New blue tourmaline, help?

[MakingTheGrade]

I am ordering this 6.2mm tourmaline from Mich E, I know very little about tourmalines though, could anybody recommend a good starter site?

I've also noticed there are relatively few blue tourmalines available on gem sites, is the color harder to find than others? Are the blues typically heat treated if they aren't paraibas?

Would setting it in rose gold take away from the blue?

Thanks!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

..

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Side shot

 

[DiamanteBlu]

What a pretty stone!

I would stick with white metal. Personally, I think the rose gold would detract.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks!

OK, I''ll be honest, I''m just itching to get something in rose gold, haha. But if it doesn''t work for this stone, it doesn''t work. I have very little experience with rose gold, so the advice is appreciated!

 

[LD]

Date: 9/12/2009 6:37:48 PM
Author:MakingTheGrade
I am ordering this 6.2mm tourmaline from Mich E, I know very little about tourmalines though, could anybody recommend a good started site?

I''ve also noticed there are relatively few blue tourmalines available on gem sites, is the color harder to find than others? Are the blues typically heat treated if they aren''t paraibas?

Would setting it in rose gold take away from the blue?

Thanks!

The difference between a Tourmaline and a Paraiba Tourmaline is the chemical makeup - so nothing to do with heating. Some, not all, Tourmalines and Paraibas are heated to improve colour.

I definitely wouldn''t put this in rose gold. White or yellow would look lovely. Rose gold would clash and detract from the lovely stone/colour.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks LD! I asked about non-paraibas because I''ve heard that paraibas are more often heat treated, while most other tourmalines are not routinely heated? But I might be mistaken.

Hmm..maybe a two toned bezel like DT''s pendant?

 

[Arcadian]

I thought naturally blue tourmaline was on the rarer side. Also +1 vote for white gold. I think yellow gold would be fine too, but only if thats your thing KWIM?


Also, isn''t it true that cuprian has to have copper in it to be considered such?


-A

 

[Harriet]

Blues are rare, hence the lack of availability.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Haha, so I went to Barry's site thinking to read up on tourmalines in his "gem topics" archive, but there is no entry for Tourmaline!

Kind of funny since he cuts many of them.


I was also wondering if all blue tourmalines are called indicolite? Or just the darker blue ones?

 

[Harriet]

Look up "indicolite."

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 9/12/2009 7:22:53 PM
Author: Harriet
Look up ''indicolite.''

I looked it up online, there seem to be some conflicting opinions on how blue of a blue it has to be to be called indicolite.

 

[Stone Hunter]

The stone looks beautiful. Congrats!!

Did he have this posted on his site or did you have to ask for it?

I vote for white gold!! Love the blue and white combo.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 9/12/2009 7:47:27 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 9/12/2009 7:22:53 PM
Author: Harriet
Look up ''indicolite.''

I looked it up online, there seem to be some conflicting opinions on how blue of a blue it has to be to be called indicolite.

Are you surprised?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Haha Harriet, I guess not! Make me wonder why even have nomenclature to begin with, why not describe stones directly with numbers? Would be less confusing! But of course, it would make marketing harder

I guess a better question would be whether this particular tourm would be described as indicolite? It is blue...but not dark "indigo" blue..

 

[D&T]

Date: 9/12/2009 7:50:39 PM
Author: Stone Hunter
The stone looks beautiful. Congrats!!

Did he have this posted on his site or did you have to ask for it?

I vote for white gold!! Love the blue and white combo.

SH - he doesn't have it on his site, however, there is a LINK to where he does have it try that route

and where he talks about it. good Luck there are some nice gemmies. Otherwise email him and ask him for a link to his stones if you still can't find it.


MTG- I love Yellow with that color blue, otherwise white gold depends on what you like, I just find yellow and yummy bright blue sooo drooly (see TL's cuprian in her Yellow gold LOGR)

ETA:

here is TL's lovelies - your stone reminds of her color stone

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Haha DT, that pic is totally winning me over to the YG side!
This one isn''t a cuprian, but I''m hoping it is somewhat similar in color to TLs since that is such a gorgeous blue!

 

[T L]

MTG, D&T,
Thank you for the compliments on my stone.

