Andesine/Red Laboradite - Does it matter

[Linda W]

Hi Maurice,

Thank you for the info on the auction. I missed it though.

A few minutes ago, I turned on my favorite shopping channel and low and behold, they were selling andesine jewelry. I bought the earrings, pendant and ring. Now I will save my stone I bought and won''t have to make it into a pendant. I''ll only wear the ring on special outings with my hubby. Now I have a complete set. Hoooooooooooooooooooray.


Linda

 

[MJO]

Date: 2/17/2006 5:00:30 PM
Author: colormyworld
I just thought I''d post a picture of a labradorite/andesine (haven''t had it tested) It is 11.99 ct I bought it in an internet auction from a company that is also on the t.v.. I don''t know how it could be any more saturated in color.

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In person it looks stop light red. I wish I''d bought some greens.

Hi Colormyworld,

Can I ask you how much you paid for your 11ct stone?

Regards,
Maurice

 

[Linda W]

Maurice,

I receive my Andesine stone today. IT IS BEAUTIFUL. I am soooooo happy with it. It is deep red color with lots and lots of flashes. I just had to tell you.


Linda

 

[MJO]

Hi Linda,

That''s great. If you get a chance if you could post a picture I would love to see it.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[nicky newark]

Hi Maurice- I just ordered 2 Congo andesine pieces from France. Im sure you know the source. All this feldsbar talk made me curious. They are what he calls SA grade ,the finest. I never heard of SA grade.I am going to try to post one of the images from his site. I will let you know if they live up to all the hype.

 

[MJO]

Hi NIcky,

What sizes did you get? I just picked up a pair of Red Labarodite Heart cuts 4.2ctw. They are very nice and the price was great.

Maurice

 

[nicky newark]

Hi Maurice- They are both small, I want to check the quality before I order a larger one. The oval is 1.21ct{8x6mm.}, the cushion 1.00ct.{8x5.5mm.}. I ordered yesterday and they should arrive sometime next week. These are Congo stones. I now need to buy a Chinese and an Oregon stone to compare them all side by side.

 

[MJO]

Date: 2/24/2006 7:28:24 PM
Author: nicky newark
Hi Maurice- I just ordered 2 Congo andesine pieces from France. Im sure you know the source. All this feldsbar talk made me curious. They are what he calls SA grade ,the finest. I never heard of SA grade.I am going to try to post one of the images from his site. I will let you know if they live up to all the hype.

Hi Nicky,

I forgot to tell you Gemfrance''s SA grade is their top grade. Like a Super A. They rate AA, AAA and SA. SA has to have color, clarity and sparkle.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[conitta]

Hello everyone...I am new here and was reading about the Andesine/Labradorite.I have bought some pieces from JTV and they are pretty stones.I have one that is RED and the others have more orange. I like the orange color better. Now they are saying that this stone will be considered as a new gemstone because it is both Andesine and Labradorite and therefore give it a new name. So what do you think?So confused....

 

[Linda W]

Hi Conitta,

I heard that too on JTV. I don''t know what to think. They confuse me anyway with some of the things they come out with. LOL.


Linda

 

[RubySlippers]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to the board, have been lurking for awhile. Its fun reading all the comments on the stones. Myself I have bought 5 pieces of the Andesine. 2 red heart shape .41 cts each, 1 red 9x7 1.57 cts, 1 red 11x11 cushion 2.52 cts, 1 green 7x7 trillon 1.03 cts. I had been to Gemfrances website, nice site. But I didn't pay as much as he wants for his items. I didn't buy my items from JTV, I don't trust them. Alot of double talk. I bought the pieces I have from DSN. I have been very happy with the pieces I bought.

Nicky Newark, I would like to ask a favor from you. I saw your post with the Wall Street journal ad on the Sunstone ring. They took the file off the forum page. Once again, Hello to all!

Deb

 

[movie zombie]

better yet, post it here if you have access to it.

movie zombie

 

[Linda W]

Hi Deb,

I purchase most of mine from DSN also, and I am very happy with my stones.

 

[MJO]

Date: 2/25/2006 8:45:23 PM
Author: nicky newark
Hi Maurice- They are both small, I want to check the quality before I order a larger one. The oval is 1.21ct{8x6mm.}, the cushion 1.00ct.{8x5.5mm.}. I ordered yesterday and they should arrive sometime next week. These are Congo stones. I now need to buy a Chinese and an Oregon stone to compare them all side by side.

