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    Tourmaline ring buying guide

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    Tourmaline ring buying guide

    by swati k

    Tourmaline is easy to maintain and stable under normal temperature conditions. Warm soapy water is the best to clean the stone. You can polish these stones with oil which also is supposed to hide scratches. One should protect the stone from too much heat and acids. One should also protect tourmaline from sharp blows and scratches.

    Tourmaline ring buying guide

    The brightest rays from the sun, traveled along the rainbow collecting all its colors and fell on earth forming crystals “…. An Egyptian Legend. Tourmaline also known as the “rainbow stone” is a potpourri of colours. It is generally believed that these stones can match various moods and tempers as it has many faces.

    Tourmaline is a magical stone, and it is generally believed that these stones are extension of oneself. Tourmaline rings are considered very special. Accept there beauty and aesthetic value, they are also valued for there special healing powers.

    The word tourmaline is derived from the Sinhalese word “tour Mali” which means “a mixed parcel”. Actually tourmaline is the only gem that comes in so many hues and each colour has its own significance. Sometimes even the same stone has many colors visible i.e. partly or multi colored. Tourmaline is a stone of double refractive nature; hence one can see various shades in the same stone. These gems have been treasured through out history. They have been found in ruins dating several thousand years. They are valued as gifts symbolizing love.

    Size, cut, quality, colour and clarity of tourmaline are some important aspects to be taken in mind while going for a tourmaline ring. The colours of tourmaline can be divided into 2 basic categories i.e. warm colors and cool colors. Warm colors are reds, oranges and yellows which look best under incandescent light and cool colors are blues and violets which look good in moon light. Hence while buying a tourmaline one must examine it in various lights as its color appear different in different lights. Let’s study about tourmaline in various sub-groups for a better understanding. Colors: This is the most important aspect, as tourmaline comes in a wide variety of colours.

    RUBELLITE TOURMALINE

    These are most valuable and most rare stones. Colors vary from pale rose to deep ruby. The most important aspect to keep in mind is that more the impurities, darker the shade and lesser the price. One of the important characteristic of this stone is that it shows numerous colours when viewed from various angles. The rubellite tourmaline denotes lasting love, friendship and stability is relation ships.

    ELBAITE TOURMALINE

    This is generally know as the green tourmaline but can be in many colors. Most unique of these is watermelon tourmaline, which appears green on skin and red inside. One unique characteristic of this tourmaline is that it can have more than one color zone in the same crystal.

    PARAIBA TOURMALINE

    The name is derived from the Brazilian State of Paraiba where it was first found. Color is vivid, deep blue or bluish green. Paraiba tourmaline is considered the best quality of tourmaline.

    YELLOW TOURMALINE

    The color of this stone varies from electric yellow to little brownish. Yellow tourmalines are embedded in black layer which needs to be removed, before the stone is cut. The unique characteristic of the stone is that it has a slight sweet scent, hence it is also know as the “lemon tourmaline”.

    BLUE TOURMALINE

    True blue tourmaline is rare, as they mostly have slight shades of green in it. A blue tourmaline denotes high degree of harmony and is reported to bring openness and tolerance.

    BLACK TOURMALINE

    This is supposed to be the protector. It wards away harmful radiations from the wearer.

    Cuts

    Tourmalines looks good as round, triangles, trillions and ovals.

    Prices

    The prices of tourmaline vary tremendously as per the quality. But the most important thing to be understood is that the lighter the color the costlier the stone and the darker the colour the cheaper the stone. The darker colors obtain its color due to its excess impurities. The most expensive are the Paraiba tourmaline which is around 10,000$ per carat or even more. Generally the tourmalines are ranging from 50$ to 85$ per carat. But for bi-colours it can go up to $1000/ carat or more.

    Size

    The price of tourmaline does not depend on size but on weight of the stone. Generally tourmalines are less than 1 carat. Some qualities such as chrome and red tourmaline can be above 10 carats and Paraiba i.e. the costliest tourmaline is above 5 carats. Paraiba is considered the master piece.

    Sources of tourmaline

    The main source of tourmaline stones in Brazil. East African countries like Kenya, Tanzania, and Madagascar are known as the producer of Tourmaline. Except these Mexico and Sri Lanka are also good sources for these stones.

    Caring Tips

    Tourmaline is easy to maintain and stable under normal temperature conditions. Warm soapy water is the best to clean the stone. You can polish these stones with oil which also is supposed to hide scratches. One should protect the stone from too much heat and acids. One should also protect tourmaline from sharp blows and scratches.

    Some interesting facts of tourmaline

    • Pink tourmaline is supposed to provide grace and balance to a female. It also has protecting qualities.
    • Green tourmaline is supposed to provide strength and vigor to males.
    • Multi-colored tourmalines are considered to be the anniversary birthstones, especially lucky for the 8th year of marriage. So now all you husbands know what to gift to your sweethearts on this anniversary, right?
    • Tourmaline is the stone for month of October.
    • All tourmaline in any colour are considered gifts of nature, and are considered to vile away bad luck and misfortunes.
    • Black tourmaline is the US STATE GEMSTONE of New York

    Things to be kept in mind while buying a tourmaline ring

    • QUALITY OF THE STONE?
    • IS THE STONE REAL OR SYNTHETIC?
    • TREATMENT DONE ON STONE?
    • NOTICEABLE CHIPS, SCRATCHES OR INCLUSIONS TO BE AVOIDED.
    • COLOR SHOULD BE EVEN THROUGHOUT THE STONE.

    Some tips for buying tourmaline rings

    • Silver/ white gold looks really good with tourmaline, especially with the cool colours like blues and ferozi.
    • One should try to buy a ring with 3-4 small stones in various colours embedded in a unique combination and style, in the same ring. This looks really stylish and can be worn with all kinds of dresses.
    • Always approach a registered jeweler before buying a tourmaline ring. One should be careful not to get a false stone, as it resembles a lot with glass and sold in fake coloured glass form.
    • Tourmaline can be worn with both casual and formal wear. So one should keep in mind the ring design before picking up the stone.
    • A big round tourmaline looks very attractive as a thumb ring. If you are the adventurous types you can go for this kind.
    • Tourmaline has got healing properties so one should really take care before choosing the color for oneself. But one should also remember that this only has its maximum effect if it touches the body.
    • If you are the creative kinds, you can buy a stone and get a ring made of your own design through a jeweler. But one should always approach a good jeweler as the embedding / fixing of the stone needs to be proper.
    • Tourmaline and diamonds look really kewl, especially when one big stone is surrounded with small diamonds like a necklace.
    • When using 2-3 colours of tourmaline in a ring, one should be careful of the colour combination. Best combinations are pink and blue, green and yellow.
    • If you decide to buy a single stone ring, instead of buying a basic design with the stone in centre top of the ring, go for something unique like a curved ring with the stone slightly displaced on one side.
    • Try mixing yellow and white gold for a tourmaline ring with a single stone. It looks really smart and different. But please pick a medium size stone for this design, as the emphasis has to be on the design as well as the stone. So now you are ready for a tourmaline ring, right?? What ru waiting for, go n get it!!

    Peridot Rings

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    Peridot Rings

    by Shweta Dhanuka

    Russians, Egyptians and Romans had strong beliefs related to this gemstone. It was believed that peridot when worn on the body in any form heals physical and mental problems. It helps an individual in gaining the positive characteristics and wave off the negatives such as anger, irritation, jealousy and so on.

    Peridot, a French word pronounced as pear-uh-doe is derived from Arabic word ‘Faridat’ that refers to gem. It is also called as Olivine and Chrysolite. It was found thousands of years ago on the island of Egypt in the Red Sea.

