Blue-green Lagoon Tourmaline hunting

[polarisfire]

Hey guys, I’ve fallen in this one instagram hole of neon lagoon tourmalines (fav color is blue-green/green-blue). This particular account I follow is gemobsessedsingapore and everything is gorgeous but also seems expensive? Like $1000/carat. I mean they’re really clean and well cut but I’m not used to non cuprian tourmaline prices going up real high. I asked about it and she says it’s because they’re Nigerian, the mine’s closed, and on average they’re more neon than Afghani blue greens. Anyone else out here got experience with the lagoon tourmalines who can comment on these claims? I love the blue shift color in the below pics - both are the same stone:

 

[polarisfire]

Meanwhile there’s this one at 1.45 carats for about 900
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByMSnSClDin/?igshid=kdmsn1m9ruuh

 

[T L]

It’s very pretty, but I’ve seen Afghan tourmaline that puts that to shame. As for the price, I’m not sure if it’s fair, as I’ve seen prices all over the place.

I would also want photos in various lighting.

 

[T L]

Here’s a Nigerian stone, similar color, less per carat and almost twice the size, and this dealer isn’t a bargain.

https://www.ajsgem.com/blue-blue-green-tourmaline/minty-blue-green-tourmaline-4.80-carats.html

 

[T L]

Btw, there was a cuprian deposit in Nigeria, but I’m not sure if this lagoon material is what the dealer is talking about. Out of the three paraiba locations (Nigeria, Mozambique and Brazil), Nigeria is the least neon.

 

[mochiko42]

Yvonne Raley had some blue-green tourmaline at one point that she described as 'lagoon' color. From what I remember, she said it was part of a small find that has now been mined out. I can't find her Etsy listing for those stones anymore but here is an Instagram post she made about it.

 

[T L]

Her photo must be bad because that looks like a regular green tourmaline to me, open color, but I don’t see teal.

 

[mochiko42]

Yeah that is not the best example. She definitely had some of those stones that were more blue but I can't find the images anymore. I remember because I debated buying a blue green cushion cut tourmaline (color reminded me of somewhere between Afghan and Namibian) from her a while back but ended up getting something else, I forgot what now

 

[polarisfire]

Nah, I don’t think she’s talking about cuprian, just bright indicolite. It seems there’s lots of indicolite with gray in it or is too dark, it’s hard to tell from photos so searching around is overwhelming so far.

 

[icy_jade]

Idk. Tourmalines can look so good in the tropics you know? Above is a pic of a mint tourmaline in the sun. Same tourmaline, different lighting below.




$1k/ carat sounds really pricey to me. I’ll rather get a sapphire for that price.

 

[AV_]

I've noticed a couple at Colorado Gem. There used to be many more of these around, at least some are cuprian - but not with that Paraiba look, so the chemistry is of no interest [return to reason, to whom it may concern].

 

[qubitasaurus]

Why don't you check bayoto out on Instagram? They have some strange policy on wire transfer but they have nice tourmaline from time to time and it is not expensive. I think gemobsessed may even have been buying from them at some stage (at least I remember her posting about something like this). Agreed with icy, tourmaline look nice in the tropics (like SG where all those photos were taken).

 

[lovedogs]

I was looking for this color stone for a while, so have a bunch of IG vendors on my feed who have them. But some are from Afghanistan, which is the least bright of all the material (at least from what I've seen). Still pretty though! I'll try to find some pics and share them.

 

[lovedogs]

From brazil, I think this is gorgeous. Bright (but not paraiba and therefore not as $$)
https://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=11697

500ish per ct.

 

[lovedogs]

These guys don't publish prices, but have lots of blue/green tourmaline. Can't vouch for them, but just as a point of price comparison it might be worth reaching out.
https://instagram.com/valleyofgems.official?igshid=13pdanrjiimi4

 

[lovedogs]

Sorry, one more option to reach out re: price.
Lots of lagoon tourmalines.
https://instagram.com/vvagems?igshid=1vx0g7yv1mqo3

 

[2Neesers]

Here’s one from beau-wy precision cut by Dan Stair. His photos show how the color of the stone shifts depending on the lighting from more green to more blue.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-precis...rentrq:926fa61016d0a4e8bc46c7c4fff6fe80|iid:1

 

[Arcadian]

I got mine from Swala years ago. its gorgeous yes (thankful for that cutting too!) and in Florida my goodness the color!!! But it does change quite a lot even from just going inside to outside. I also have an afgan stone cut by Precision Gems, not neon but absolutely gorgeous ( the smallest amount of yellow which isn't a detractor IMO)

Please please please be picky whom you get these types of stones because your viewing environment matters. Mine here in Florida didn't get that super crazy neon blue in Massachusetts. It would glow sure, but here in sunlight its NEON BLUEISHGREEN (all caps y'all....). I wish I was joking. Either way its absolutely gorgeous stone and I paid a very good price for it

 

[polarisfire]

Lots of good leads, thanks so much!!

