Indicolite Tourmaline Questions

[2Neesers]

Hi All,
I have been searching for an Indicolite Tourmaline under $500 and came across quite a few from Ivy New York/Yavorskyy. They refer to them as Indigo Tourmaline on their site, but from what I can tell, that’s another name for Indicolite. I ordered the stone below, a 1.82ct for around $380. This is the first indicolite I have ordered and I’m wondering if they typically tend to be this dark in person? It is an overcast day, but the photos where taken in the best natural light I could find with my back at the window.
I haven’t been able to find too many examples of blue tourmalines here on P.S... Does anyone have any examples in their person collection they could share photos of? I’m on the fence whether I should return this one or not, it will be an international return which can be more of a hassle. Are there any indicolites out there for sale in my price range that anyone knows of?
Thanks in advance!

 

[chatoyancy]

That’s gorgeous! Indigolite is another word for indicolite, but I’ve only seen that word in books. As far as I know, indicolite is darker, like yours. I don’t think it’s too dark. It matches the sweater I’m wearing today, so I think I’ll just snatch it from the screen.

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

I don't have any blue tourmaline in my collection that is the color you are referring to, but wanted to say although it is darker than the fender pic, its beautiful. I also appreciate the post because I've been eyeing some different stones from this vendor and its good to know to expect a bit lighter.

 

[voce]

Over the summer I bought an indicolite tourmaline from Yvonne Raley. She currently has darker lagoon blue-green indicolite tourmaline in her store, but if you're patient maybe you can ask her to source an indicolite for you?

I don't have my indicolite with me, since my DF has that and some other unset gemstones with him across the continent. But, I can paste over a pic I took of mine. The indicolite I bought from Yvonne is in the circled box with an oval tsavorite. It is 7mm, so pretty sizeable, in my most preferred tone for indicolite.

I also think that some stunning tourmalines that @Rare gem lover has might be indicolite.

 

[MollyMalone]

Don't know if my display is showing what you see in real life, but fwiw, I think of indicolite as being predominantly blue, e.g.,
https://s3.amazonaws.com/gubelin/tourmaline-elbaite-indicolite-35202.pdf
https://s3.amazonaws.com/gubelin/tourmaline-elbaite-indicolite-33679.pdf
https://s3.amazonaws.com/gubelin/tourmaline-elbaite-indicolite-33672.pdf
whereas the stone you have in hand seems more green?
https://s3.amazonaws.com/gubelin/tourmaline-elbaite-verdelite-33665.pdf

But what matters most is whether you're captivated by it, and that doesn't seem to be the case. But you need not rule out indicolite; as shown in the GIA Gem Project pages I first linked, indicolite isn't necessarily "dark."

 

[MollyMalone]

These are the couple of past PS threads with indicolite pics that I found, but I'm surprised my initial search didn't turn up more. So hopefully, others can contribute additional ones!
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...for-setting-lagoon-j-white-indicolite.202786/
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-indicolite-tourmaline-butterfly-ring.227592/

 

[Seaglow]

Comes in all shades...light to dark. This is the sea foam to lagoon blue colors. It can get darker....almost black and lighter to just a tint of blue green.

 

[Anne111]

Not a bad stone but the vendor pic is so color doctored that I'd be p.. and return it for misrepresentation

 

[Bluegemz]

I guess these might be considered Indicolite...not sure because they are blue with some green.

 

[Seaglow]

Yes indicolite should have a dominant color of blue. The blue greens and green blues are labelled lagoon and sea foam tourmalines which can sway more blue or more green or equal parts.

 

[Bluegemz]

Yes indicolite should have a dominant color of blue. The blue greens and green blues are labelled lagoon and sea foam tourmalines which can sway more blue or more green or equal parts.

Thanks for the explanation. Would one describe as Seafoam or Lagoon Tourmaline or Seafoam or Lagoon Indicolite Tourmaline?

 

[chrono]

I have no idea what is seafoam, lagoon, or whatever. It's easier for me to say whether is has a stronger green or weaker blue modifier.

 

[Bluegemz]

I know that idicolite is blue, and blue green with pre dominant blue...now if one has blue greens with equal parts blue and green, I imagine it’s Seafoam or blue green Tourmaline and doesn’t get the indicolite name even though it has blue. I don’t care much about names, just curious where the devide is.

 

[MamaBee]

My mother ring’s center stone is a natural indicolite blue tourmaline. It may be hard to see because it isn’t very big..so here are two photos I posted before.

 

[Seaglow]

Thanks for the explanation. Would one describe as Seafoam or Lagoon Tourmaline or Seafoam or Lagoon Indicolite Tourmaline?

