The "Ekaterina Green Topaz."

 AMAZING AND HISTORIC ITEMS WE HAVE SOLD

We search the planet for highly rare and unusual items but we try to find historical, art, jewelry, gemstone specimens, faceted gems, natural, untreated, faceted gemstones (ready to mount into jewelry which This internally-flawless, 80 carat, vivid, mint-green topaz left Russia on a dangerous, midnight train to Europe. 3-pieces of this natural, green topaz were mined in the Czar’s Royal Mines in Siberia under the most dangerous and risky “James Bond,” like gem extractions. The Czar’s Royal Mines have now been sealed away for decades. It was a risky operation. Two smaller pieces of the rare gemstone rough were purchased by The Japanese Royal Family’s jewelers in the 1990’s. SOLD

This internally-flawless, 80 carat, vivid, mint-green topaz left Russia on a dangerous, midnight train to Europe. 3-pieces of this natural, green topaz were mined in the Czar’s Royal Mines in Siberia under the most dangerous and risky “James Bond,” like gem extractions. The Czar’s Royal Mines have now been sealed away for decades. It was a risky operation. Two smaller pieces of the rare gemstone rough were purchased by The Japanese Royal Family’s jewelers in the 1990’s. SOLD

In deep shade it grabs any light available and glows. 

NOTE - “Before reading more about the  Ekaterina Topaz below, please read the 2 paragraphs about our name change from Old Virginia Gem Co. to Twisted South Emporium.”

When an item has an amazing and/or awe inspiring story, or it is a rarely seen, ‘one of a kind,’ or highly rare product like the, ‘Ekaterina Topaz,’ it rarely stays on the market for long. We are proud of the items we have brought to our customers at below retail costs, and will continue to do so. Some items are expensive, but very fair.

NOTE - We are absorbing, Old Virginia Gem Company,” into our mother company, ‘Twisted South LLC.” which produced the award-winning, international, magazine, Twisted South, as well as, Twisted South Radio returning.

We will be offering pieces from all of our amazing collections now including collections of art, oddities, historical (war related, important pottery, fine art, lithography, and pillows made from the actual curtains from the Duke & Duchess of Windsor’s castles. Also, our antique prison items, historic firearms, knives, (certified, natural death/antique taxidermy) which includes sea eagles, Andean condors, lemurs, marmosets and rare birds, all with Natural Death Certifications From Zoos). We have celebrity owned products, quilts, antique, handmade exotic, Southern furniture, rare vinyl records from Jerry Lee Lewis (signed and/or owned clothing and items). We also have the original, Lynyrd Skynyrd,’ with the band’s signatures on their very first album. Our new company is ‘Twisted South Emporium,’ and it will be opening soon. You can pre-register to receive online pre-opening at twistedsouth.com to receive our grand opening, sales, flash sales and any of our blogs that you choose to follow. We do not sell or share our lists! You will be notified of auctions, sales and educational material, music, free stuff!

Now, back to the Ekaterina Topaz.

The “Ekaterina Topaz,” is quite possibly one of the rarest topaz (or gems for that matter), on earth. It is a Dichroic (color shifting,) gem that changes from a beautiful mint green to a yellow-green that absolutely resembles a huge, green diamond. And, it’s rare. So rare the GIA (Gemological Institute of America,) mentions green topaz and even shows groupings of colored topaz, but NONE included green topaz. Even a search of their large gemological resource center will not reveal an image of a verified green topaz at the time this is written.

This topaz was taken out of Russia in the 1990’s by train, at huge risk. Taking anything this rare out of Russia is insanity, almost suicidal, unless you have James Bond type skills which are fictitious. A group of well known gemologists were transporting, demantoid garnet and other rare, Russian gems when they discovered 3 - pieces of rough, from an unsealed, Russian Imperial Mine, all of which are now heavily-sealed and locked away indefinitely. Origin -  Royal Mine near, Sherlovaya Gora, Zabaykalye, Siberia, Russia.

These mines are located in the Ural Mountains in one of the most inhospitable places on earth, Siberia. Historically things (even people,) who go into Siberia never come out, so to willingly go into Siberia and then transport yourself, your team, plus rare gem rough, out of Siberia which is borderline crazy. The Himalayan mountains are the most dangerous mining spots in the world, due to changing weather, dangerous climbing and isolation if things go wrong; especially if the team is not being tracked by a ground team.

But the mining team did come out of the Himalayas and in 1997 they came out with a very special package which held 3 -  large, green, stones which they moved via train to Eastern Europe and finally to the United States. One of the most respected mine owners/gemologists worldwide cut two of the rough, selling these two lesser/smaller gems, to, The Royal Japanese Jewelry Company, which had been known for supplying the Japanese Royal Family with gems and jewelry.

A note from a member of the original team (redacted for safety reasons) -

“This piece was actually in my stock and a decision was made to have it cut just last year *(2017)*. My cutter ****** did the cutting back in the ********** and then the gem was exported with other stones over to our stock in the USA. The stone was originally checked and approved by ******** ****** who worked as ********** gemologist for many years. He helped to certify most gems being smuggled (******** ** **** ******* ****** *********) out of Russia to rest of Europe.”

The final gem lay vaulted until 2017 when the gem’s owner (one of the team who removed it from Russia,) sent the gem to one of the world’s top gem-cutters in Czechoslovakia where it yielded an 80 carat, Flawless, dichroic-green topaz with such a phenomenal cut.

Just holding the gem has excited even seasoned jewelers/professors and gemologists. In full sun it resembles green diamond.

NOTE - The two gems purchased by the Japanese dealer have not been seen publicly since sold.

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