Thoughts/buying advice on this tourmaline pretty please?

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

Hello friends,
I've been on a tourmaline kick lately, and saw this one which for the time being is in my possession. The color caught my eye, I would call it a peacock blue I guess, seemed interesting and unique to me but I'm quite the noob. It's 1.75ct, 8.72x6.58x4.48mm, slightly included, not the best cut (bit of a window + all dressed up with a bow tie). It has a lab brief which describes it as a vivid blue natural tourmaline. Would love to hear what everyone's thoughts are on it and what you think a fair purchase price may be? Trying to decide if it's worth hanging on to and spending my hard earned $$ on or if it's really nothing special.
Thanks so much!!

Now on to the pics:

 

[GliderPoss]

It's beautiful - I'd snap that up in a heatbeat!

 

[texaskj]

What color!
Buy it
buy it
buy it
nownownow!!!

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I love the colour.

I have a similar stone. It is included and windowed but the colour knocks my socks off every day.

 

[NKOTB]

Yup. I'd go for that puppy, unless it was outrageously expensive.

 

[VapidLapid]

I love the color, and wouldn't mind the clarity, but the bow window would bother me. Of course price could be the wild card. Sometimes a good price can make one look, not through, but around the windows to admire the drapes!

 

[T L]

Don't know if its irradiated, but if you like it and it's not too expensive, then go for it.

 

[chrono]

If the price is right.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

I love the color, and wouldn't mind the clarity, but the bow window would bother me. Of course price could be the wild card. Sometimes a good price can make one look, not through, but around the windows to admire the drapes!

VL, your comment actually made me laugh out loud. Love it. I completely agree, though!

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

It's beautiful - I'd snap that up in a heatbeat!

What color!
Buy it
buy it
buy it
nownownow!!!

I love the colour.

I have a similar stone. It is included and windowed but the colour knocks my socks off every day.

Thanks so much you guys!
I was hoping I was right about the color being good, but just don't know enough to know! lol

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

Yup. I'd go for that puppy, unless it was outrageously expensive.

Don't know if its irradiated, but if you like it and it's not too expensive, then go for it.

If the price is right.

Thanks so much for your advice!
Since the color is good, my big concern is not overpaying. Has anyone seen any comparable stones I could compare to or does anyone know what kind of price per carat might be acceptable? The closest stones I can find on the recommended vendors sites seem to be indicolite (but I may be way off) and pricing on ones that look similar seems to be anywhere from $100 to $200 per carat all the way up to $500 or $600 per carat! Help!

I love the color, and wouldn't mind the clarity, but the bow window would bother me. Of course price could be the wild card. Sometimes a good price can make one look, not through, but around the windows to admire the drapes!

VL, your comment actually made me laugh out loud. Love it. I completely agree, though!

I agree too! (about laughing out loud and the good advice as well! )

 

[T L]

Did the vendor say where it came from, like Namibia, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Brazil, etc. . .

Just curious.

If Namibian, I probably wouldn't pay more than $200 for it, as they tend to have a greyish cast in certain lighting IMO. I think Namibian stones are highly overrated. How does it look in all lighting? Brazilian stones tend to be irradiated, but I heard the same thing about African and Afghan stones.

I have seen some "moody" indicolites that tend to get really go grey or extinct in some lighting, and I think that should affect value too.

This is my Mozambique indicoloite. I paid $1000 for it about 10 years ago, and its 3.02 carats. Just a comparison. It does not go extinct or grey. It is a nice indicolite, but not neon like paraiba. I don't know if the prices skyrocketed since then, but it's just something to gauge by.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

TL: Your indicoloite is absolutely gorgeous. What an awesome purchase! If you ever decide it needs a new home...

 

[T L]

TL: Your indicoloite is absolutely gorgeous. What an awesome purchase! If you ever decide it needs a new home...

Thanks!

 

[chrono]

I know the colour isn't as rich or deep as yours but someone posted a very clean and pretty 1.7 ct indicolite recently on LT for $280.

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

Did the vendor say where it came from, like Namibia, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Brazil, etc. . .

Just curious.

If Namibian, I probably wouldn't pay more than $200 for it, as they tend to have a greyish cast in certain lighting IMO. I think Namibian stones are highly overrated. How does it look in all lighting? Brazilian stones tend to be irradiated, but I heard the same thing about African and Afghan stones.

I have seen some "moody" indicolites that tend to get really go grey or extinct in some lighting, and I think that should affect value too.

This is my Mozambique indicoloite. I paid $1000 for it about 10 years ago, and its 3.02 carats. Just a comparison. It does not go extinct or grey. It is a nice indicolite, but not neon like paraiba. I don't know if the prices skyrocketed since then, but it's just something to gauge by.

Thanks TL! Holy cow your indicolite is Gor-geous!! Wow!

Vendor said it is from Mozambique. I was already thinking I should spend the day with it to assess it's color moods, lol. Definitely is happiest and brightest in sunlight followed by incandescent lighting. On my hand indoors out of direct sun or interior lighting it goes to a darker, peacock blue - hard to describe - like a nice (medium?) blue with just a bit of teal or aqua mixed in. Doesn't seem to go grey to my (untrained) eye but I'll keep hanging out with it and see!

I know the colour isn't as rich or deep as yours but someone posted a very clean and pretty 1.7 ct indicolite recently on LT for $280.

