opinions please

[lavatea]

Ok, so I really want a tsavorite, but I''ve seen some tourmalines that seem to approximate the color of a tsav and they seem to be cheaper. So I''ve been looking at those, too. I found this one (thanks to jstarfireb''s thread) and wondered what you guys thought of it.

 

[Arcadian]

Date: 1/30/2010 10:48:10 PM
Author:lavatea
Ok, so I really want a tsavorite, but I''ve seen some tourmalines that seem to approximate the color of a tsav and they seem to be cheaper. So I''ve been looking at those, too. I found this one (thanks to jstarfireb''s thread) and wondered what you guys thought of it.

I''m probably not going help you (well maybe I will...)

When I compare that tourmaline to my tsav, that tourmaline looks olive green. You may of course like if you get it though I do see extinction around the edges and at the tip.

How do you feel about it?


-A

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks for the shout-out! I think it''s a pretty color, but I also see what I believe is extinction (the darker, almost black areas). On the video, there is what looks like an inclusion on the right lower side of the stone, on the pavilion side - hard to say if it''s eye-clean or not, since the pic looks good. Also, the crown is pretty flat, which may dull the appearance of the stone. FWIW I''m worried about the crown on my asscher tanzanite appearing a bit flat too.

For those reasons I might pass on it; however, you really can''t go wrong if it stays around $10!

 

[T L]

Date: 1/30/2010 11:46:09 PM
Author: Arcadian

Date: 1/30/2010 10:48:10 PM
Author:lavatea
Ok, so I really want a tsavorite, but I''ve seen some tourmalines that seem to approximate the color of a tsav and they seem to be cheaper. So I''ve been looking at those, too. I found this one (thanks to jstarfireb''s thread) and wondered what you guys thought of it.

I''m probably not going help you (well maybe I will...)

When I compare that tourmaline to my tsav, that tourmaline looks olive green. You may of course like if you get it though I do see extinction around the edges and at the tip.

How do you feel about it?


-A

Definitely!! I actually got a green tourmaline nicer than that for free with an ebay purchase from someone else.

Unless you like olive green and very dark gems, I would pass, even for $9. With S&H, it will come close to $20 or so, and I think that''s too much for that stone in all honesty.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Yeah, if you get a chance to go to a gem show or a nice colored gem jewelery store, and compare a quality tsav and tourmaline side by side, I think the tsav wins hands done in terms of pure green tones. I hear chrome tourmalines can be a beautiful intense green too, but I think they are almost as pricey as tsavs.

link

 

[LD]

If you like Tsavs then the colour is going to be difficult to replicate in a Tourmaline (not impossible but you may have to search for a while). Most Tourmalines wll have yellow undertones and will look browner or more olive than a Tsav. A good Tsav will lean towards the bluer end of the spectrum which gets rid of most of the undesirable olive tones.

 

[T L]

There are chrome tourmalines that in fine quality emulate some tsavorite, but they lack the higher RI. It is important to note that some tsavorite can have an olive green color to them as well.

 

[chrono]

Only chrome tourmalines can come close to looking like a tsavorite, but most also have a tendency to get rather darkish in large sizes. The green tourmaline you linked to looks very dark, unsaturated and rather olive.

 

[lavatea]

Date: 1/31/2010 12:00:42 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
If you like Tsavs then the colour is going to be difficult to replicate in a Tourmaline (not impossible but you may have to search for a while). Most Tourmalines wll have yellow undertones and will look browner or more olive than a Tsav. A good Tsav will lean towards the bluer end of the spectrum which gets rid of most of the undesirable olive tones.

That''s what I was thinking. But I love all things green, so I thought a green tourmaline might satisfy - at least for a while.

jstarfireb - You''re welcome! And I saw what you were talking about as far as something looking like an inclusion. It was more noticeable in the video than the picture. As a general rule, I hate inclusions I can see, so that was making me hesitate a bit.

Thanks for all of the comments. I will keep saving my pennies and continue my search.

 

[lavatea]

Date: 1/30/2010 11:46:09 PM
Author: Arcadian

How do you feel about it?