Hello Nicky,

I can send you an Oregon an what I belive is a Chinese to conpare if you''ld like. Just please send them back.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[nicky newark]

Hi Maurice- I just picked up a Chinese and Oregon piece at a show in N.Y. They are both 4+ct. The Chinese is a very deep red, the Oregon has a bit of an orange secondary hue. Neither is as brilliant as the S.A. Congo stones,but still very nice. I will post a picture soon.

 

[conitta]

They are saying it is a new gemstone and will be renaming it with a combination of the Andisene & Labradorite names because it contains both?

Connie

 

[RubySlippers]

I have to agree with you Conitta, I'm confused also on what they are saying. I am very glad that you are happy with the stones you received from JTV. I can't understand how they can say that they still do no know the origin of the stones that they are selling, when on thier website they list the origin as China! I do believe that the first group of stones that I saw last fall look different and wonder if they came from a different origin. I was happy to read that Maurice emails the hosts and sets them straight. But from what I understand, Dawn is a GG. At least that is what I think I have read.

I don't what to believe out of JTV!

Linda, I love the stones I have gotten from DSN. I found a seller on Ebay selling the stones from DSN at a huge profit! The seller doesn't even hide the item #'s on the bottom of the cases! I wish I would have bought more of the green as I don't seem to see it any longer. And, what I do see is at least 4 times the price!

Deb

 

[Linda W]

Hi Deb.

I love DSN''s stones also. I just purchased the Mozambique Tourmaline a couple of nights ago (hum, don''t know if I spelled that right). I may have that made into a ringl. It looked beautiful on the screen. I ordered two more Andesine''s the other night also. May have those made into earrings. I am really getting hooked on those stones. I don''t have any of the green color. They don''t show those very often do they?

I will have to check e-bay out. The least that person could do is take the item numbers off ha ha ha.


Connie: Love the picture of your stone. JTV, who knows what they are saying. They always jibber jabber too much. Same with DSN. I always want to yell at the TV, come on already, just get on with the price. LOL


Linda

 

[MJO]

Date: 3/23/2006 8:00:38 PM
Author: Linda W
Hi Deb.

I love DSN''s stones also. I just purchased the Mozambique Tourmaline a couple of nights ago (hum, don''t know if I spelled that right). I may have that made into a ringl. It looked beautiful on the screen. I ordered two more Andesine''s the other night also. May have those made into earrings. I am really getting hooked on those stones. I don''t have any of the green color. They don''t show those very often do they?

I will have to check e-bay out. The least that person could do is take the item numbers off ha ha ha.


Connie: Love the picture of your stone. JTV, who knows what they are saying. They always jibber jabber too much. Same with DSN. I always want to yell at the TV, come on already, just get on with the price. LOL


Linda

Hi Linda,

I don''t get to see those jewelery shows. Is the Mozamique Tourmaline the new Copper Bearing Blue ones?

Regards,
Maurice

 

[Linda W]

HI Maurice,

I think they are. They were talking about them and my hubby was yakking at the same time, so I didn''t really get to see the whole presentation of them.

I do know they have flashes of blue and green in them. When I receive it, I''ll post it in the colored stone section and tell you about it.


Linda

 

[conitta]

Hi Deb.....I guess I am satisfied with them, I have nothing to compare them to.They are pretty but I really don''t know what I will do with them...So I have company in the

confused department...I have not seen where it says on JTV''s website that they are from China, can''t say I have looked either.I did hear Tommy say they were from Tibet,but I have not heard another host say that.Cheryl is the GG and Scott just finished the course so he is a GG also.Dawn was a model. I like Cheryl, she''s a hoot.Iwill have to count and see how many Labradorites I have. I am having my daughter a ring made with a heart surrounded by white sapphires. I do have a small green one.I liked it so I ordered a larger green one but sent it back.It had the red in it also,the color shift.I will probably regret sending it back but just did not care for it.They have some small green ones on the website.

Linda....Thank you & cxheck out the green labradorite on JTV''s website.

Maurice ......I am truly sorry you don''t get to see the jewelry shows. You just don''t know what you are missing.You can watch on the live viewers!

