Winza corundum (ruby and sapphire)

Thursday 5 February 2009

Swala Gem Traders had financed a team of ruby and sapphire miners in Winza. Multiple kilos of Winza corundum were brought back to us. Obviously, much of rubies and sapphires were either useless or of cabochon quality. Plenty smaller pieces (0.3-0.4cts) were beautiful and facetable. A few larger and very attractive pieces (above 3 cts) were also cut.

The Winza corundum (ruby, sapphire) displays interesting difference in colors, saturations and tones. Like most deposits, plenty of rough needs to be examined before finding nicely crystallized gems.

Bi-color Winza sapphire.

Multicolored Winza sapphires can be found, rather unusual and collectors' material.

Pink and red Winza corundum are found. Some of which of exceptionnal size/clarity/color combination.

More technical articles on Winza rubies can be found at the following links:

- Vincent Pardieu and Jean-Baptiste Senoble's 2009 expedition to the corundum deposit in Winza

Vincent, with Mark at Swala Gem Traders' office during Vincent and Jean-Baptiste's trip to Winza.

- An expedition to Tanzania's new Ruby deposit in Winza - InColor (pages 44 and onwards)

- Rubies and Sapphires from Winza, Central Tanzania - Gems & Gemology

Majestic Tarangire (northern Tanzania) elephants no gems could buy.