Thanks Chrono! Any "comps" help so much since I have nothing to compare to and am terrified of getting a "bad" deal.

 

[T L]

sparkleismyfavcolor,
Thanks. In this pic, it looks greyer to my eye, but I don't know if this is an accurate photo.

 

[T L]

I know the colour isn't as rich or deep as yours but someone posted a very clean and pretty 1.7 ct indicolite recently on LT for $280.

That was a really pretty stone. I hope someone gets it. I liked the open color, and it had a lot of potential. I've seen lapidaries sell such material for way way way more $$$$.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

I know the colour isn't as rich or deep as yours but someone posted a very clean and pretty 1.7 ct indicolite recently on LT for $280.

That was a really pretty stone. I hope someone gets it. I liked the open color, and it had a lot of potential. I've seen lapidaries sell such material for way way way more $$$$.

Can't find it. Looks as if someone may have scooped it up already!

 

[chrono]

Yes, looks like it is already sold.
http://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-colored-gemstone/star-sold-star-1-dot-71ct-afghanistan-tourmaline-greenish-blue-precision-cut

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

sparkleismyfavcolor,
Thanks. In this pic, it looks greyer to my eye, but I don't know if this is an accurate photo.

I'm afraid you may be right. I thought maybe that was just from my skin showing through the window. Would it be better to look for grey by putting it on a white background while examining it in different lighting?

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

Yes, looks like it is already sold.
http://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-colored-gemstone/star-sold-star-1-dot-71ct-afghanistan-tourmaline-greenish-blue-precision-cut

That one was lovely and seemed to be a great price! It's very similar in color to one of the very wee paraibas I just bought from Jerry. There was no question in my mind about keeping those, Jerry is awesome! Keep meaning to start a thread on them because I have no idea how to set them!

 

[Acinom]

Amazing stone!!! I can already envision it in a beautiful setting.

I loved that remark regarding the drapes
It's applicable to my Paraiba:

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

Amazing stone!!! I can already envision it in a beautiful setting.

I loved that remark regarding the drapes
It's applicable to my Paraiba:

Oh Acinom, I have to confess that when I saw your thread for your paraiba, it absolutely took my breath away and started my tourmaline fever!

 

[T L]

sparkleismyfavcolor,
Thanks. In this pic, it looks greyer to my eye, but I don't know if this is an accurate photo.

I'm afraid you may be right. I thought maybe that was just from my skin showing through the window. Would it be better to look for grey by putting it on a white background while examining it in different lighting?

Well, depending on the price, and it may be expensive (you didn't say how much), I would want it to look good in all sorts of lighting. As for acinom's stone, that's not a regular indicolite, but a paraiba, which is very glowy, and a whole different ball of wax. I wouldn't even begin to compare an indicolite or a regular cuprian to a paraiba, although it is a beautiful site to see.

I find my indicolite looks awesome in fluorescents, which isn't a light that's often suitable to most stones. Did you check it under those (like typical office lighting).

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

sparkleismyfavcolor,
Thanks. In this pic, it looks greyer to my eye, but I don't know if this is an accurate photo.

I'm afraid you may be right. I thought maybe that was just from my skin showing through the window. Would it be better to look for grey by putting it on a white background while examining it in different lighting?

Well, depending on the price, and it may be expensive (you didn't say how much), I would want it to look good in all sorts of lighting. As for acinom's stone, that's not a regular indicolite, but a paraiba, which is very glowy, and a whole different ball of wax. I wouldn't even begin to compare an indicolite or a regular cuprian to a paraiba, although it is a beautiful site to see.

I find my indicolite looks awesome in fluorescents, which isn't a light that's often suitable to most stones. Did you check it under those (like typical office lighting).

ThanksTL! I haven't checked fluorescent lighting, I need to do that too! What lighting is the pic of yours taken in just for comparison's sake?

LOL about the paraiba - I learned pretty quickly that wasn't gonna happen and started looking at other tourmalines. I was able to get some wee paraiba from Jerry though! I sure hope one day I'll be lucky enough to have a nice big paraiba specimen. Someday!

 

[T L]

It was taken under those crappy new bulbs that everyone is supposed to have (I forget the name, CFL??), and actually the camera washed out a bit. I was at the hair salon last night and I wanted to take a pic of it under their fluorescent lighting but unfortunately, I would have looked ridiculous taking pictures of my hand. LOL!

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

It was taken under those crappy new bulbs that everyone is supposed to have (I forget the name, CFL??), and actually the camera washed out a bit. I was at the hair salon last night and I wanted to take a pic of it under their fluorescent lighting but unfortunately, I would have looked ridiculous taking pictures of my hand. LOL!

LOL! The price we pay for this obsession!

It's funny you say that because I was walking around my house and yard yesterday making DH take pics of the stone on my hand and I'm sure my neighbors thought I was such a weirdo!!

 

[sparkleismyfavcolor]

So they're asking $600 for this little gem. Is this a fair price, or overpriced?

I have until Wednesday to decide, so I definitely appreciate everyone's input sooo much! I'm so bad at decision making, especially if money is involved!

 

[T L]

So they're asking $600 for this little gem. Is this a fair price, or overpriced?

I have until Wednesday to decide, so I definitely appreciate everyone's input sooo much! I'm so bad at decision making, especially if money is involved!

I think it's a bit overpriced. Too much grey for me to be honest, as much as everyone hates when I say that.

For over 300/ct, I would want it to be at least precision cut.