    It has traditional, religious and spiritual significance. It is assigned as August birthstone and 16th anniversary gemstone. According to astrologers, it emits friendly and positive energy. Peridot wearer experiences feeling of joy, happiness, emotional security and clear heart ( free from ego and jealousy). Most important, it is considered to give marital bliss to it’s owner. Thus, it became symbol of purity, dignity and prevention.

    Russians, Egyptians and Romans had strong beliefs related to this gemstone. It was believed that peridot when worn on the body in any form heals physical and mental problems. It helps an individual in gaining the positive characteristics and wave off the negatives such as anger, irritation, jealousy and so on. It cures diseases like asthma, lungs & heart problems etc. Considered so good and powerful, peridot became very popular in all the jewelry items viz. rings, earrings, bracelets, bengals and necklaces. However, rings consisting peridot gemstone were most in demand.

    It is created under high temperatures & pressures deep inside the earth during volcanic action. Peridot crystals are found in the rocks formed due volcano burst. It is composed of magnesium iron siliciate that is responsible for the light yellowish green colour. The prime source of peridot are Myanmar and USA. It is procured in relatively less quantity from Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt and Norway. Recently, new deposits are identified in Himalayan Mountains located in Pakistan captured Kashmir area. With this new finding, peridot gem is now available easily in the market. Therefore, peridot rings are quite popular these days.

    Rings holding peridot gems are very beautiful and gives a sober look to the wearer due to its unique colour. Jewelry shops offer many varieties and designs. While choosing the ring among the available options, focus most on the stone. It is yellowish green in colour. The colour would always be light green like that of the colour of new grass with the tint of yellow. Basically, the colour is a mix of yellow and light green. It will never be dark in shade.

    In order to check for the original peridot stone, see the ring in dim light. The colour of the stone should be same light yellowish green from front and back of the ring. This gemstone has property to maintain the light colour in weak light as well. Also it would emit rich shinny glow once the ray of light passes through it.

    Peridot gemstone consists of few inclusions within the structure. Rest the stone is transparent and clear. It is easily cut into different shapes and styles. Any cut can be selected based on the design of the ring. The most common cuts are square, round, pear, oval and marquise. Designers also give innovative shapes like emerald, heart and trillion cuts.

    Weight of single peridot gemstone used for rings starts from one carat to three carats. Price of the ring increases with the increase in carat weight of the gem. Sometimes 2-3 single stones can be mounted together in one ring and the weight can stretch upto 4-6 carats. Many rings comprises of peridot paired with other stones such as diamonds, jade and others. More common pairing is with diamonds. In pairing diamonds used are very small making the total weight less than one carat while peridot shall be large and more than one carat. The setting used is prong. Always make sure setting holds all the stone tightly and there are no chances of stones getting lost.

    Rings are made up of sterling silver, white gold and yellow gold. Gold used for making rings is 14K or 18K. If peridot is mounted in yellow gold then the look is augmented. Moreover, if the wearer plans to wear this gemstone with the purpose of healing or protection then it is always recommended to set the ring in yellow gold. The effect of the stone doubles when it is a single stone mounted in yellow gold.

    Peridot can be used in place of emeralds when creating navaratna ring. It is considered to possess same properties and produce similar results as emeralds. The reason being, both stones are associated with planet mercury. This would reduce the price of navaratna ring as peridot costs less than emerald.

    The price of the rings depends on the carat weight of the stone. Stone upto 1.5 carat in weight is priced moderately due to the large availability. Carats weight between 1.5-3 are priced more and can be little high on budget. More than 5 carats weight is very rare and is priced very high. In case it is flawless then the price increases. Gems from Myanmar, Pakistan and Egypt are of superior quality hence are more expensive.

    Peridot rings are affordable and durable. However, if maintained with little care can be retained forever. The hardness of gemstone is 6.5 to 7 Mohs that means protect it from large temperature changes, scratches and sharp blows. Avoid direct influence of rings with cosmetics, hairsprays and household cleaning chemicals etc. Do not clean peridot ring in a home ultrasonic cleaner rather clean with luke warm water, mild soap solution and soft brush. When not in use, keep it the jewelry box lined with soft cloth or cotton. This is a unique gemstone treasured by women of every era and generation.

    The queen of beauty and charm – Cleopatra used to wear peridot gems instead of emeralds in many of her rings and other jewelry items. This yellowish green coloured semi precious stone was one of her favorite. Her peridot rings were fascinating and attractive like her. Buy Cleopatra’s special stone and look beautiful like her .

    Tourmaline Varities Rings

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    Tourmaline Varieties Rings

    by Debjani Banerjee

    The recent trend in the jewelry line is to label each tourmaline rings by its color as opposed to its original name.

    Tourmaline is a gemstone occurring in many colors, the crystalline stones come in more than a hundred hues! Scientifically it is a group is a group of minerals related to physical and chemical properties. The origin of the word comes from Sinhalese “turmoil” meaning mixed. It is possible to replicate almost any gem with a tourmaline unless one can actually differentiate it! The mineral elbaite is the most prominent of all its constituents, responsible for all the gem varieties; the others are dravite, schorl, liddicoatite, verdict, tilasite, etc. The recent trend in the jewelry line is to label each tourmaline by its color as opposed to its original name. The current gem trade names doing the rounds are as follows.

    • Anchorite- a colorless variety of tourmaline rings.
    • Bicolor- these are unique; no other gemstone resembles them except the lovely Ametrine, which is a mix of purple amethyst and yellow citrine.
    • Cat’s eye- these come in pink and green colors. In some tourmaline crystals, inclusions of other minerals occur, these tiny parallel inclusions cause a lovely cat’s eye effect when polished. These are cut as cabochons.
    • Chrome- this rare tourmaline comes in rich green colors, chromium vanadium oxide is the element in these stones, which also causes the green in emeralds. Some of these tourmalines have the color of a top grade emerald and are more durable! These come from Kenya, Zambia, Namibia, and Tanzania.
    • Dravite is normally brown; these are often heat treated artificially to lighten the color.
    • Schorl- dark gray to black, these stones have no gem value and are used in the crystal form, often as mourning jewelry.
    • Elbaite is the most recognized of the tourmaline colors. These are eye clear stones, cut in rectangular shapes. These range from pastel greens to vibrant greens.
    • Indicolite- range from the finest blue to medium dark blue, closely replicating sapphire, these come from Srilanka, Brazil, Madagascar, California, and Maine. These are typically clear gems, with rare inclusions visible to the eye, very valuable, because of its beauty.
    • Orange yellow- this variety has no commercial name but is available in all the shades in between. These lovely stones are a popular choice.
    • Paraiba- Earlier known as neon and electric tourmaline, this was discovered in 1789 in Paraiba in Brazil. These are very vivid blue-greens and have copper and gold in its composition. These are very rare and expensive and mined from deep hand hewn mineshafts, naturally, the supply is limited, and these are collector’s gems.
    • Pink tourmalines- are favorites for mounting on rings and pendants; these vary from light pinks to hot pinks, to violet shades in between. The light pinks are cobalt treated to turn a fiery hot pink!
    • Rubellite- the deepest shades of this stone appear ruby red, the Russian crown jewels had a lot of rubies, which were later found to be rubellites! These are clear stones with inclusions in the center of the crystal, which give it the rich red color; red rubellite is the most expensive tourmaline. A super clean stone is probably a radiated or heat-treated pink tourmaline.
    • Watermelon or tricolor tourmalines are green and red with a white separation, heavy in inclusions, clean gems. These are expensive and are considered a collector’s gemstone.