MTG,
I think yellow gold is the way to go with these lighter blue tourmalines. It''s not that blue tourmaline is rare, but it is rare to find bright blue tourmaline with "open color" - in other words, blue tourmaline that doesn''t go extinct or look blackish in various light sources. Please post pictures when you get it, very lovely stone!!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks for the input TL, I went back to look up the thread with your cuprian, sigh, so stunning!

I will definitely post pics when it comes.

I''m still reading up on tourmalines and this whole "c-axis" / open color thing. It''s a little confusing.

 

[T L]

MTG, thank you!!

Most tourmaline has a penchant for going extinct or black in certain lighting. I forget which kind of lighting beause I tend to stay away from those kinds. However, to find a stone with open color, is rarer than ones without open color. Typically one of the axis, the C-axis, during the crystal formation tends to be on the dark side, and it can be difficult for a lapidary to cut the stone such that it looks bright using the other axis. I'm not a lapidary, but I do read their blogs and they complain about closed c-axis all the time. They can also lose a great deal of stone weight by trying to retain the brightness on the table when cutting it along the a-axis.

My Afghan tourmaline rough is an example of a double open axis colored stone, and so is the above cuprian, but more often than not, the c-axis is closed, and it can be a challenge to get a bright stone out of such material. I have seen indicolites that look almost black as a result.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Holy moly that''s a gorgeous tourmaline! Congrats!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks TL, I guess I''m just trying to figure out what it physically means (in terms of light optics) to have a "closed axis". Like, what is it that causes it to be closed from one axis and not the other? Is it like a polarizing filter affect somehow?

Haha, maybe my science background is not strong enough for this. Anyhow I hope this one is nice and open and pretty I have long admired your cuprian and stepcutnut''s lovely nambian blue tourmaline!

 

[T L]

Date: 9/12/2009 9:24:13 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
Thanks TL, I guess I'm just trying to figure out what it physically means (in terms of light optics) to have a 'closed axis'. Like, what is it that causes it to be closed from one axis and not the other? Is it like a polarizing filter affect somehow?

Haha, maybe my science background is not strong enough for this. Anyhow I hope this one is nice and open and pretty I have long admired your cuprian and stepcutnut's lovely nambian blue tourmaline!

THank you again MTG.

I think a picture speaks a thousand words when trying to convey the difference between open and closed color. Take a look at this selection of indicolites. It's easy to see which are "closed" and which are "open." I hope a lapidary chimes in here to give a better explanation than my attempt though. It has to do with the fact that tourmaline is dichroic. Again, my attempt to explain this phenomenon is feeble next to some people I know (who I hope chime in

). I know people that attempt to describe this at the atomic (quantum) level!!

BTW, your stone looks definitely open. I would be shocked, based on the pictures, if it went dark in certain lighting.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks for the photo TL hehe...quantum level explanations eh?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

PS. Mich also has this minty green tourm on sale for $75 I am more of a deep forest green fan, so the mints aren''t quite my cup of tea, but just in case others were interested, I thought I''d share!

 

[SB621]

Date: 9/12/2009 11:27:28 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
PS. Mich also has this minty green tourm on sale for $75 I am more of a deep forest green fan, so the mints aren''t quite my cup of tea, but just in case others were interested, I thought I''d share!

I have been looking for a mint tourmaline...what is the website?

 

[D&T]

And this one too... its a small fellow 4.45mm but the color is beautiful and for $30 (after the discount) why not... I have to be really good, and I have passed up on it, it is still available.

http://www.gemshoppe.com/

indicolite tourmaline

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 9/12/2009 11:42:23 PM
Author: Sarahbear621

Date: 9/12/2009 11:27:28 PM

Author: MakingTheGrade

PS. Mich also has this minty green tourm on sale for $75 I am more of a deep forest green fan, so the mints aren''t quite my cup of tea, but just in case others were interested, I thought I''d share!

I have been looking for a mint tourmaline...what is the website?

Just email him

[email protected]@gemshoppe.com

 

[T L]

Date: 9/12/2009 11:24:30 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
Thanks for the photo TL hehe...quantum level explanations eh?

Oh yeah, I hope you took a lot of physics courses!!

 

[jstarfireb]

Well, I think it would look lovely in rose gold, but I also think white gold or silver would be great. I tend to like cool metals against cool colored stones, so I personally would not choose yellow gold. But that may just be me.