Aussie Recovers 394-ct Sapphire with Bare Hands
January 09, 25
(IDEX Online) - Australian Matt Betteridge unearthed a huge 394-carat sapphire with his bare hands after he spotted "something glimmering in the road".
He was walking after heavy rains washed away topsoil in Rubyvale, Queensland, an area known for its precious gemstones.
Betteridge, a professional sapphire miner, said it was "just waiting to be found". It's the biggest sapphire he's discovered in 15 years.
Sapphire prices vary wildly, depending primarily on color. Despite the size of this particular gem, Betteridge says it would only fetch around $600.
"It's not going to be faceted into a big gem," he said. "It's going to stay exactly the way it is because it's a pretty cool crystal structure."
Pics from Matt Betteridge's TikTok.