    Every color of tourmaline can be found in Brazil. Pink, green, purple is mined in Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Afghanistan, and Srilanka. Maine has lovely sherbet colors; California has perfect pinks from its famous Himalaya mine, once the favorite of a Chinese empress who had huge quantities ordered. Tourmaline crystals are long narrow pencil thin crystals cut in long rectangular shapes. Tourmalines are usually cracked and flawed, especially in the pink, red, bicolor varieties, the blues, greens are usually clean and costs can be very high for stones above 10 karats.

    Tourmalines can be recognized from other stones by two distinct properties pyroelectricity, when heated and cooled, the stone attracts dust particles. Because of its atomic composition, an electrical charge is generated which causes it to attract light particles. The other is pleochroism, the color of the stone changes when held at different angles in the varying light. Dark stones can be made lighter with heat-treatment, light pink stones darker with cobalt irradiation technique. Tourmaline is a good choice for jewelry, yet the expensive stones have to be treated with care, rough treatment can scratch the gems, a light rub in warm soapy water is the best care you can take of your new acquisition.

    The lovely gem peridot

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    The lovely gem peridot

    by Debjani Banerjee

    From being blessed with success, peace, good luck, power, health, to aiding cupid’s work ,bringing love one’s way, calming nerves dispelling gloom and negativity , strengthening the eye, the quicker one dons a Peridot the better it seems to enhance one’s chances to get on in life.

    All gem stones have a lovely story to tell, as man’s fascination with the crystalline baubles from nature’s bowels is endless. Nature continues her work of forming crystals even in the human stomach, the gall stones! But that is another matter!

    The lovely gem Peridot, pronounced ‘pear -a-doe ‘has been adopted as the official stone for the month of August by the American association of jewelry. This stone is the birth stone for the sun sign Libra, though there are others which are considered birth stones for this sign as it overlaps with the sun sign Virgo. The contemporary, mystical, ancient, zodiac is the different categories for the selection. This gemstone is commonly held to make an ideal gift to commemorate the 16th wedding anniversary though why it cannot be gifted at any other time considering its potent powers is a mystery!

    Peridot is a gemstone of the variety “olivine'” and measures 7 on moh’s scale of hardness. The benefits of wearing this jewel are legion. From being blessed with success, peace, good luck, power, health, to aiding cupid’s work ,bringing love one’s way, calming nerves dispelling gloom and negativity , strengthening the eye, the quicker one dons a Peridot the better it seems to enhance one’s chances to get on in life! No wonder Peridot was the beauteous Cleopatra’s favored gem she who exercised great power and charm power over her famous admirers! That’s also makes it the right sort of gift for a Valentine!

    Peridot ranges from a light yellowish green to intense bright green to the fresh green of spring grass. This stone has a rich glow, a slightly greasy look to its velvety texture. The clearer the green the more valuable the stone, brownish flaws diminish its value somewhat. Know a Peridot from its lively lime green shade, unmarred with any browns and olives in its heart!

    Peridot has been mined from the Red sea area for around 3500 years. With the ancient Egyptians, this was popular as a gem of the all powerful sun God Ra. It was probably the crusaders who brought back the stone to Europe from their forays into central Asia and the fabled Byzantium.

    There are references to this stone in the Bible, the Jewish high priests wore this gem on their breast plate, and it was referred to as ‘pitdah’ in Hebrew. Whether the word ‘Peridot’ emerged from the Arabic ‘faridat’ is a controversy but the French first called it the Peridot meaning ‘unclear’ in French. The Greco Romans referred to it as Topazins, which name was changed to topaz to mean the golden yellow gem. In Latin it was called “Crysolite”, meaning the golden stone.

    Folk lore has it that miners searched for this stone at night, the moonlight made it easier to see in the dark as it glowed with a strange iridescence; they returned at daybreak to hew the gems free of the rock! The best quality Peridot comes from Egypt and Myanmar or Burma. Recently Peridot of the finest quality has been discovered in Pakistan, in the Hindu Kush range; some stones even weighing up to 300 carats. Peridot is also found in Arizona, Norway, and Hawaii and around the Red sea. Some unusual Peridots are those of found in meteorites landing from outer space, these have iron, nickel traces and are called pallasites. These are faceted and set in jewelry. These stones have been confused with emeralds, though Peridot has a more yellow or olive color and are quite different a shade of green than emerald. They are also confused with apatite and green garnet.

    Peridot jewelry takes the form of loose or free form cabochons to be strung from pendants or mounted on rings, some stones are faceted and set into customized jewelry. Care is something very minimal, as with all gems, protect from scratches, sharp blows, sudden changes in temperature and you are all set to cherish your precious investment in the lively gem!

    Peridot Facts and Buying Guide

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    Peridot Facts and Buying Guide

    by Sheweta Dhanuka

    It is the birthstone for those born in the month of August and anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage. Due to its close resemblance to the precious stone ‘ Emerald’, it is quite a sought-after semi precious gemstone.

    Peridot, an Olivine mineral variety is rich in magnesium and iron. The name is derived from a French word ‘peritot’ meaning unclear, maybe due to the inclusions present in stone. It is also named from the Arabic word ‘faridat’ meaning gem. Few jewelers refer this gem as Chrysolite, Olivine and Evening Emerald too.

    It is the birthstone for those born in the month of August and anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage. Due to its close resemblance to the precious stone ‘ Emerald’, it is quite a sought-after semi precious gemstone. Also its incredible colour and transparency makes it most desired gem in every corner of the globe. To make the purchase of genuine Peridot, buyers ought to have some awareness about it. Therefore, this article aims to endow with the crucial facts and act as a buying guide. All the general gemstone characteristics are covered in order to help the buyer make the right purchase.

    Colour

    Colour is a unique characteristic of this stone. It is one amongst the small number of gemstones that subsist in single colour. The basic colour is light green with the slender touch of golden/yellow in it. Variation in green is dependent on amount of iron present in the chemical composition. It is the coloring agent for this fine-looking gemstone; more the iron content deeper is the green colour. The best-colored Peridot would have it between 2-14%.

    While buying the stone one should always look for the intense and even distribution of colour all over the stone. Genuine stone would appear same in colour in dark as well as dim light. Also, brightness of the gem must be similar from front and back too. Authentic stones emanate rich shinny blaze when the ray of light passes through it.

    Cut

    This fabulous gem is little tough to handle during the initial stages. The rough crystals are difficult to process and call for precision of gemstone cutters while cutting else might break into pieces. It is cut as per the crystal structure. Stones bigger in size are cut into exclusive specimen stones while the smaller ones are shaped as calibrated gemstones. All the classical shapes are given viz. round, oval, pear, emerald, marquise and many more. Cabochons shape is preferred when flaws are more in the crystal.

    Clarity

    Clarity of the crystal is on the average side. Few flaws are always present which are removed while cutting. On the whole the disconcerting inclusions are removed while few fine silky inclusions are left as it is. Stones with full transparency can be seen but are quite rare.

    Carat weight

    It is the main determinant of the worth of the stone in economic terms. More the carat weight more is the cost. Usually, smaller cut stones that are set in jewelry items are between 1-4 ctw. Gems more than 4 carat is quite expensive. Carat weight between 10-15 is rare and priced most. Deposits at Egypt and Myanmar are acknowledged for 20-40 carat cut stones (occurrence is very rare and kept only in museums).

    Price

    Price is ascertained on the basis of colour, clarity, carat weight and location. Intense green colour distributed evenly fetches high price. With the increase in clarity/transparency and carat weight the value also increases. Gemstones acquired from Zagbargad (Zebirget), island in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt and Mogok in Myanmar are finest quality and rare thus, priced most. Arizona State of USA produces maximum quantity making it quite an affordable gemstone. Although it falls under the category of affordable stone for the common man but a deep green stone with negligible flaws and large in size, acquired from the countries offering excellent quality would demand a bulging pocket.