It is not usually described as indicolite by many. Sellers may describe straight on as bluish green, greenish blue, or blue green. The challenge here though is many stones are highly pleochroic so even say with a green body color, if the pleochroism is high, it looks blue in another angle. So if one is sold with a more green body color but appears more blue in most angles due to pleochroism or a mixture of blue and green, it might be difficult to state real body color because each see differently.

Ideally, we describe based on the body color but I think many sellers just see blue and green shifting and at the same time so they are described seafoam or lagoon blue, like shifting waters.

 

[Bluegemz]

It is not usually described as indicolite by many. Sellers may describe straight on as bluish green, greenish blue, or blue green. The challenge here though is many stones are highly pleochroic so even say with a green body color, if the pleochroism is high, it looks blue in another angle. So if one is sold with a more green body color but appears more blue in most angles due to pleochroism or a mixture of blue and green, it might be difficult to state real body color because each see differently.

Ideally, we describe based on the body color but I think many sellers just see blue and green shifting and at the same time so they are described seafoam or lagoon blue, like shifting waters.

Ah yes! Thank you...

 

[2Neesers]

Thank you everyone for sharing your knowledge, pictures and examples of these blue tourmalines! It has been very helpful .
I had a chance to view the stone outdoors (on an overcast day) and in various indoor lighting and it does look really nice at times, especially outdoors. This was my first purchase from the vendor and I think their pictures were taken under much brighter lighting than what I see in my environment, but I know some other vendors also use bright studios lighting, so I know that’s not all that unusual.
Looking at pricing on available blue tourmalines, I think I received the quality I paid for. I’m still trying to decide whether to return it or not. DH likes the color of the stone outside and thinks it looks like the glacial silt water we saw in Banff. I don’t necessarily agree with that, but he is usually pretty neutral about stones and since he likes this one I feel like I should keep it, lol.
I still have a lighter blue Tourmaline on my wish list like @voce round showed in her picture and will reach out to Yvonne once my bling budget is replenished after the holidays. I took a couple of pictures outdoors today. The camera isn’t showing exactly what I am seeing. The stone isn’t quite as dark as my pictures, but it’s close.
BTW @voce what make/model camera did you find that showed gems colors correctly? I saw you mention it in another thread.
Thanks again everyone!

 

[2Neesers]

Here are a couple of links I found on the Ivy New York site on Royal Indigo /Indicolite/ Blue Tourmaline
https://ivynewyork.com/blogs/news/royal-indigo-the-magic-of-the-ocean
And this one shows a 56+ct finished stone!
https://ivynewyork.com/blogs/news/from-rough-to-cut-the-king-of-the-ocean-150cts

 

[voce]

I've never bought from Ivy New York before, but now I'm worried their pictures don't look like how the stones look in real life. This is why I really like handshots from Finewater, Mastercut, Gemfix, TGP, and Cecile Raley Designs. Not that I've bought from all those vendors, but for the right gem and right price they're the first vendors from whom I would buy gemstones if I had the funds.

@2Neezers I still think your indicolite is pretty, but definitely does not look as pure blue as the one from Ivy New York. I bought a Canon PowerShot ELPH 180. I was looking for an easy-to-use point and shoot camera stocked at Best Buy that was within $150, and then after I found a couple I went to the store to try and see how the digital photos looked for my ruby before I was satisfied and bought. I think this camera doesn't have the best image stabilization/focus, but the colors are as spot-on as I've seen in lower-end cameras. Another thing to note is that Canon decided to have people download the user manual from online, which didn't bother me, but some reviewers didn't like not having a printed user guide.

 

[Arcadian]

The stone is pretty but I feel that the vendo pic did not match reality because they flooded the stone with light/possibly "blued" it. Is the plan to keep it? I would not keep if on the fence. It may not be the one for you, and, will likely darken a bit depending on how its set.

 

[2Neesers]

The stone is pretty but I feel that the vendo pic did not match reality because they flooded the stone with light/possibly "blued" it. Is the plan to keep it? I would not keep if on the fence. It may not be the one for you, and, will likely darken a bit depending on how its set.

I know what you are saying is true. I should return it. By the time I set it, even in an inexpensive setting, I would probably have $700 in to the piece that could go toward a lighter stone like the vendor picture showed. I always stress about international returns, though maybe I shouldn’t. I have never shipped to Hong Kong. I wondering what the cost will be for registered mail from the US. Does anyone know?
Thanks!

