible moss like multicoloured inclusions

Once again thanks to Filipus we can share this treasure with the world.

The rough from wich is made up this gem was found in Gunung Padang by Filipus Kesuma

At first we believed to be a Turquoise but a later test in a Jakarta gemlab it gave the result of Green Quartz

Then once in Spain I showed to a friend of mine from Peru and he told me this is same like a Peruvian Opals that he used to see in Macchu Piccu area in the amazon jungle.

I keep as laboratorium said,a green quartz???

Anyway whatever is it Quartz,Turquoise,Opal or all mixed is an incredible work of art by Filipus Kesuma

An incredible Idocrase carved into a teardrop shape and cut by Filipus Kesuma.

Golok Naga,Traditional Chinese sword to kill the dragon and a 

Kriss,traditional indonesian sword

The rough was found as a boulder over the sand of the beach of Ujung Tanjung

The pattern is really astonishing,like red blood moss inside,this is being a very limited and rare material and very hard to get more.

I do not know what is it but it has been found it over the sand of Padang beach,it has the form of a shoes.

A very nice Chalcedony from Ujun Tanjung with a nice yellowish tint

Veruy transparent chalcedony and very exclusive shape of a tiger nail.

I can not say what is this;it came when digging in an area of palm oil plantations in jambi as a boulder around 2 kg;it has like a silvery inclusions;at first view it looks like a kind of green marble;the test in a gemlab in jakarta came out Serpentine but I doubt it as they do not do much more than specific gravity and refractive index.

Fantastic Chalcedony round bead same shape like a pearl;it is really amazing the abstract natural drawing that form the yelllow inclusion in it;the rough came from Pesisir Selatan.

Same moss agate like a few photos up but from th eother side;again this is one of the best I have ever seen.

Another good and nice Jasper from Ujung Tanjung

A very nice cut of Idocrase from Dharmasraya;is transparent with very nice softer green inclusions and in the shape of a teardrop;Class AAA+

Another big sized Idocrase from Dharmasraya and top end quality AAA+

The same design with Petowskii coral fossil as before in a previous photo but pictured from front side.

A very sweet candy;carved leaf made from Carneolite;orange yellowish colour,very sweet and semitransparent.

A mix of hydrogrossular garnet and idocrase ring with a chinese character TA that means GREAT

This ring I use myselve as I really like so much.

Same gem like some photos before,the one from Kayo Aro

known as Pancawarna and here is a photo from upstairs the cab 

As one can see even more colorful that the base and a nice abstract natural drawing.

This is a collector 's item worth of a museum.

Thanks to Filipus Kesuma to give us to the world to be able to contemplate such beauty form the earth

No words for this magnific work of art made by the unique Filpus Kesuma

Violet chalcedony,yellow chalcedony,brown chalcedony,green serpentine all natural stones from west sumatra 

Tree branch with jungle fruits by Kwee Goan Siong

priceless

This one of the most favorites of my collection

The texture,the colours...are simply,incredible!!!

Another idocrase and I would say with some hydrogrossular garnet,semitransparent and higly polished

Green,yellow,orange colours all intertwined

Once again Filipus Kesuma incredible art

Another smoking pipe carved out of an idocrase and hydrogrossular mix.

Naga Golok that I posted a few pictures before

Thanks to Filipus Kesuma we have this treasure to show to the world.

An excellent maximum quality idocrase AAA+ Superb and semitransparent,really one of the best ones I have seen.

Hydrogrsossular garnet carved leaf,from Surian Jungle.

Black Chalcedony,Brown Chalcedony,Yellow Chalcedony,Serpentine,Red Jasper...all natural Sumatra gemstones;quite big size,around 20 cm length.

Another smoking pipe made from hydrogrossular garnet from Surian.

This a rough from wich is made a cabochon that in previous photo I told I thin to be Serpentine regarding the lab.

An incredible red blood colour Jasper in the shape of a bottle.

This a zooming of the Naga Golok pictured before.

Another beautiful one carved leaf from hydrogrossular garnet

It has an incredible white with some tint of green colour

A multicoloured Idocrase and hydrogrossular garnet;incredible colours pink and white and green.

Pink colour is between the most worth of all idocrases colours.It comes from Surian in west sumatra and pink colour might be due to some Mn in it's composition

An hydrogrossular and idocrase mix carved into a fang;incredible pattern and incredible inclusions make this piece of art unique in the world.

Another incredible multicoloured idocrase in pink green 

Another rare one idocrase from Dharmasaraya;the pattern inside the stones is simply impressive

Another incredible green Idocrase 

This one is another rarity and highly seek by collectors

An hydrogrossular yellowish orange brown colour from Surian

And this is all my posts for today from West Sumatran stones.