    Occurrence

    Exceptional quality gems are procured from Egypt and Myanmar. In ancient times Zagbargad (Zebirget) Island in Egypt was the main source and was mined for centuries. United States of America produce middling quality but abundance quantity. Other countries proffering average quality stones are Afghanistan, Hawaii, China, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Australia. Minas Gerais at Brazil, Kohistan in Pakistan, Eifel at Germany and Chihuahua at Mexico are also good source of this stunning stone.

    Enhancement

    It comes into existence during the volcanic eruption in best form. Mother nature has created it perfectly thus, seldom man made treatments with oil, wax or resin are required to further enhance its beauty. Natural appearance in itself is enthralling.

    Imitations

    The green gemstones confused with this startling stone include green tourmaline and green sinhalite (both exhibit pleochroic phenomena strongly), moldavites and green garnets (have no double refraction), apatite (that is a lot softer) and green zircon (much heavier). None of the imitations possess the elite yellow factor to its green colour.

    Uses

    It being a jewelry stone is ideal for the daily wear. Also, not much care is required. With innovative designs it makes amazing ornaments. It is thought-out idyllic for the summer wear jewelry due to its light colour and admirable transparency. For accent stones and jewelry pieces faceted stones are used. The tumbled gems are best suited for baroque jewelry, beads and mosaics.

    Sterling silver, 14K or 18K white gold, 14K or 18K yellow gold and platinum are used for making the jewelry holding this marvelous stone. It goes very well with yellow gold and then its effect is further appreciated. Rings, pendants, earrings and necklaces can have either the single stone or many stones of varied sizes depending on the design. When total carat weight of all the stones put up together falls between 2-4 ctw then it is priced moderately. For the jewelries where carat weight exceeds 4 ctw, it becomes little expensive. In many designs it is paired with other precious and semi precious gemstones. In Navarathna ornaments in place of emerald, Peridot can be used and the wearer would get similar advantages.

    Precautions

    It is between 6.5-7 Mohs on the hardness scale. As per the hardness scale it is quite easy to care for but certainly demands the common gemstone precautions. Has to be protected from sharp blows & scratches and harsh chemicals present in cleaning agents & cosmetics. Must be kept away from sudden large temperature changes and excessive heat else it would fade the colour of the stone.

    For cleaning the gemstone or jewelry, mild soapy water and soft bristle brush must be used instead of home ultrasonic cleaner. Then after, it should be wiped off fully with a soft cloth. Cleaning must be done only once in a couple of years and not on a regular basis. It should be stored in the box lined with cotton/velvet/soft cloth.

    Beliefs

    Since ancient times this astounding stone is cherished a lot. Romans, Greeks and Egyptians had special thoughtfulness for it. It was also believed to chase off the evil spirits. Pirates used it extensively.

    Today, astrologers associate it with success, peace and fortuity. It is said to increase the expressiveness and confidence of the wearer. Person experiencing fear or bad dreams is recommended to wear this gem in gold. With regular wearing it is held to wave off the odd traits like ego, jealousy etc. and bring positive energy and vibrations. In case of medical treatments, it is used for curing asthma, heart problems, lung diseases and sinus. It also helps in proper functioning of liver and adrenal system.

    Queen of beauty, Cleopatra used to take pleasure in wearing Peridot jewelry. Many of her jewelry pieces had this gem instead of emerald. Besides, it was amongst her favorite gems. It is alleged to possess power and properties similar to emerald. Experience the persona of emerald by paying half of its real worth through Peridot. It certainly is a good haggle. Worth trying !!!

    Tourmaline buying guide

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    Tourmaline buying guide

    by Suma Shreyas

    This stunning stone in colors ranging from all shades of green,blue,yellow, black, pink, red and clear is a feast to one’s eyes. Word tourmaline itself comes from Ceylon or as it is now known as Sri Lankan word “Turumali”, it means “gemstone” or sometimes referred as “mixed parcel” as it contains variety of minerals.

    I was first introduced to this stunning stone called Tourmaline when I first laid my eyes on this exquisite pink stone and have been a great fan of this multi-colored stone ever since. The more and more I learnt about this gem the more I am in awe of this stone, astounded by its range of colors and its beauty.

    This stunning stone in colors ranging from all shades of green, blue, yellow, black, pink, red and clear is a feast to one’s eyes. Word tourmaline itself comes from Ceylon or as it is now known as Sri Lankan word “Turumali”, it means “gemstone” or sometimes referred as “mixed parcel” as it contains variety of minerals. It is also called “Verdalite” which comes from Latin, known as “greenstone”.

    Tourmaline is a collectors delight as we find enthusiastic collectors from all parts of the world on the look out for the rarest of colors, size of the stone, the setting and the concentration of colors with little or no banding of colors.

    “Color” -this gives the beauty to tourmalines. Colors in every hue, shade and nuance graces this stone. Some tourmalines even have more than one color. The color that the stone gets depends on the place from where it is mined. Pariba tourmaline is a electric blue stone. While Brazil is home to green and bluish green tourmaline.

    SriLanka possesses Rubellite which is blessed with colors of ruby ranging from pink to red. Malawi produces bright yellow tourmalines.

    Some of the varieties of tourmalines are Rubellite (red), Indicolite ( blue), Chromolite (rich green), Canary (bright yellow), Watermelon ( green-edge and red-heart combo) Paraiba ( intense green to rich blue), Bi-color (more than one colored) Cats eye (variety of colors) and Color-change (Color changes with light from red to green ). Rest of the tourmalines are just called with the color prefix like pink-tourmaline. The color of the stone takes a different hue depending on the mineral and the proportion in which is present in it . Pariba tourmaline is said to have copper in small amount and even traces of gold.

    “Cut” this is also an important factor one must remember when looking for tourmaline. It can be as varied as its color and can add or subtract to the beauty of the stone. Each cut can bring out the colors differently. Always go in for the cut-style that is appealing to you, making sure that the angles are right, light is coming back to the eye in a pleasing way and bring out the colors beautifully. Usually lighter colored tourmalines are oriented with table facet perpendicular to the c-axis to bring out the deepest color. Tourmalines are usually cut as rounds, triangles, trillions and ovals.

    Tourmaline is quite a hard stone with it hardness being 7.5. Tourmalines must be protected from scratches and blows, this is to warn you that one must not wear them while boxing or wrestling!!!!.

    Large temperature changes could cause harm to the stone.

    “Clarity”- Usually tourmalines always comes with inclusions and can never be clean as diamonds. Tourmaline is a very popular gem with its price ranging from fairly affordable to being very expensive depending on the concentration of color and size of the stone.

    “Carats” which means the weight of the stone. It becomes dearer with the increasing weight of the stone which is measured in carats. A carat is approximately one fifth of a gram. Larger stones being rare is very valuable. Paraiba being the most expensive tourmaline.

    So the 4 C’s play an important role in determining the value of a gemstone and have to be considered while we are buying tourmaline too. They influence the fifth C being the “Cost”.