 

[Arcadian]

I know what you are saying is true. I should return it. By the time I set it, even in an inexpensive setting, I would probably have $700 in to the piece that could go toward a lighter stone like the vendor picture showed. I always stress about international returns, though maybe I shouldn’t. I have never shipped to Hong Kong. I wondering what the cost will be for registered mail from the US. Does anyone know?
Thanks!

Last time I sent something international it was about 14 dollars from the US. that was a couple of years ago so not sure now.

 

[2Neesers]

I've never bought from Ivy New York before, but now I'm worried their pictures don't look like how the stones look in real life. This is why I really like handshots from Finewater, Mastercut, Gemfix, TGP, and Cecile Raley Designs. Not that I've bought from all those vendors, but for the right gem and right price they're the first vendors from whom I would buy gemstones if I had the funds.

@2Neezers I still think your indicolite is pretty, but definitely does not look as pure blue as the one from Ivy New York. I bought a Canon PowerShot ELPH 180. I was looking for an easy-to-use point and shoot camera stocked at Best Buy that was within $150, and then after I found a couple I went to the store to try and see how the digital photos looked for my ruby before I was satisfied and bought. I think this camera doesn't have the best image stabilization/focus, but the colors are as spot-on as I've seen in lower-end cameras. Another thing to note is that Canon decided to have people download the user manual from online, which didn't bother me, but some reviewers didn't like not having a printed user guide.

I had purchased the stone through eBay and just requested a return. I know gemstone photography can be tricky, so I personally wouldn’t rule out purchasing from them again. The collection pieces they post on Instagram are quite amazing! Hopefully the return will go smoothly and next time I will ask for hand shots before purchasing.
Thank you for the camera recommendation! I think I have the previous version of the camera you mentioned tucked away somewhere in my house. I’m going to try to find it and see if it works as well the version you have before ordering a new one

 

[voce]

https://loupetroop.com/listings/loo...ced-vibrant-2-dot-1-ctw-blue-green-tourmaline

I saw this on LT and immediately thought indicolite. It's not as finely cut as the round I got from Yvonne, but you can't beat that price.

 

[2Neesers]

https://loupetroop.com/listings/loo...ced-vibrant-2-dot-1-ctw-blue-green-tourmaline

I saw this on LT and immediately thought indicolite. It's not as finely cut as the round I got from Yvonne, but you can't beat that price.

That stone looks like a beautiful color! I was hoping for a cushion, but might change my mind

 

[steviedsgirl]

More examples, for additional reference. These are my tourmalines -- one was stated to be "indicolite" when I bought it years ago, but it's closer to "chrome" (off to the green). The other is a watermelon that morphs into something almost rubellite in different lighting. That's the thing about tourmalines -- they change.

Yours is much more true to the indicolite blue color family and is stunning.

 

[T L]

Did you keep it?

 

[2Neesers]

Did you keep it?

@T L I did end up returning it, although it hasn’t reached the seller yet. Tracking is showing it has been at the Bangkok Thailand Post office since November 14 and hasn’t moved. Hopefully it will be processed through the P.O. and delivered back to the seller soon!

 

[mochiko42]

A bit late but here's some old photos of my Afghan indicolite tourmaline. It is a medium blue. In my experience Namibian and Nigerian tends to be darker-toned with greyish hue, more so than Afghan indicolite.



Top to bottom: Afghan tourmaline, Mozambique cuprian tourmaline, Arizona gem silica, Brazilian paraiba tourmaline

 

[2Neesers]

@mochiko42 Your medium blue afghan indicolite Tourmaline is exactly the color I would like to find. It’s gorgeous .

Just to update this thread, after I decided to return the Ivy New York stone I did purchase another stone on a bit of whim from an Instagram seller. I just loved the color in the photos and video he sent me. When it arrived it didn’t look like the color in his pictures and I had planned to return it, but then found out it came from a country where gems aren’t allowed to be shipped to and my return package would risk confiscation. I ended up getting a small refund from the seller and kept the gem. This was one of my gemstone misadventures
Here are the vendor photos:

And my real life photos:

It has a huge window and isn’t nearly as bright as I had anticipated. The color isn’t bad, but is definitely more of a grayish blue green than the color of the vendor photos.
I contacted Jerry Newman about a recut and he said since it is a shallow stone he would have to do a complete recut keeping it an emerald type cut. The stone would go from 8.9mm x 7.6mm, to 8.8mm x 6.3mm after the recut at a cost of approx $200. I am seriously considering having him do the recut since I know the window will drive me nuts and I’ll never set it as is. I ended up paying $240 for the stone and the recut would be $200, so I know I will have overpaid for the stone in the end, but I’m thinking it would be better to recut it and hope the stone will be greatly improved.
Any thoughts on the recut?