Help me choose a tourmaline

[Clairitek]

I have to choose between these two tourmalines. I am going to purchase them both and then see them in person to help me decide but I am also curious what the masses think.

I will upload both of the pics and I hope you will vote on one!

The stone will *hopefully* be set in a full bezel (at the very least a semi-bezel) and inspired by neatfreak's awesome cushion bezel-set ring in either white or yellow gold (whichever best compliments the stone I end up keeping)

The mint tourmaline is 1.04 carats, 5.87 mm, cut by Dan Stair of www.customegemstones.com.

The darker green stone is 1.31 carats, 6.8 mm cut by Gene Flanigan from www.precisiongems.com

I love them both and cannot wait to see them in person!

 

[Clairitek]

The Mint Tourmaline by Dan Stair
1.04 carats, 5.87 mm cushion

 

[Clairitek]

The 1.31 carat, 6.8 mm by Gene Flanigan

 

[chrono]

Gene's stone by a mile. While I love mints, that mint tourmaline is too washed out. Personally, Gene's tourmaline stands out more to me.

However, you mentioned that you wanted to bezel the stone and if you plan to do a FULL bezel, then the mint tourmaline might be better because the colour will darken once set. It will darken just a notch. It's best to ask Dan how light is the mint as well.

 

[Love in Bloom]

Wow to the darker green one!

 

[T L]

Really? I go ga ga for the lighter tourmalines. The reason being is that the darker ones are prone to extinction. I feel that you can always set a lighter tourmaline and the color just pops out at you. I have a mint tourmaline similar to the color of the first one, and I think it's awesome. I do think Gene's stone is great, I would just ask him about natural extinction. I feel that some tourmalines are prone to it, even if they're well cut.

ETA: I do think Gene's stone is cut better though. I would love to see the mint stone with the Gene Flannigan touch!

 

[coatimundi_org]

Date: 11/10/2008 9:27:06 PM
Author: Clairitek
The 1.31 carat, 6.8 mm by Gene Flanigan

This one hands down! Gorgeous cut and color!

 

[Fly Girl]

Dan''s tourmaline is going to be darker than it appears in his picture. I''ll be interested to see your pictures alongside Gene''s. I''m sure it will be the lighter of the two, but it just depends on what color you are looking for.

 

[marcy]

They both look pretty but I prefer the darker one. How dark does Dan say the stone is compared to the photo?

 

[Clairitek]

He said that the mint tourmaline was a dead ringer for a merelani mint garnet. The photo that drove me to search out a mint garnet originally was the one thats shown in Jeff White''s gallery.

Jeff White Merelani Mint Garnet

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I like the darker one better

 

[flowerladytoo]

They are both lovely, but my eye is really drawn to the darker one.

 

[Linda W]

Gene''s hands down. It is gorgeous.

 

[FrekeChild]

It depends on what Dan''s looks like in person. I''m sure it will be quite a bit darker.

How are you feeling about the size difference?

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 11/11/2008 1:38:29 AM
Author: FrekeChild
It depends on what Dan''s looks like in person. I''m sure it will be quite a bit darker.


How are you feeling about the size difference?

Stupid me not thinking ahead didn''t account for the part of the stone that the bezel would cover. Whoops. However, my mother isn''t into big jewelery. While I love the colored stone rings I see on this site she might consider them too loud for her own wear.

Her finger is a size 7 so I don''t think that something that turns out to show around 5 mm would be too small.

Now I can''t wait for next week to come! I will be visiting my parents next weekend so I will be able to show my father the stones in person as well.

 

[ma re]

1.31 all the way! Of course it''s all a matter of taste, but I just love deeper green tourmalines cause they'' show off those diferent shades so nicely. Another advantage to that stone is that with lighter one you''re pretty much limited to white when it comes to the choice of metal - with this one you can choose whatever you like.

 

[Harriet]

Gene''s. The other tourmaline lacks saturation.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

The dark green one - what a color! Dan''s is pretty too, but to me, you just can''t beat that deep, intense green of the other one