Finding the 'diamond in the rough' was made a little easier for fossickers and treasure hunters at the Warrnambool Gem Club's annual show this weekend with a range of different crystals, minerals, fossils and stones were on display.
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Gemmological Association of Australia gemmologist David Heiderich was hard at work during the show helping verify different types of stones patrons bought in from home.
"We had two different people during the weekend with natural golden sapphires, yellow sapphires with an intense colour, who didn't know what they were," Mr Heiderich said.
"In one instance the stone was received as a gift, and the other the person had forgotten what it was after purchasing it some time ago.
"I do get to see a lot of imitation gems, cubic zirconia and coloured glass. This show there has been a few nice natural gems, a few nice imitation gems and a few surprises."
Warrnambool Gem Club member Alan Altman said the show had been a massive success.
"We have had a very successful show, Saturday was excellent," he said.
"Lots of kids enjoyed making pet rocks and collecting stones from White's Lucky Gem Mine. We had to refill the mine three times."
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