Tourmaline

Item Description

The famous quote from John Sinkankas was "gems are minerals after all". In our continued efforts to promote the importance of gemstones for ALL collectors, we want to give mineral collectors a chance at a rare cut stone that complements a choice mineral specimen from a classic locality. Some of the finest mineral collections in the world are accompanied by gemstones that either complete a "rough and cut" set for certain specimens, or simply show the beauty of particular species when they are faceted. We are offering this stone as an opportunity for collectors to expand their horizons and purchase gemstones that would supplement crystallized specimens in their collections. I think it is important for collectors to know that faceted stones can expand one's interests in minerals and can add a certain reverence to the hobby of collecting minerals. The name tourmaline comes from the Sinhalese term "turmali," which was the name given to all colored crystals on the island of Sri Lanka at that time. Tourmaline, is one the most fascinating of the gemstones species, incorporating colors from black to vivid greens and pinks, and exhibiting unusual bri/tri color features. During and after WWII the demand for Tourmaline became significant as it was used in the production of pressure sensitive gauges for submarine instrumentation equipment. This particular gem has an interesting olive-green color with a "Pear Step" cut. There are virtually no inclusions, but since Tourmaline is classified as a "Type 3" gemstone, inclusions are almost always present, and accepted by dealers and collectors, so when you find a nearly clean stone like this, it's a real treat. A unique color gem from one of the premier Tourmaline producing countries in the world.