14Sep Sapphire – the Star Attraction
One of the most fascinating and rare varieties of sapphire is the so-called “star” sapphire.This member of the corundum family exhibits a clear star shape (or asterism) under certain lighting conditions. When viewed using a…
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09Sep Successful Charity Run for Kandy Kids
On Sunday 7th September, Nineteen48’s co-founder, Stuart, put on his running shoes and joined Steve O’Driscoll from Kandy Kids for a half-marathon in their hometown of Bournemouth.The “dynamic” duo followed a course that took them…
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22Jul Not a Lot of People Know That – Some Sapphire Trivia
The name for sapphire is thought to have come from Greek (‘sappheiros’) or Latin (‘sapphirus’). Both of these words probably referred originally to lapis lazuli or were used as a generic term for blue gemstones.…
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22Jul New Charity Partner for Nineteen48
We are very pleased to announce that we are now working with another charity partner in Sri Lanka, the Emerge Lanka Foundation.The foundation is the Sri Lanka-based sister entity of Emerge Global, a Boston-based, non-profit…
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20Mar Sapphires Are Blue and Rubies Are Red… Right?
There is a common misconception that all sapphires are blue and all rubies are red. However, there’s a lot more to the colour of these stones than one might think.Both of these precious gemstones belong…
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13Mar Discovering the Treasures of the Kristall Gallerie
In the town of Swakopmund on the Namibian coast, there is a fairly unassuming structure that could easily be overlooked as a modern apartment block or office building. However, housed within is a quite staggering…
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01Mar Official Recognition for Kandy Kids
The co-founder of Kandy Kids, Steve O’Driscoll, was in Sri Lanka in January, working on a range of projects for the charity. Whilst he was there, Steve was invited to talk to some of the…
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21Feb Spinel – the Affordable Alternative to the Big Three?
It’s not everyone that can afford to own a sapphire, ruby or emerald, but there are some very attractive alternatives when it comes to buying coloured gemstones.One of those alternatives is spinel, a much underrated…
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12Feb Kandy Kids Trip to Sri Lanka 2014
January was a busy month for Kandy Kids, with co-founder, Steve O’Driscoll, spending a few weeks in Sri Lanka overseeing all types of new projects at the orphanages supported by the charity.A lot of work…
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01Feb The Hidden Gems of Elmhurst – a Review of the Lizzadro Museum
There are many places around the world where one can see amazing collections of gemstones and jewellery. Major museums are often the proud owners of a wide range of minerals and fossils or beautiful items…
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