 

[RubySlippers]

Maurice, the stones Linda is refering to, they are calling them a "Type M Tourmaline". I''m not sure if they have said that they are copper bearing. They are a green blue color. I saw a piece the other nite that was almost a peridot color.I haven''t bought a piece of this Type M yet. I better not wait too long. I know the Morganite and Aqua they have had lately are outragous,as far as color and price.Ya can''t beat it! Its hard for me to watch the show. I live on the east coast and the show comes on at 11pm and ends at 5am. I don''t think you can take an item number and call at a later time. I emailed Rob and asked that question. I will let you know what his reply was. If I find out that you can, I will start DVR''ing the show.

Conitta, if you look at JTVs website, on the left hand side, near the bottom they list the origin as''China''. The green piece I have(wish I would have bought more) I bought in the fall when it was $45 ct. When you get the ring done, I would love to see a pic. And Linda, I don''t see the green on DSN anymore. The green on JTV doesn''t have the nice teal color of the piece that I have. And you probably will be kicking yourself for missing out on the color shift pieces.
I have to agree with Linda, sometimes these shows, ya just want to say "Get on with it".

Deb

 

[Linda W]

I just saw on e-bay that they are selling the Type M Tourmaline at a reasonable price. I typed in Mozambique Tourmaline and it popped up. I am not sure if this is what I bought on DSN or not, but it looks like it.


Linda

 

[gemfrance]

I have seen the talkink about Andesine and Labradorite and I hope that that contribution below will help.
The post below is what I have yet posted on "your gemolgist forum".
I want to add that regarding the price of any kind of stone, the only good one is when both buyer and saler are happy...

Regarding the stones sold as "Labradorite andesine", it looks correct without any certificate. The boundary between andesine and Labradorite is regarding the ratio Ca / Na. And andesine and Labradorite have not exactly the same gemmological properties. If you check only with gemmological properties some of theses tones will come Labradorite, close from the andesine boundary.
The only way is to check in a laboratory by chemical analysis like Fluo X.
I can only speak for my stones. My 56 biggest stones have been checked by AIGS in Bangkok and all was coming Andesine. Some stones was checked in Japan, France, US. All Andesine.
After, they were new a discovery in China with similar stone (red feldspar). But these ones are not so clean and sparkle. They also have sometimes some brownish tones.
Finding a new location of red feldspar and seeing my andesine promotion, they have used my information and also have cut some stones after seeing my cutting on my website.
Don't forget that the andesine-Labradorite boundary is a "human boundary". If the name of Andesine have been put at a Na Ca ratio of 40% and not 50%, all these stones could have the same name...

Regarding the name of "sunstone", it is not a scientist but a commercial name.

It is a fact that coming from China or Congo or Oregon, red feldspar is very rare and that the price will increase when more people will ask for that gem and when they will be not enough for the market.
If the price will increase in the future as Paraiba Tourmaline? I only know history and now, not the future. But if we compare the price with Tanzanite (same hardness) or if we compare with the top quality in Oregon sunstone (Labradorite) http://www.gemsociety.org/info/gems/sunstone.htm
... The price of andesine is certainly going to increase.

I am geologist and it is why I have invest so much in that stone since 3 years, after have seeing that stone for the first time. A red feldspar in so clean and big size is very rare (my biggest one is 33ct). When I had this opportunity I knew that it was not possible to miss it.

 

[MJO]

Date: 3/24/2006 10:34:40 AM
Author: Linda W
I just saw on e-bay that they are selling the Type M Tourmaline at a reasonable price. I typed in Mozambique Tourmaline and it popped up. I am not sure if this is what I bought on DSN or not, but it looks like it.


Linda

Thank you for the reply''s,

There is no such thing as type M tourmaline. It is probubly a new marketing ploy to distinguish this Mozambique find. If it was copper bearing they would tell you and call it paraiba or paraiba type in order to charge a few thousand a carat.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[MJO]

Date: 3/24/2006 11:57:10 PM
Author: gemfrance

I have seen the talkink about Andesine and Labradorite and I hope that that contribution below will help.
The post below is what I have yet posted on ''your gemolgist forum''.
I want to add that regarding the price of any kind of stone, the only good one is when both buyer and saler are happy...


