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There’s Sapphires in them there Hills!

by on ‎08-16-2013 03:08 PM

There’s Sapphires in them there Hills!



Fifteen years ago I started working on a new program for QVC featuring Sapphires mined in Montana.  I loved the idea and was so excited about actually working with a precious gemstone mined in the USA.  The mine owner had come to QVC and made a presentation of the most beautiful blue and golden sapphires.  I flew to Montana with a QVC film crew and a host (Lisa Mason) and spent a glorious three days in Montana enjoying the great beauty of the state and discovering the area where Sapphires were mined.


We were all so excited and couldn’t wait to bring this beautiful stone on-air.  Months went by and the mine owner kept in touch and continued to apologize for the delays but was unable to deliver the quantity and quality of Sapphires that we had originally seen and been excited about.  Unfortunately, we discovered that this show was impossible because the production of gem quality sapphires was just too small.  I was so disappointed but my love of this stone continued.



Fast forward 15 years and I received a call from a good friend, Lisa, in the jewelry industry that she had partnered with the owners of the Rock Creek Sapphire Mine in Montana and wanted to come see me.   I laughed and told her how much I loved her but please don’t waste your time, it is not possible to pull it off.  Lisa laughed right back at me and said she was coming anyway.  When I walked into the meeting room at QVC, she had laid out the most beautiful array of Montana Sapphires that I had ever seen.  I was blown away and thought, wow, but this is probably all there is.


Lisa began telling the story of how the Rock Creek Montana Sapphire Mine had stopped producing over 20 years ago but the mine owner had a large stock of rough stones in his basement.  He was willing to cut them for us and sort them into a range of blue, green, and golden sapphires.  Once, I was able to speak again, I said fabulous but the proof is in the pudding.  We worked with David and Maureen, the gold/gemstone buyers on sketches of unique styling that would really highlight these beautiful Sapphires.  Lisa went on her way, I wished her well, and thought ok, she may be back or may not with enough stones to actually do this project.



Sure enough, Lisa called a few weeks later, and said she was on her way to show us what was possible.  The stones are magnificent.  There are five different colors that we are able to work with; Montana Blue, Rock Creek Blue, Green, Golden, Platinum and Kaleidoscope.  Lisa had a list of stones that the mine owner thought he could supply.  We would need every single gemstone that was available to make this happen.


The Rock Creek Sapphire Mine is located between Gem Mountain and Rock Creek in a beautiful, remote area of Montana.  Millions of years ago as the mountain eroded the gem bearing gravel traveled across a wide field into Rock Creek.  There was a dip in the field and some of the gravel got trapped in the dip.  Many years later, while prospecting for gold, miners discovered that there was no gold but a precious stone instead.



Please tune in for this amazing show that I never thought would be possible.  To be able to wear a precious gemstone mined in America is a rare treat.  We went back to Montana with a film crew and the footage of Montana is spectacular and the mine mesmerizing. 


Take care, Peyton