    Tourmaline has this physical property to change its electric charge when heated so in seventeenth century Dutch sailors brought tourmaline to Europe and used them to clean the pipes as it attracted ash other light objects by becoming polarized crystalline magnet. they called them “aschntrekkers”

    Moreover the very unusual colors of tourmaline ranging from electric blue to emerald green, from ruby red to exquisite pink is sure to attract attention. Tourmaline can also be used as birthstone as it comes in all colors and birthstones are determined by the color of the stones. Many mystical properties are also attributed to this exquisite gem. Pink tourmaline is said to enhance female balance and protection while green tourmaline is its counterpart enhancing male balance. Legend also has it that the wearer of all colors of tourmalines are protected from evil-eyes, misfortunes and wards off danger. Multi-coloured tourmaline is also the anniversary birth-stone on the 8th year of marriage. So if one’s marriage is on the rocks its time to get this rock. It is an eye candy if it is set in the right way.

    While we are shopping for tourmalines we should enquire as to where it came from, its size and the richness of color. One must also examine the tourmaline in all kinds of lighting before buying as it can look completely different in day-light and in incandescent lighting. Soon one can become a connoisseur and be able to discern the finest of gem and be able to appreciate them. Tourmaline’s wide spectrum of colors provides innumerable options for any kind of jewellery to go with any kind of outfit making it a collectors delight.

    Peridot Earrings

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    Peridot Earrings

    by Ardamun

    Select a pair that has a vivid light green color. Peridot with little or no olive tones is most popular for earrings.

    Peridot Earring Buying Tips

    Peridot, a volcanic gem, is the gem variety of Olivine – a species of magnesium-iron rich silicate minerals. Gem quality Peridot comes from a variety of sources, the oldest being the ancient Zagbargad Island in the Red Sea, off the coast of Egypt. The earliest recorded production here was around 70 AD. Unconfirmed records have it that mining could have gone on, during the time of the Pharaohs, as early as 1500 BC! The other sources are Mogok in Myanmar (formerly Burma), Pakistan, Brazil, Germany, Australia, Peridot Mesa at San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona, and Salt Lake Crater in Oahu (Hawaii). Folklore has it that it was once treasured by native Hawaiians as the tears of Pele – the Goddess-of-Fire. peridot earrings

    courtesy: mineralminers.com

    Buying Peridot Earrings

    From the ancient times, Peridot has been popular for jewelry; in fact, it is its best-known use. It is believed that the Emeralds worn by Cleopatra were in fact Peridot. Found in varying shades of olive green, yellow-green, and brownish-green, its most valued color for jewelry is a lively lime green.

    Peridot is a clean stone, with the hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Moh’s scale of hardness. The darker shade of green is considered a better stone. A lively lime green Peridot, though, lends its elegance to earrings. For earrings, look for gemstones that are not overwhelmingly ‘olivey’. As in the case of all gemstones, the cut of Peridot, its facets, decide its value for earrings. The cut should produce an even fire. There should be no large dark patches when you look directly down on the table. Observe the gemstone in both, the incandescent and fluorescent light sources. This will give you an idea of the change in its color and fire when you wear your earrings under those lights. Just for this basic quality, it is an ideal evening adornment.

    When buying Peridot earrings, look for the following

    • Select a pair that has a vivid light green color. Peridot with little or no olive tones is most popular for earrings.
    • Observe its cut. The faceting should produce an even fire, with no dark patches.
    • Most American Peridot is 3 carat or less, and is an ideal size for earrings.
    • Like all gems, the value of Peridot increases with its carat weight. Look for small sizes of cut Peridot for your earrings. The small size will look great in earrings and will be easier on your pocket.

    Peridot is ideochromatic, and its rich grass green and vivid light green colors are ideal for earrings. Peridot is a very appropriate gemstone for jewelry in general, and for earrings in particular, as it looks good under all light conditions. Peridot is not an expensive gemstone and one should go for clean clarity. Certain Peridot have a ‘sleepy appearance,’ caused by small platelet inclusions found in the stones from Myanmar. This lends its own charm, and can be considered when shopping for earrings. The relative affordability of Peridot makes it popular among those who cannot afford emeralds or sapphires for their earrings.

    The beauty of Peridot is that you can apply all types of cuts and shapes to it. This quality makes your pair of earrings standout, whether they are worked in gold or in sterling silver. Jewelers can be asked to focus on the cut of your earrings, as they are not terribly expensive. You can let your imagination run wild and design your own cuts for your pair of earrings. The elegance of your Peridot earrings is enhanced by good cutting, proportions and symmetry.

    Peridot sizes range from miniscule to faceted stones of 10 carat or more. Ideal sizes for earrings are anything from 1 carat or less to 5 carats combined weight for a pair. They make lovely pairs whether as drop down earrings, clip on earrings, or post style earrings. Though Peridot has never been synthesized, a number of imitations exist, such as tourmaline and green glass. Glass can easily be found out by its single refraction.

    Peridot is one of the gemstones that are enhanced to improve its appearance. It is routinely enhanced by filling surface-breaking fissures with a colorless oil, wax, resin or any other colorless substances. This process improves its durability and appearance.

    Peridot Facts and Lore

    Peridot is a green in color and is a very popular gemstone for jewelry, used in Earrings, Necklaces, Pendants and Rings. The ancient Romans called it the ‘evening emerald,’ because in a lamplight its green color shone even more intensely to resemble deep green emeralds. Legend has it that in ancient Egypt, mining was done at night because Peridot could not be easily seen during the day, but its pale shimmering green was easily lit up by lamplight at night.

    Pakistan, today, produces the finest Peridot and in large quantities. China, too, produces in large quantities, but of inferior qualities. Myanmar produces large size Peridot, 30 carats and up, and is mainly of interest as collector’s items. The largest cut Peridot, a 310-carat gem, is now displayed at The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. A yellowish-green 192.75-carat stone of the czars is now a part of the Diamond Treasury in Moscow. A 146-carat step-cut Peridot resides in Geological Museum in London.

    Peridot is the birthstone of Libra, the lucky charm of Leo, and the anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage. Peridot earrings will make ideal gifts as birthday or 16th wedding anniversary presents.

    Mystical properties have been attributed to Peridot. It is thought that it helps dreams become a reality. It is a symbol of fame, dignity, and protection. According to legends, Peridot protected pirates against evil, and when set in gold, it protected against the terrors of the night. In the olden times, drinking medicine from a goblet made from Peridot was thought to double its strength. Taken internally, ground Peridot, was once used as a treatment for asthma.

    In the recent times, Peridot has enjoyed a rise in its popularity as the gemstone, especially, for earrings. It lends elegance to the wearer, and is designed intricately with 14k or 18k gold, or with sterling silver. This is the time to enhance your wardrobe with Peridot earrings, and you can do so at very affordable prices. Happy shopping!

    Tourmaline Facts and Buying Guide

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    Tourmaline Facts and Buying Guide

    by Shweta Dhanuka

    It is the hard stone having the hardness of 7-7.5 Mohs and could be used for wearing daily in earrings, rings or pendants. However, in order to endure years of wear keep it away from steam cleaning, home ultrasonic cleaner and heating. It should also be protected from scratches and sharp blows.

    Tourmaline, the name is derived from the Sinhalese word “tura mali,” that was referred as mixed assortment of colored gemstones. The name of this semi precious gemstone is justified with its source name as it is found in many different colours and in diverse colour combinations. This is the reason why it is very close to the heart of people with the creative and artistic instinct.

    It is the gemstone for the August born person and wedding anniversary stone for the couples in the 8th year of their marriage. Being a versatile gem, no two gemstones are similar in appearance. The difference lies in colour and facets of the stones. Therefore, while making the purchase of this splendid gemstone, give time to see it under different light source. Specific light sources are suitable for different colours. Read this and more about the varied varieties along with common characteristics of Tourmaline in the text below. It is written to make the buyers fully acquaint with the diverse facts about the gemstone that would act as buying guide. This would enable the buyers to make the purchase of actual gemstone at the right price.