Regarding the stones sold as ''Labradorite andesine'', it looks correct without any certificate. The boundary between andesine and Labradorite is regarding the ratio Ca / Na. And andesine and Labradorite have not exactly the same gemmological properties. If you check only with gemmological properties some of theses tones will come Labradorite, close from the andesine boundary.
The only way is to check in a laboratory by chemical analysis like Fluo X.
I can only speak for my stones. My 56 biggest stones have been checked by AIGS in Bangkok and all was coming Andesine. Some stones was checked in Japan, France, US. All Andesine.
After, they were new a discovery in China with similar stone (red feldspar). But these ones are not so clean and sparkle. They also have sometimes some brownish tones.
Finding a new location of red feldspar and seeing my andesine promotion, they have used my information and also have cut some stones after seeing my cutting on my website.
Don''t forget that the andesine-Labradorite boundary is a ''human boundary''. If the name of Andesine have been put at a Na Ca ratio of 40% and not 50%, all these stones could have the same name...

Regarding the name of ''sunstone'', it is not a scientist but a commercial name.

It is a fact that coming from China or Congo or Oregon, red feldspar is very rare and that the price will increase when more people will ask for that gem and when they will be not enough for the market.
If the price will increase in the future as Paraiba Tourmaline? I only know history and now, not the future. But if we compare the price with Tanzanite (same hardness) or if we compare with the top quality in Oregon sunstone (Labradorite) http://www.gemsociety.org/info/gems/sunstone.htm
... The price of andesine is certainly going to increase.

I am geologist and it is why I have invest so much in that stone since 3 years, after have seeing that stone for the first time. A red feldspar in so clean and big size is very rare (my biggest one is 33ct). When I had this opportunity I knew that it was not possible to miss it.

Hello again Gemfrance,

What I have been saying is that this type of stone is not a new discovery of gemstone, only the location might be different. It has been mined for awhile in Oregon. I love the red and green andesine so much in it''s best examples that I bought the mining rights to 40 acres in Plush Oregon near the Dust Devil Mine. The distiction between Andesine and Laboradite is arbatraty so I wouldn''t use it to say one is better than the other if all other appearances are the same. The only thing that matters is the material be beautiful and I can say I''ve seen your site and your stones seem to be some of the nicest pictures I''ve seen. I would love to see them in person but can''t as of this point in time bring myself to pay the prices yet . I only want large stones since as you know 3cts and over are the cut of point for most collectors stones. Paraiba jumps in price at this point as does, tsavorite. That is why I have made it a habit to buy only 3ct and above unless the prices is so good I can''t turn it down. A couple of years ago Tsavorite was selling at $100/ct for nice 1ct size clean stones so I bought all I could find. About 30 of them. I am doing the same now with Red Andesine. If it is small and cheap I will buy it. If it is large and what I concider under wholesale value I will buy it. I just bought a wonderful 5ct bright RED pear shaped stone for $150/ct and a nice darker slightly orange in florecent lighting Red 5ct cushion for $70/ct. I did pay $400/ct for an 18.86ct congo andesine in 2002 and $100/ct for (2) other 8ct stones at the same time.

I do agree it will be a rare stone and probubly more valuable in time as more is found and the market expands. It''s funny how sometimes rarity can be a problem for the value of a stone if it is so rare no one knows about it.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[geoberyl]

What about tibetan andésine : banning or not from an ethic point of vue? (regarding that tibet is under chinese occupation)

I''d like to know your positions?

 

[MJO]

There should be no ban on Tibetian Laboradite. The ban on Burmese goods hasn''t done anything for the people of Burma. I was born in Burma and have heard both sides. Money is made for small miners in Burma that smuggle small amounts of stones out of the country and help them survive. Most are poor dirt farmers that can''t feed thier families unless then take a chance and go arround their government channels and sell direct and thereby getting more than their governments would give them. It is also their banking system since money usless due to inflation. They pass wealth to their childred in the form of family jewels.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[nicky newark]

Hi Maurice- Joe from Amazon Imports(Williston Park, N.Y.) has some top quality red Labridorite-I just purchased a couple pieces. All his stuff is top shelf-Tourmalines are the best I have ever seen. His prices are good too.

 

[movie zombie]

does he have a website? i was unable to locate in a goggle search.....

movie zombie