Mum discovers a $2000 gem in her property: ‘Absolutely stunning’
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As any prospector or treasure-seeker would tell you, sometimes the most remarkable finds are made when you least expect it.
This rings especially true for young mum Amber Betteridge, who made a discovery that would light up the eyes of any gem enthusiast.
Amber's husband, Matt, is a miner who specialises in extracting the sought-after gems that are native to Queensland.
However, on this particular day, it was Amber who made the stunning discovery.
As she strolled across her property with baby Elise in her arms, she spotted a stone that seemed out of place amidst the rocks.
Using nothing more than her fingers and a small rock she found nearby, Amber began to excavate the mineral from the ground.
To her astonishment, she unearthed a 54-carat parti sapphire, a gem that displays two or more distinct colours.
'What we thought was going to be a small, not-really-worth-anything gem turned out to be this sapphire with a beautiful piece of crystal in it,' Amber said.
'It's [got] an absolutely stunning parti colour.'
The video of the find, which has since gone viral, showcases the vibrant green and blue hues of the stone, illuminated by the light from Amber's phone.
After being faceted, the rock could fetch as much as $6,000.
'We could probably get a three to four-carat stone out of it, but it depends on how it cuts,' Amber explained.
'We'll facet the biggest stone, and depending on what it looks like, it could potentially be worth $2,000 a carat.'
The Betteridges are no strangers to the gemstone business.
In 2021, they established Betteridge Sapphires, a venture born out of a mining claim they purchased in 2018.
Matt mines the sapphires using traditional methods, armed with just a pick and a shovel, while Amber facets the gemstones, a meticulous process that can take days.
Matt regularly uploads videos of himself mining for sapphires on their social media.
You can watch the video below:
Credit: @betterridge_sapphires / TikTok
Parti sapphires, like the one Amber discovered, are a blend of blue and yellow sapphires.
This unique combination gives the gemstone a mesmerising dual colour, making it a popular choice for engagement rings.
Australia is one of the few places in the world where parti sapphires are found, with the gemstones first discovered by gold miners in the 1850s.
Sometimes, you find the most valuable things at unexpected times.
In a previous story, a gold hunter found a fortune while on an adventure with her friends.
What kind of fortune did she discover? You can find out more about it here.
Have you found anything special in your property? Let us know in the comments below!
This rings especially true for young mum Amber Betteridge, who made a discovery that would light up the eyes of any gem enthusiast.
Amber's husband, Matt, is a miner who specialises in extracting the sought-after gems that are native to Queensland.
However, on this particular day, it was Amber who made the stunning discovery.
Amber found a stunning discovery in her property. Credit: @betterridge_sapphires / TikTok
As she strolled across her property with baby Elise in her arms, she spotted a stone that seemed out of place amidst the rocks.
Using nothing more than her fingers and a small rock she found nearby, Amber began to excavate the mineral from the ground.
To her astonishment, she unearthed a 54-carat parti sapphire, a gem that displays two or more distinct colours.
'What we thought was going to be a small, not-really-worth-anything gem turned out to be this sapphire with a beautiful piece of crystal in it,' Amber said.
'It's [got] an absolutely stunning parti colour.'
The video of the find, which has since gone viral, showcases the vibrant green and blue hues of the stone, illuminated by the light from Amber's phone.
After being faceted, the rock could fetch as much as $6,000.
'We could probably get a three to four-carat stone out of it, but it depends on how it cuts,' Amber explained.
'We'll facet the biggest stone, and depending on what it looks like, it could potentially be worth $2,000 a carat.'
The Betteridges are no strangers to the gemstone business.
In 2021, they established Betteridge Sapphires, a venture born out of a mining claim they purchased in 2018.
Matt mines the sapphires using traditional methods, armed with just a pick and a shovel, while Amber facets the gemstones, a meticulous process that can take days.
Matt regularly uploads videos of himself mining for sapphires on their social media.
You can watch the video below:
Credit: @betterridge_sapphires / TikTok
Parti sapphires, like the one Amber discovered, are a blend of blue and yellow sapphires.
This unique combination gives the gemstone a mesmerising dual colour, making it a popular choice for engagement rings.
Australia is one of the few places in the world where parti sapphires are found, with the gemstones first discovered by gold miners in the 1850s.
Sometimes, you find the most valuable things at unexpected times.
In a previous story, a gold hunter found a fortune while on an adventure with her friends.
What kind of fortune did she discover? You can find out more about it here.
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