    Colour -This gemstone occurs in all possible hues, tones and shades of colours. The multiplicity of colour for this gem is not restricted to the rainbow colours rather it is found in almost all the primary and basic colours like shades of green, red, blue, yellow, brown, pink, black, colourless etc. The colour disparities along the gemstone’s length lead to the bicolour and tricolour crystals that have whole host of colour amalgamation. In simple words, bicolour tourmalines are those that display two colours while tricolour display more than two colours in the same stone. These varieties having colourful bands are quite fashionable. Combinations of different colours in concentric circles and triangular patterns in one single stone are also commonly seen like one colour at the center of the stone while other colour around it.

    This entrancing stone exhibits strongly the phenomena of Pleochroism. Under it, the crystal is seen in diverse colours is diverse directions. There is mix of dark, medium and light shades of the colour. Different colour shades are seen along the vertical and horizontal axis. The maximum dark colour shade is at all times observed from the bottom axis of the crystal.

    Varieties – On the basis of the colour this gemstone is classified into ten varieties. Colour variations occur due to presence of different mineral in the chemical composition in form of impurities. All the different types are exclusive and special for the jewelry lovers. Sometimes the jewelry designers create incomparable ornaments using all the colour varieties in form of rainbow.

    Watermelon Tourmaline –  This is only one of its kind variety having pink colour in the heart of the stone and green colour encircling pink. It is the best example for colour variation in cross-section that appears in concentric circles. Jewelry designers create fabulous ornaments using it in a very unique way by setting it in slices instead of faceted stones so as to boaster the incredible phenomenon.

    Paraiba Tourmalines – It is a stone blue to bluish green in colour. Minute quantity of copper and a tad of gold are responsible for the colour. In the year 1987, it was first mined in Paraiba State of Brazil and so named accordingly. This variety is to a large extent in demand when found in good quality. Gemstone lovers procure it as the lifetime asset.

    Red Tourmalines – It is also called as Rubellite. Mineral responsible for red shades is lithium. The colour of the stone varies from pale rose to deep ruby red with the minimum to maximum quantity of lithium present in the composition respectively. Absolute deep ruby red shade is very rare to be seen thus is very expensive. Finest quality is acquired from Nigeria. A genuine high quality red colour stones shows same intense red colour in incandescent light plus in daylight. Poor quality stones would display brown hues in change of light source. It is believed to have prominent sway on love and friendship, leading to permanence and firmness in everlasting relations.

    Blue Tourmalines – Across the world this variety is in high demand but because of the limited supply it is not easily obtained. Nigeria is the prime source for the best quality gems. Indicolite and Indigolite are additional names for this variety. The originality of this colour could be judged in daylight. It is alleged to radiate high grade of concord and the wearer is trusted to experience frankness and patience. It could be seen in different shades blue, black and brown in triangular pattern.

    Yellow Tourmalines – It was first found in the mines of East Africa. The gemstones acquired from Malawi in Africa possess brilliant clarity thus are named as ‘Canary’. The pure yellow colour without the traces of any other colour appears due to the fine quantity of magnesium in the composition. Alas, every single stone is not intense and clear yellow in colour. Therefore, the pale stones are treated with circa at 700 degree Celsius to achieve the desired bright colour. Difference between original and enhanced stone could be distinguished in incandescent light.

    One matchless aspect of this colour variety is that it can be distinguished with its excellent fragrance. Malawi canary or yellow tourmalines as rough are covered with black coating when it is obtained from the mines. The first step of processing for this variety is to separate the stone from the unwanted black material. So the roughs are boiled in the mixture of water and lemon juice. As a result the black material is removed and the stones exhibit dazzling lemon yellow colour with fantastic aroma.

    Green Tourmaline – It is gaining popularity at the rapid pace. Fortunately with good supply it is sort of affordable. As pink gem suits females, green is for males as it endorses male stability and safety. It is also called as Verdelite or Elbaite. Green colour is due to the presence of chromium mineral in the composition. This stone is best observed in daylight.
    Black Tourmalines : It is the iron-rich variety hence is black to bluish-black to deep brown in colour. It is said to defend the wearer against pessimism. Schorl is it’s additional name. Commonly used for engravings and in esotericism as it is believed to protect its wearer against detrimental waves.

    Pink Tourmaline – It is available widely thus is reasonably priced. It is more apposite for females as it encourages female balance and security.
    Colourless Tourmaline : As the name specifies it is having no colour. It is called as Achroite and is rare in nature.

    Brown Tourmaline – It is further more rare than the colorless variety. It is also called as Buergerite and Dravite. These varieties are not very popular.

    Clarity – This fabulous gemstone is found in large crystals as rough. Absolutely crystal clear gems are rarely obtained. The majority inclusions in tourmaline are fractures and liquid-filled healed fractures. In some stones needle like inclusions are also seen. However, clarity varies from one stone to other with respect to its colour. For example – Blue and green coloured gems consists less inclusions than red and pink stones. Moreover, the commonly occurring inclusions could be removed with efficient cutting. Minute fine and soft inclusions are sometimes appreciated and do not affect the price.

    Cut – It can be cut into any shape and size. However, it is not that simple for the cutter. For this multi-colored gemstone cutters need to use his/her skills at the optimum level to identify the right angle and side of cutting so as to maximize the effect of Pleochroism. In order to enhance the main colour, it is suggested to check the colour spots from all the directions before cutting. The final look of the gemstone is totally in the hands of cutter.

    Dark colored gems are cut in a way that exhibits two lighter pleochroic colours. Such stones have c-axis cut in parallel to the outer facet. Similarly, light colored stones are cut to highlight the pleochroic deeper shades. To achieve this, light shades are cut having c-axis perpendicular to the outer facet. The phenomenon of Pleochroism is best seen in long rectangular shapes. Also due to long and narrow crystal shapes of the gemstone, rectangular cut is best to view the real beauty of the gem. Some stones displaying cats-eye effect are cut into a cabochon as in this cut the upshot is boosted. Emerald and oval cuts are next in the list of preference. Rounds, triangles and trillions cut are followed then after.
    Carat weight – Different varieties are found in different carat weight. Paraiba gems are found maximum to 2 carat weight. More than this weight, the crystals are considered as gems only for royal families. Red, blue and green gems could be found between 3-5 ctw and beyond 10 ctw is rare and too costly. Yellow gems could be procured between 1-3 ctw. Rest others tend to be less than 3 ctw.

    Price – This stunning gemstone could be an affordable gem as well as an expensive buy too. It all depends on the colour varieties and their respective quality and supply. Paraiba tourmalines are the priced maximum then follows blue, green, red and watermelon gems. Intensity, rarity and clarity of these varieties further affect the price. Final price is ascertained on the basis of the carat weight. With every increase in the carat weight of the gemstone the equivalent price increases.

    Occurrence – This gemstone is amongst the most complicated silicate mineral. Being a complex silicate of Aluminum and Boron, its chemical composition varies with the presence of varied minerals like sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium, lithium and many more. Granite & granite pegmatite igneous rocks and marble, sandstone & schist metamorphic rocks are the rocks where tourmaline occurs. Lithium-rich stones and Magnesium-rich stones occur in igneous and metamorphic rocks respectively. It has the Trigonal crystal system thus has three sides. It is found as long, thin to broad prismatic and columnar crystals that are habitually triangular in cross-section.

    Source – It is mined through out in the world. Minas Gerais and Bahia at Brazil are the prime source for all the varieties. Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Sri Lanka are few more countries that produce good amount of this gemstone. Fascinating green and lovely pink colored gemstones are procured from California, Utah and Maine State of United States of America respectively. Tanzania is rich source of chrome variety green colour.

