OK I am working on a new, fabulous, exciting way for my clients to buy gemstones but in the meantime I want to list some of my current inventory right here. Soon you will be able to click on a gallery flip-book that shows what stones I have for sale as well as the “goods” section of the bitcoin forum where I sell under the “auctions” sub-heading.
Let’s start with a gorgeous 1.11 carat Mali garnet in top color. This very very slightly greenish-Yellow stone is a beautiful pear shape with a lot of sparkle and tons of personality. Besides being a very rare stone that you will not see in your local jewelry store, Mali garnet is a wonderful addition to any collection because it is one of the very few stones to have only a single source country- Mali, in western Africa.
You might have seen news lately of the unrest in Mali, and we are not sure of the impact that the fighting will have on the supply of this very special garnet. But like the garnet itself, Mali is a very interesting topic. Few people realize that there are countries this large- it is over a million square kilometers.

Mali garnet 1.11cts
Some of you might be hard-pressed to name a city in Mali but you all know the word “Timbuktu”. If any of you answered “Bamako” you might have studied world capitals at one time- good job!
With rebels in control of about two-thirds of the country there is a veil of uncertainty hanging over Mali which is the third-largest producer of gold in Africa. Cotton is another very important export and this also means that cottonseed oil is a significant revenue stream to Malians.

Rare and Unusual
Mali garnet is very rare, unusual, and beautiful and it is not at all typical of me to offer a stone in top color which is also pear-shaped and over one carat. There is no guarantee that the issues in Mali will be settled in the near future and if the supply chain is disrupted this could be the best opportunity that you have for a long time to own a top-color Mali at a reasonable price.

TOP COLOR MALI GARNET
This stone weighs 1.11cts and the dimensions are 7.31 x 5.76 x 3.91mm deep. This stone is not treated in any way, and perhaps that is one reason it is so highly regarded by stone collectors. But the top reason must be the sheer beauty of this amazing hybrid garnet. Like many garnets, this stone consists of two garnet family members. It has both grossular garnet and andradite garnet chemistry and characteristics, and Dr. Bill Hanneman was smart enough to make a chart that helps you identify your garnet using the refractive index of the stone (with a refractometer) only. Of all of my gemstone literature, this chart is probably the most valuable piece of work that I have seen with tons of garnet types, trade names, and refractive indices all in one compact area. If you own the book Naming Gem Garnets you already know this. If not, let me put the chart here for your reference. It is as amazing as the man who created it and the man who first notified GIA and the world that a garnet type can be ascertained by visual inspection and refractive index only.

Dr. Bill Hanneman's Garnet Identification Chart
If you would like to buy this stone please refer to #4311. I accept virtually every kind of payment- PayPal, Bitcoin (preferred!), check or money order. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by, and remember that your satisfaction is always 100% guaranteed. Also I will ship this stone via registered mail so you will have online tracking. $59 is a great price for such a beatiful stone with so much brilliance and presence, not to mention that it is top color! My price includes all shipping charges.
Let me know what you would like to see next- email me at dave@tiptopgem.com to buy this stone or tell me what you want to add to your collection!