-A

Oops, I meant to respond to this question first. I like the stone ok. There''s a weird spot on the edge that keeps catching my eye (jstarfireb pointed it out as well) that I don''t like. Maybe it could be covered by bezel setting it?

To me the stone is a pretty color green, although I''d have to agree with you guys that as far as approximating a tsav''s color - well, it doesn''t. But as I mentioned in my last post, I

love

green, so I guess that doesn''t bother me all that much.

I don''t know, it seemed like a decent little thing if I was able to get it cheap, but you''re right, tourmaline_lover, it probably wouldn''t have ended up being that cheap after the shipping and stuff. Not to mention the cost of eventually setting it.

Thanks again!

 

[Arcadian]

Date: 1/31/2010 5:37:09 PM
Author: lavatea

That''s what I was thinking. But I love all things green, so I thought a green tourmaline might satisfy - at least for a while.

jstarfireb - You''re welcome! And I saw what you were talking about as far as something looking like an inclusion. It was more noticeable in the video than the picture. As a general rule, I hate inclusions I can see, so that was making me hesitate a bit.

Thanks for all of the comments. I will keep saving my pennies and continue my search.

don''t feel bad, I do too. Its my favorite color in the whole world. I''m tolerant of crazy green colors where most wouldn''t...lol But if you want a tsav, imo, save and get the best you can get. They really aren''t like anything else out there.

Personally I want to get a green green dematoid like Harriet has but well,

. That time isn''t now!

You maybe can find a green tourmaline with a bit of blue in it to kinda help pacify though it may not satisfy if you really want a tsav. I tried that with my newest peridot. And while I love every bit of the 6ct my peridot has, its still not the green of my tsav.

For me, the green feene has been scratched. I got what I needed.

(now if only I can figure freaking blues...urgh!!!!

)


-A

 

[LD]

Arcadian - I know you love all things green but you may find Demantoid disappointing. It''s sort of the Alexandrite of the Garnet world in that it''s not necessarily the most beautiful gem! You have such good taste in your Sphene (stunning

) and your Tsav (yummy

) that I wonder if a Demantoid will rock your world? I do own a few reasonably good ones and yes, they''re lovely but they don''t have the WOW factor that some other gemstones do. Sorry to all the Demantoid lovers.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/31/2010 5:49:09 PM
Author: Arcadian

Date: 1/31/2010 5:37:09 PM
Author: lavatea

That''s what I was thinking. But I love all things green, so I thought a green tourmaline might satisfy - at least for a while.

jstarfireb - You''re welcome! And I saw what you were talking about as far as something looking like an inclusion. It was more noticeable in the video than the picture. As a general rule, I hate inclusions I can see, so that was making me hesitate a bit.

Thanks for all of the comments. I will keep saving my pennies and continue my search.

don''t feel bad, I do too. Its my favorite color in the whole world. I''m tolerant of crazy green colors where most wouldn''t...lol But if you want a tsav, imo, save and get the best you can get. They really aren''t like anything else out there.

Personally I want to get a green green dematoid like Harriet has but well,

. That time isn''t now!

You maybe can find a green tourmaline with a bit of blue in it to kinda help pacify though it may not satisfy if you really want a tsav. I tried that with my newest peridot. And while I love every bit of the 6ct my peridot has, its still not the green of my tsav.

For me, the green feene has been scratched. I got what I needed.

(now if only I can figure freaking blues...urgh!!!!

)


-A

A-
If you love green, you need to start saving for a fine emerald.

 

[Arcadian]

TL, my mom''s mother had a lovely emerald pendant that at times she would wear with a diamond brooch. That came through her family from her mother when she got married. My gram was born in 1912 if that helps. My mothers family...is interesting. (thats a story for another board!!)

Anyway I don''t have any idea how big the center stone is but though 3cts or less, the color was AMAZING! It about burned your retina it blazed so hard! It was set in platinum and with a few diamonds. I don''t know what type though but they were pretty.

Upon my grandmothers death in 1997 it went to her eldest living daughter (my mom was child number 14!!)