    Enhancement – A small number of pale stones are heat treated to improve its colour. Some are irradiated to enhance the overall look of the stone. Sporadically it is oiled to bury the apparent inclusions and other surface-reaching cracks.

    Imitations – It is yet to be synthesized by modern methods and techniques. However, man-made imitations such as glass are frequently seen in the gemstone trade market. Also poor quality natural stones are treated to look like different varieties of tourmalines. All these and more are sold under fancy trade names to dupe the innocent buyers.

    Uses – This fascinating gemstone is used for creating attractive jewelry items. Using the creative mix of varied colours of gemstone, jewelry designer produce alluring designs. Rings, earrings, pendants, broaches, back-pins, necklaces etc are created to suit the casual as well as formal attire. All jewelries are made in 14K or 18K yellow gold/white gold. Sterling silver is also widely used for making the stylish jewelry. Other than the jewelries, it used as an ornamental stone. Figures and carvings made up of this gemstone are popular in every corner of the globe.

    Apart from these usual gemstones use, it is an important component in making pressure gauges, specialist microphones and electronic instrumentation. It is highly thought of by the scientist as it confers the thermal and fluid history of rocks where it is formed. Also is closely allied with several foremost metallic ore deposits, preserves chemical marks of it’s rock sources, succumbs isotopic proof for the environmental supply of the boron and is a significant link in the boron cycle. One of its unusual physical characteristics is that by heating or rubbing vigorously it gets charged. Then it shows positive charge at one end while negative at the other end. This is termed “pyro-electricity”. Due to this feature it is used to extract the ashes and dust from the pipes (Pipes used for smoking) and named as “Aschetrekker”.

    Precautions – It is the hard stone having the hardness of 7-7.5 Mohs and could be used for wearing daily in earrings, rings or pendants. However, in order to endure years of wear keep it away from steam cleaning, home ultrasonic cleaner and heating. It should also be protected from scratches and sharp blows. Large temperature change is hazardous for the long-term life of the stone thus, must be avoided. Exposure to sweltering sunlight, excessive heat, acids and harsh chemical present in cosmetics and cleaning agents must be sternly avoided else the stones are ruined badly. These few precautions and care would enable the forever the brightness and glow of the gemstone.

    Beliefs – In ancient time, many royal families used it in their royal jewels like Russian Crown from the 17th century had red tourmalines instead of ruby and the last Empress of China, Empress Dowager Tz’uHsi adored pink tourmaline. She had an enormous collection of this startling gemstone.
    It is believed to shield the wearer in opposition to many adverse circumstances and bad luck. It inculcates the positive traits like confidence, enthusiasm, constructive thinking etc. and overcomes the negativity. It creates the balance between different energies. It is trusted to be idyllic for relationships as it fosters potent sway on love and friendship resulting in immovability and constancy.

    This awe-inspiring gemstone is treasured for its multi-coloured look. The inimitable gamut of colours and plechorism flaunted by the stone makes it very special for the gemstone collectors and admirers in the entire universe. The soothing colours of the gem offer elegance and classy touch to the looks of the lady. This rainbow gemstone suits all moods and surely would fill as many its colours in your life.

    Tourmaline Properties

    Chemical CompositionIt is Complex Aluminium Borosilicate and the chemical formula is (Na,Ca)(Mg,Li,Al,Fe2+)3Al6B3Si6(OH)4.
    ColoursGreen, red, blue, yellow, brown, pink, black, colourless etc. Also bi-colours found like amazing watermelon.
    StreakColourless.
    Hardness7 – 7.5 Mohs.
    LusterVitreous
    Refractive Index1.616 – 1.652
    Specific Gravity3.03- 3.25
    Solid StateTransparent to opaque.
    Crystal SystemTrigonal crystal system.
    FracturesSub-conchoidal to uneven.
    CleavageGood to poor prismatic.
    BirefringenceMedium. Varies between 0.014 to 0.021
    DispersionMedium (.017)
    PleochroismStrong
    TenacityBrittle.
    SourceBrazil, USA, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Sri Lanka.
    EnhancementOften enhanced through heat treatments, irradiation and oiling.
    PrecautionsAll general gemstone care and precautions.

    Tourmaline Earrings

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    Tourmaline Earrings

    by Preeti Sharma

    Tourmaline earrings are available in styles like pierced and clip-on. Keeping these two basic styles, the tourmaline earrings further branch out in a vast variety of shapes and designs. The pierced earring has the most popular style that includes simple studs, posts with hanging earrings at the front.

    Tourmaline Earring Buying Guide

    Tourmaline earrings are a beautiful piece of jewelry art, striking to look at. Tourmaline earrings can be bought to enhance your overall look and beauty. Before you buy the tourmaline earring for yourself, here is our Tourmaline earring buying guide to help you to get your best deal of tourmaline earrings.

    Features of Tourmaline

    Tourmaline is a group of associated mineral species. The name Tourmaline is derived from Sinhalese word tourmali, meaning a “mixed parcel.” Before we discuss the styles of tourmaline earrings and give you tips to buy them, let us first tell you what the tourmaline stone looks like in general.

    Color

    For Tourmaline, color is crucial. You can get this stone in several hues and shades than any other gemstone. Tourmaline comes in all possible colors. There are also tourmalines that you can find in more than one color at the same stone. Let us tell you about some of the important varieties of tourmaline color. They are Rubellite (red) and Indicolite (blue).

    Chrome is an intense green color highlighted by chromium or vanadium.

    The bi-color tourmaline displays two or more colors in one stone. Watermelon tourmaline is really beautiful to see. It is a bi-color stone that has green skin and red core. This stone is often cut in slices. The Canary color of tourmaline stone is bright yellow from Malawi. Paraíba is an intense blue color to green colored by copper from Brazil. The Cat’s Eye tourmaline is chatoyant in a great assortment of colors.

    The color change of Tourmaline varies from green color in daylight to red in candent light. As it is prevalent with most of the gems, the color should be as strong as possible. It must not be too dark or too light.

    Watermelon Tourmaline

    courtesy: Mineralminers.com

    Lighting

    On the color variety of tourmaline, the proper lighting condition depends. The colors like red, orange and yellow mostly look best under the candent light. The other colors like green, blue and violet look even prettier in daylight. While buying any tourmaline or say any gem broadly, it is a practically good idea to analyze the stone under the light sources. This will not make you surprised or shocked in future.

    Clarity

    There are different varieties of tourmaline stone. All of them tend to have a different level of clarity. You can find neat large tourmaline stones in blue and blue-green colors. About all the red and pink tourmaline stone indicates features visible to naked eye. One of the most common inclusions in tourmaline is the fracture and liquid-filled healed fracture. You can also get to see the needle inclusion quite commonly.

    Cut

    One can find the cuts variety in tourmaline as variegated as its color. With its strong Pleochroism the dark color tourmalines have cuts to show the lighter stone of the two pleochroic colors. The tourmaline gem has cut with the orientation that often has rectangles and the rectangular emerald cuts. This is chiefly due to the prolonged nature of the crystals of tourmaline. The Tourmaline stone of light color is oriented particularly with table facet vertical to the c-axis. This helps to display the affluence of the color as possible. This is why you can get the tourmaline stone often cut in rounds or triangles or trillions and ovals.

    Price

    You can find tremendous variation in the prices of tourmaline stone. The cost depends largely on the variety and the quality of the stone. One of the most expensive varieties is of the Paraíba tourmaline. Paraiba can reach up to the tens of thousands of dollars for each per carat. The chrome color Rubellite, fine indicolites and bi-colors of tourmalines may sell for as high as $1000/ct. and more. The other varieties available in the market are for the price between $50-750/ct. The price as such depends on the richness of tourmaline color.

