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 » Colored Stones
»  » does afghanistan have top quality tourmaline??
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does afghanistan have top quality tourmaline?? |
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| P: 2/20/2004 11:20:35 AM | |
nikkis34 Rough Rock Total Posts: 5 Last Post: 8/27/2004 Member Since: 2/19/2004 |
Also how do I become good at identifying good tourmaline. I would like to go to some gem workshops in San Francisco Bay area, if someone could point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated.
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| Posted: 2/20/2004 11:20:35 AM | |
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There are 5 replies to this message. There are 5 replies on this page. |
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| P: 2/20/2004 6:18:09 PM | |
Vincent Pardieu Cut Rock Total Posts: 408 Last Post: 3/7/2008 Member Since: 1/21/2004 |
Hello, You can find fine quality tourmalines in the pegmatites of the Nuristan near jalalabad: Achoite, rubelite, verdelite (very big crystals that can be up to 30 cm)... Sorry no photos... All the best Vincent Pardieu, "travel addicted gemologist". |
| Posted: 2/20/2004 6:18:09 PM | |
| P: 2/20/2004 9:15:47 PM | |
valeria101 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 14,048 Last Post: 4/30/2006 Member Since: 8/29/2003 |
Run of the mill, from Kunar. the larger pieces are about 10-15 cts. It does get better... Ana "The greatest experts are only as good as the sum total of what they have seen." [Souren Melikian] |
| Posted: 2/20/2004 9:15:47 PM | |
| P: 2/21/2004 12:48:30 AM | |
mike04456 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,441 Last Post: 3/28/2004 Member Since: 11/20/2002 |
Top quality? No--the best tourmaline comes from Brazil and some sources in Africa. But as Mogok says, Afghanistan does produce some nice rubelite, among other varieties. It's known mainly for its rubies and emeralds.
Qualities of tourmaline (as with all colored stones) are determined primarily by color. To tell commercial from fine from superfine, you have to look at a lot of different stones under some competent instruction. Clarity is a lesser issue, esp. with tourmaline, which can be highly included, but as might be expected, eye-clean stones are worth more than ones with visible inclusions.
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| Posted: 2/21/2004 12:48:30 AM | |
| P: 2/21/2004 12:01:44 PM | |
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Vincent Pardieu Cut Rock Total Posts: 408 Last Post: 3/7/2008 Member Since: 1/21/2004 |
Yep completely agree with Law Gem... Tourmaline is a speciality in Idar Oberstien, Germany for the cut. In Bangkok we dont see much fine stones. All the best, Vincent Pardieu, "travel addicted gemologist". |
| Posted: 2/21/2004 12:01:44 PM | |
| P: 5/24/2005 8:54:21 AM | |
Richard W. Wise Cut Rock Total Posts: 349 Last Post: 11/21/2009 Member Since: 11/16/2003 |
There is some excellent quality tourmaline coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan as well. I disgree with the statement that top quality tourmaline comes only from Brazil. Simply not true. As the images kindly placed by Anna illustrate. Tourmaline has, for too long, been graded by what I call the "look alike" standard. Under this standard. Green tourmaline is valued by how closely it resembles emerald. Tourmaline has very different qualities. It will rarely show either the purity of hue or the wonderful limpid crystal of the finest of emerald. When compared to emerald, tourmaline has what Max Bauer called "feeble refraction" thus lacking the potential refraction of the finest emerald and is much more dichoric meaning that it will always exhibit what I call "multi-color" effect which is considered a defect in emerald. As Anna's images show, the lighter toned greens are really more beautiful than the darker "emerald like" hues. The market is beginning to recognize this, Paraiba established what tourmaline lacked, that is a tourmaline aristoracy like Burma-Ruby and Kashmir Sapphire as well as a "native standard" for tourmaline grading. Enough for now, I cover this topic (surprise, surprise) fairly extensively in my book Richard W. Wise G.G., author, Secrets Of The Gem TradeThe Connoisseur's Guide To Precious Gemstones. |
| Posted: 5/24/2005 8:54:21 AM | |
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