For myself, I really am not keen on getting an emerald, and maybe its because I remember that crazy megawatt color! I''m never going to find anything like that within a price point that won''t make me faint.

LD, since being here I''m finding how much I really do like garnets. The more I see some of the dematoids, the more I want one. Thats something I''ll have to save up for; even for an itty bitty one. Ideal color it won''t be though.

But green, yeah, I will tolerate some funky greens (y''all should see my chrome green toumaline!! My husband says its "technically ugly" lol)


-A

 

[T L]

Date: 1/31/2010 7:32:37 PM
Author: Arcadian
TL, my mom's mother had a lovely emerald pendant that at times she would wear with a diamond brooch. That came through her family from her mother when she got married. My gram was born in 1912 if that helps. My mothers family...is interesting. (thats a story for another board!!)

Anyway I don't have any idea how big the center stone is but though 3cts or less, the color was AMAZING! It about burned your retina it blazed so hard! It was set in platinum and with a few diamonds. I don't know what type though but they were pretty.

Upon my grandmothers death in 1997 it went to her eldest living daughter (my mom was child number 14!!)

For myself, I really am not keen on getting an emerald, and maybe its because I remember that crazy megawatt color! I'm never going to find anything like that within a price point that won't make me faint.

LD, since being here I'm finding how much I really do like garnets. The more I see some of the dematoids, the more I want one. Thats something I'll have to save up for; even for an itty bitty one. Ideal color it won't be though.

But green, yeah, I will tolerate some funky greens (y'all should see my chrome green toumaline!! My husband says its 'technically ugly' lol)


-A

Namibian demantoids are reasonably priced, and Gemlininc has some (Russian and Namibian). The green on them is not as amazing as the old mine material from the Urals, and I mean the original mines, not the newer ones in Russia.

As far as green color is concerned, demantoids don't do it for me, except for the very old mine material from the Urals as I saw at the Grainger Hall of gems recently. Here's a fuzzy pic. but it was a neon green. Otherwise, you rarely ever seem them this color. They just don't mine them anymore.

As for emeralds, I think the green is unparalleled, and I've seen many. I even tried on a 5 carat emerald that was worth $250,000, and I'll never forget that stone. *sigh*

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 1/31/2010 8:53:57 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 1/31/2010 7:32:37 PM
Author: Arcadian
TL, my mom''s mother had a lovely emerald pendant that at times she would wear with a diamond brooch. That came through her family from her mother when she got married. My gram was born in 1912 if that helps. My mothers family...is interesting. (thats a story for another board!!)

Anyway I don''t have any idea how big the center stone is but though 3cts or less, the color was AMAZING! It about burned your retina it blazed so hard! It was set in platinum and with a few diamonds. I don''t know what type though but they were pretty.

Upon my grandmothers death in 1997 it went to her eldest living daughter (my mom was child number 14!!)

For myself, I really am not keen on getting an emerald, and maybe its because I remember that crazy megawatt color! I''m never going to find anything like that within a price point that won''t make me faint.

LD, since being here I''m finding how much I really do like garnets. The more I see some of the dematoids, the more I want one. Thats something I''ll have to save up for; even for an itty bitty one. Ideal color it won''t be though.

But green, yeah, I will tolerate some funky greens (y''all should see my chrome green toumaline!! My husband says its ''technically ugly'' lol)


-A

Namibian demantoids are reasonably priced, and Gemlininc has some (Russian and Namibian). The green on them is not as amazing as the old mine material from the Urals, and I mean the original mines, not the newer ones in Russia.

As far as green color is concerned, demantoids don''t do it for me, except for the very old mine material from the Urals as I saw at the Grainger Hall of gems recently. Here''s a fuzzy pic. but it was a neon green. Otherwise, you rarely ever seem them this color. They just don''t mine them anymore.

As for emeralds, I think the green is unparalleled, and I''ve seen many. I even tried on a 5 carat emerald that was worth $250,000, and I''ll never forget that stone. *sigh*

Agree, I have never seen such a color. Incredible. They probably don''t mine them like this. However, they are very sparkly.