    Size

    Most of tourmaline stones tend to be less than one ct. The Paraíba tourmaline is an extremely rare variety of the faceted stones above 2 carats. The chrome tourmaline has a rare quality and size that is above 10 carats.

    Imitation

    Though tourmaline is never been synthesized, but there are some imitations that exist. This includes natural stones and other man made imitations like glass.

    The Tourmaline Earring styles

    The tourmaline stone gives the earrings a fashion statement to make it more than just a decorative jewelry for your ear. Tourmaline earrings have it all – excellent style, flare, and the quality to enhance the look of the wearer. You can get the tourmaline earrings in all possible designs and styles with all possible metals.

    Tourmaline earrings are available in styles like pierced and clip-on. Keeping these two basic styles, the tourmaline earrings further branch out in a vast variety of shapes and designs. The pierced earring has the most popular style that includes simple studs, posts with hanging earrings at the front. The posts hold a round hoop or embraced earring. The pierced tourmaline earring is attached to the ear with a wire that runs through the earlobe other than the post. The clip on tourmaline earrings are what the name involves attaching the ear with a hole through the earlobe. They have a clip on with a spring attachment or screw in the post.

    The Silver or white gold looks really attractive with tourmaline. The cool colors of tourmaline like blue and ferozi appear even prettier. You can even try the earring embellished with three or four small stones in different colors set in an exclusive combination and style in one earring. It has a very stylish look. Some of the best combinations are pink, blue, green and yellow. More so, you can wear it with all kinds of dresses.

    Tourmaline earring can be worn with both formal and casual apparel. You can also mix yellow and white gold in a tourmaline earring with one single stone. This makes the overall look of the stone real smart and unlike. If you pick a small or medium size of stone for the design of earring, the emphasis must be on both the design and stone. Keep in mind the design of the earring before you select the stone.

    If you are creative enough you can make your own design of the tourmaline earring and give it to the jeweler to carry it out in real. Otherwise, internet is the best medium to browse on some of the exquisite styles of tourmaline earrings. You can put a glance on the design, improve it further with your imagination and get a brand new unique earring made for your self.

    Check the facts below while buying a tourmaline earring

    • The quality of the stone
    • The nature of stone-real or synthetic
    • Obvious scratches, chips or inclusions.
    • Overall smoothness of color.
    • The cut of the stone
    • The small sizes of cut in tourmaline for earrings give it a great look. It is also easy to handle and care.
    • Purchase your tourmaline earring from a registered jeweler. It will help you to make it sure you are not plying for a false stone.

    Peridot Rings buying tips

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    Peridot Rings buying tips

    by Ashutosh Roy

    Peridot, the pseudo emerald gemstone, is the birthstone of August and more popularly known as the summer stone. The most important factor is that all its varieties conform to only one colour, Green, the colour variation starts from yellowish green and ends in greenish yellow.

    Peridot Rings

    (images: minealminers.com)

    Everybody cannot be lucky enough like Elizabeth Taylor to murmur, “The first thing I saw was an engagement ring”. The romantic feeling of offering a gorgeous ring to hypnotize your dream girl starts from a very tender age.

    Peridot, the pseudo emerald gemstone, is the birthstone of August and more popularly known as the summer stone. The most important factor is that all its varieties conform to only one colour, Green, the colour variation starts from yellowish green and ends in greenish yellow. The shining of the Green colour becomes more dazzling at night when the Sun goes behind and the lamplight takes the charge. The brilliant green of Peridot has been giving sparkling effect to the various parts of the body like fingers, earlobes, throat etc. since the Egyptian culture. The gemologists find the resurgence of Peridot with the discovery of Kashmir Peridot. The main advantage of Peridot is that it can be shaped to fit your exact requirement and the inherent toughness does not let it to be too fragile.

    Peridot are available mostly in Globe, Arizona, Burma and China and most recently in the Kashmir valley, which has been highly popular all over the world. It is also a very old yet the most modern gemstone. It started with the people of the oldest culture of Egypt and Greece. Like every gemstone Peridot has also been rated very high for its healing power. There was a time when people not only restrained themselves from wearing Peridot but also used to swallow as a medicine of Asthma. Peridot is supposed to bring success and good luck for you.

    Peridot, combined with diamond in the original Gold base give you a gorgeous look. Rings are available, when the diamonds are embedded on the two sides of the rings, slowly converging to a mounted Peridot. The yellow colour of the Gold, the sparkling whitish diamond and the glitter of Peridot simply becomes irresistible. The varieties have been given some popular names like clover design, Diamond Bezel Peridot, Pave Diamond Peridot etc depending upon the various settings as imagined by the designers. Sometimes even more than one peridots are placed in the same ring in the form of bezel settings where each of the peridot is surrounded by a set of tiny diamonds using claw settings. But you can easily imagine that the budget will pinch you too much. In reality the Green peridot surrounded by white diamond becomes stunning.

    The artist imagines and the designer translates his dream in black and white, the craftsman implements them. As nobody can control over the imaginative power of the artist, a real creative variety comes up just by using the method of permutations and combinations. So what is so surprising if you find a ring where the stunning Amethyst is placed in the center with two Peridots sitting on the either sides. And that too if made in a quality yellow gold, then the colour of Green, Yellow and transparent purple will sparkle under the lamp. When the stunning Peridot is placed in the center point of a peacock feather design in combination with different coloured enamels, it reveals the imagination and designing power of the ancient people. At times Peridots are even combined with Blue Topaz to reveal the truth that variety is the spice of life. But if all of the above just go beyond your budget, don’t get disheartened! The Sterling silver and Gold mix also gives you the stunning effect to win the heart of your fiancé.

    Now, what to check while buying? Unlike most common light and fragile gemstones, the Peridots are hard (6.5 to 7 in mohs scale) enough which requires hardly any treatment of adding extra toughness. A simple waxing is adequate for polishing. The same good old methodology is applicable in case of buying a Peridot ring. Check the settings. If it is a prong setting, you need to ensure that the claws should reach adequately inside the stone, not merely the edges to hold the peridot or other gemstones properly. If you also want the effect of the gemstone then ensure that the claws are small enough to allow the gemstone to touch your skin directly. In case of Bezel Settings, check the evenness of the lip of the Bezel or Flush. Any hitches or distortion ought to be avoided. The peridot fitted inside the Bezel should not wobble. If it is a Pave kind of setting, then ensure the look and feel. And finally you need to check, whether peridot has got evenly distributed colour, which basically depends on the cutting process. The light green colour without any overtone are most attractive when fitted in a golden ring. But buying is a one-time process and maintenance is a life long process. So, if you want to increase the ring’s lifeline with a prolonged stunning nature, then clean it with light warm water. Use light soap and just rinse which should not stain the gemstone. Try to hide it from the direct heat to get rid of unwanted scratches in your hard earned ring. Use velvet or fabric lined jewelry box to keep it safe.

    Where to buy? Peridot rings are available in most of the popular gem houses like Walsh Brothers, eBay, Nex Tag, Apple of Gold Jewelry, Jewel Warehouse, Jewelry Impression. The budget starts from $50 and upto the capacity of your pocket.

    Why to wait for the sixteenth anniversary? If you want to win the heart of your beloved one, then perhaps the brilliant splash of colour of peridot ring will allow you to say ” I came, I saw, I conquered” like Julius Caesar. But be cautious! The Peridot may bring more power, success and better luck for the owner, just to supersede you in every walk of life.