Identification of stone--Tourmaline?

[canuk-gal]

Hello:

I purchased a stone--a "raspberry tourmaline"--in SE Asia several years ago and it has been sitting in my safe. I am thinking of having it set into a ring. Thing is, like so many gemstone purchases I made while overseas, I was mistaken in many of them (sapphires, jade...) and now I am wondering if this stone is indeed what it was "claimed" to be. Bought it at Siam or Thai Gems (?) and paid about $60 or $70 USD. Cushion cut around 4 carats.

Before I embark on having someone locally identify the stone (probably cost me more than the stone is worth??), I thought I''d post some pics here so see if any of the experts might want to take a stab at idenfiying it. Any reliable way to test if it is glass?

BTW, I went to the Pala website and appreciated the information gleaned from there. Thanks!!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[canuk-gal]

another

 

[canuk-gal]

one more

 

[canuk-gal]

and last....

 

[Richard Sherwood]

It's probably either (1) tourmaline, or (2) rhodolite garnet. I lean quite a bit more towards tourmaline.

It doesn't have the look of glass at all, but rather a natural stone.

Looks definitely worth setting to me. Also looks like you got a great deal on it.

 

[Richard M.]

Hi C-G,

No guarantee, but your stone looks a lot like Nigerian tourmaline in a color also sometimes marketed as "copper tourmaline." I just cut one and it has the same orange-pink colors. Maybe we ought to rename it "padparadscha tourmaline"

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Nice work on the tourmaline there, Richard.

 

[Michael_E]

canuk-gal,
I''ve attached a pic of a Nigerian tourmaline that I cut which was distinctly greenish on the A-B axis. Even though it doesn''t show that green face up you can see it with a dichroscope and even see a hint of the green in the stones reflection in the mirror that it''s sitting on. I agree with the two Richards, that it is most likely a tourmaline. Tourmalines are generally dichroic and sometimes you can see a hint of those different colors just by examing the light through the stone at various angles. Garnet is not dichroic so the color is the same in every direction. Glass becomes fairly obvious through a microscope as it generally has small bubbles and swirl lines. Glass is also so soft and brittle that you would probably see some chipping on facet junctions with a loupe. Making the call on your stone would be really fast and inexpensive for a gemologist, especially if you were having the same person set the stone for you.

 

[chantal990]

Wow Michael that is one stunning stone you have there.

I agree with popular opinion on this one. The stone does look natural and from the colour of the photo (I know so not the thing to judge by) I have to agree with Richard Sherwood as either a tourmaline or a rhodolite garnet (which was my first thought when I saw the photo). But at the price paid for it it sounds like it''s a pretty good price for tourmaline.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Thank you all very much for posting such beautiful photos and such well thought out responses! Most assuredly will I have this stone set into a ring!
Once again I say it--PS rocks!

cheers--Sharon

 

[mhread]

Hi Sharon, I would say this looks very much like tourmaline. I have a number of similar stones, showing very similar colours. Some of these stones show a colour shift. If you place the stone face down and look at it under incandescent light, it may appear more orange that when you introduce sunlight, which seems brings out the purple.

I find that placing a stone on its face (crown), makes it easier to observe this effect, which can look like a pink/purple "halo" around the rind of the stone. If you get this effect, I would guess it to be tourmaline, although the absence of this does not mean it''s not tourmaline.

Good price for the stone anyways…

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 1/11/2005 2

7:51 AM
Author: mhread

Hi Sharon, I would say this looks very much like tourmaline. I have a number of similar stones, showing very similar colours. Some of these stones show a colour shift. If you place the stone face down and look at it under incandescent light, it may appear more orange that when you introduce sunlight, which seems brings out the purple.

I find that placing a stone on its face (crown), makes it easier to observe this effect, which can look like a pink/purple ''halo'' around the rind of the stone. If you get this effect, I would guess it to be tourmaline, although the absence of this does not mean it''s not tourmaline.

Good price for the stone anyways…

HI MHR:

Wonderful--from your description I would think you were viewing my stone exactly! Thank you.

Of course, now, comes step 2--the setting. I have always favored larger "David Yurman" type bezel settings, but they have an updated style on their website that features a half bezel rather, and I like that since it might show the color change of the stone "better". Went to check out the cost/time frame to build this kind of ring at one of my usual haunts, and I was quoted around $750 Can (14K) for the handiwork/gold and 10 weeks time frame. Will check out another favorite custom shoppe of mine, who might be able to provide the ring before Easter.

Once again, a huge thank you for all the stone ID responses.

cheers--Sharon

 

[mogok]

Date: 1/9/2005 2

5:41 PM
Author:canuk-gal
Hello:

I purchased a stone--a ''raspberry tourmaline''--in SE Asia several years ago and it has been sitting in my safe. I am thinking of having it set into a ring. Thing is, like so many gemstone purchases I made while overseas, I was mistaken in many of them (sapphires, jade...) and now I am wondering if this stone is indeed what it was ''claimed'' to be. Bought it at Siam or Thai Gems (?) and paid about $60 or $70 USD. Cushion cut around 4 carats.

Before I embark on having someone locally identify the stone (probably cost me more than the stone is worth??), I thought I''d post some pics here so see if any of the experts might want to take a stab at idenfiying it. Any reliable way to test if it is glass?

BTW, I went to the Pala website and appreciated the information gleaned from there. Thanks!!!

cheers--Sharon

Hello Sharon,

Well if you buy a stone in South east Asia and especially in Thailand you have some local laboratories that can identify for you any gem at very affordable prices. In Burma some good labs (my teachers...) are providing identification services for around $1... Now in Bangkok you have several labs ( including the one I manage that are providing very affordable "brief reports").
Currently as an example, at AIGS these brief reports can be furnished in 24 hours for 600 baht (around $13) and also in express within 4 hours for an additional fee. And you have the guarantee that your stone was examined by at least 2 trained gemologists...
These labs are very happy to give some service to the local dealers or the visiting tourists.

All the best,

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 1/11/2005 10:16:40 AM
Author: mogok

Date: 1/9/2005 2

5:41 PM
Author:canuk-gal

Hello Sharon,

Well if you buy a stone in South east Asia and especially in Thailand you have some local laboratories that can identify for you any gem at very affordable prices. In Burma some good labs (my teachers...) are providing identification services for around $1... Now in Bangkok you have several labs ( including the one I manage that are providing very affordable ''brief reports'').
Currently as an example, at AIGS these brief reports can be furnished in 24 hours for 600 baht (around $13) and also in express within 4 hours for an additional fee. And you have the guarantee that your stone was examined by at least 2 trained gemologists...
These labs are very happy to give some service to the local dealers or the visiting tourists.

All the best,

Hello Mogok:

Wonderful information for the overseas consumer----I shall remember this for my future travels to SE Asia!! Thank you very much!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[imperial Jewels]

Hi there Michael E.,

Quite a lot of the orange-pink Nigerian material has a pale greenish-gray axis, that, when rotated, displays without a hint of green-gray, the stunning electric pink and tangerine colors shown in the two examples below ...