I mean, I'm based in southern california so I have that Sunlight also, heh. I am definitely looking for the medium teal as neon as possible. And icy jade, I like the color on your indicolite double halo ring. I told myself I was on ban now but this is good stuff for looking around and getting a sense for the pricing.

 

[T L]

Regardless where the stone comes from, it should be beautiful. The only tourmaline origin that holds a monetary premium is Brazilian paraiba, but for non copper bearing indicolite, origin doesn’t matter. I have a Brazilian indicolite that I adore. The most beautiful indicolite or greenish blue tourmaline, outside of a paraiba, that I ever saw was an Afghan stone at a gem show. It was in a ring.

Of course nothing compares to top quality paraiba, which has its own electric source, lol! It looks great in a dark closet!!!

 

[T L]

From brazil, I think this is gorgeous. Bright (but not paraiba and therefore not as $$)
https://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=11697

500ish per ct.

I have a cuprian that is the same color. I consider it more of a regular indicolite than s true paraiba

 

[voce]

OMG, I saw this on LT and just had to share. Instead of paying $1000/ct, why don't you get this indicolite set from a former PS'er for the price of 3.84ct total for $1000? They look fairly neon to me if you like the color and cut. The cutting was done by Jeff White, one of the top.

https://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-colored-gemstone/3-stone-indicolite-suite;31160

 

[2Neesers]

Here is another one that has potential. Her hand pictures are not glamour shots that were taken in the best possible lighting, so the stones I have purchased look better in person. If it interests you, I would ask if those are inclusions in the photo or fingerprints. I’m leaning toward fingerprints since you can’t see them in the studio photo. She runs sales occasionally, so I am assuming the price could be negotiated down 10-15%
https://www.etsy.com/listing/645022...s-loose-natural?ref=shop_home_active_89&frs=1

 

[polarisfire]

2Neezers: Love the pear!!
voce: Yes I also saw those indicolites on LT and considered them. They seemed a little grayish and too blue though, but maybe it's just the lighting Perhaps I should ask for a video of em'.
I love the litnon stone also...
Been lookin on Colorado Gem and there's some affordable ones there too, though the photography makes it hard to compare between their stock.

 

[icy_jade]

Lots of good leads, thanks so much!!

I mean, I'm based in southern california so I have that Sunlight also, heh. I am definitely looking for the medium teal as neon as possible. And icy jade, I like the color on your indicolite double halo ring. I told myself I was on ban now but this is good stuff for looking around and getting a sense for the pricing.

Just took some pics so you can see how it changes with different light. This is from Bayoto and he said it’s from Oyo mine. FWIW I paid less than $1000/ct for this 3.6 ct tourmaline. I don’t know if it’s considered neon but there is a nice sheen under lights.

 

[elle_71125]

What about this one? I think the color is gorgeous!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3HW-4vFXuz/

 

[kgizo]

My mother and I have some YR lagoon tourms. Is it a little glowy - yes, is it neon - no, is the color gorgeous - hell yes! I have the ring below (sidestones were swapped out), the color is beautiful in all lighting and doesn’t shift too much. The earrings are my mothers, paraiba pears, purple garnets, and lagoon cushions. You can see how the lagoons are “bright”, but not the glow of the paraibas. If you order from that vendor I’d be interested in your opinion if the stone is glowy or true neon.

 

[pwsg07]

Nomads has a huge selection of lagoon tourmaline. If you are in the New York area, you can contact them.

 

[polarisfire]

Alrighty, so I got the litnon one to look at, and it's beautiful but! has a surface reaching inclusion on the table It's also bigger than I'd likely ever wear on a regular basis so I'm thinking I should send it back... sigh. Whaddya think?

First up, indoor light pics:

 

[polarisfire]

Here's photos of the surface inclusion:


Then sunlight:





Don't mind the circular artifact in the upper right corner of the last pic, it's just a reflection off the loupe.

Anddd for reference here's the vendor pics: