Look what I got...

[RevolutionGems]

I just purchased this piece of rough yesterday.

I should be getting it in the mail in the next day or two.

It is a Nigerian PARAIBA from the Oyo mine. It has not been tested for copper yet but that is something I plan to do. This little beauty weighs in at about 6.75 cts . I am thinking about doing a nice long cushion or some type of tasty oval.

The color looks pretty good on screen. I can''t wait to get my hands on it and cut a real treasure.

I will post some pics when I get it done.

By the way, this material has been lanquishing in a box in a closet for the past 5 years. The guy I got it from has several more pieces that he was saving but finally decided to sell it.

 

[Harriet]

Please don''t tease me.

 

[Kaleigh]

WOW!!!! I can''t wait to see what you do with it. Be still my heart!!

 

[Linda W]

That is sooooooooooooooooooooo beautiful, I LOVE the color!!! I can''t wait to see how you have it cut.

Linda

 

[RevolutionGems]

Actually, Linda, that''s the cool part. I will be cutting it mysel! Sometimes I just have to wonder, how much fun can one life be?

 

[marcy]

Oh my gosh, what a lucious color - I can''t wait to see it after you cut it.

 

[Harriet]

Jeff,
If it hasn''t been tested for copper, how do you know that it''s a paraiba?

 

[Linda W]

Jeff,

I didn''t realize YOU were cutting it. OH MY WORD!!!!! Now I really can''t wait to see it!!!!!!!! It will be PERFECT!!!!!!!

Linda

 

[akmiss]

It is beautiful and you better post some pics when you get it done! Can I ask where you bought it from? eBay?

 

[Catmom]

WOAH, I can''t wait to see how it turns out!!

 

[RevolutionGems]

Harriet, good point on the copper testing. Let me put it this way. The mine this came from is known to produce copper-bearing tourmaline. Out of this particular parcel, some pieces have tested positive and others not positive. So lets just say I am being optimistic.

I got this from a guy who sells faceting rough of various flavors. I don''t want to give away my source. I just wish I had a little more cash. I would buy everything he has.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

That color is stunning! It is going to be gorgeous no matter how you set it!

 

[Harriet]

Date: 3/25/2008 10:22:13 PM
Author: Revolution
Harriet, good point on the copper testing. Let me put it this way. The mine this came from is known to produce copper-bearing tourmaline. Out of this particular parcel, some pieces have tested positive and others not positive. So lets just say I am being optimistic.

I got this from a guy who sells faceting rough of various flavors. I don''t want to give away my source. I just wish I had a little more cash. I would buy everything he has.

Hi Jeff,
I hope yours tests positive for copper!

 

[Pandora II]

Jeff, can you do step by step photos as you cut it?

It would be really interesting to watch the progress from rough to finished piece!

 

[chrono]

Keeping my fingers crossed that it tests positive for copper content AND that it glows.

 

[RevolutionGems]

Pandora,
That is a great idea! I will do that.

Chrono, I would love to see it glow but I think the color might be a little bit light for that. All the "glowy" ones that I have seen have that amazing , indescribable, perfectly saturated windex-on-steriods color. I think this one will be really nice but I am not holding my breath for the glow.

I will cut this stone (with step-by-step photos) and then send it off for testing and appraisal.. I''m all quivery!

 

[Linda W]

Jeff,

Can''t wait to see your step by step process. This will be so fascinating.

Linda

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/26/2008 12:22:43 PM
Author: Revolution
Pandora,
That is a great idea! I will do that.

Chrono, I would love to see it glow but I think the color might be a little bit light for that. All the ''glowy'' ones that I have seen have that amazing , indescribable, perfectly saturated windex-on-steriods color. I think this one will be really nice but I am not holding my breath for the glow.

I will cut this stone (with step-by-step photos) and then send it off for testing and appraisal.. I''m all quivery!

Count me in as another who would very much appreciate you doing step by step pics of the creative cutting process!

 

[chrono]

Revolution,
I have seen a few Paraibas with various saturation and tones that glow. I have seen a true in your face saturated windex paraiba that glows and also 2 other much lighter ones that also glow. Somehow, I don''t think saturation plays a role in its glow.

 

[Skippy123]

Wow, that stone is going to be amazing; can''t wait to see it cut

 

[chrono]

Are you planning to heat it? I hear that heating after cutting brings out the windex colour in the purple ones. Not sure about ones that are already blue, whether it will affect the colour in any way.

Where do you plan to send it for testing? Just curious as I have no idea other than AGTA in the USA.

 

[jszweda]

Date: 3/26/2008 1:16:16 PM
Author: Chrono
Are you planning to heat it? I hear that heating after cutting brings out the windex colour in the purple ones. Not sure about ones that are already blue, whether it will affect the colour in any way.

Where do you plan to send it for testing? Just curious as I have no idea other than AGTA in the USA.

If it were me, before I cut it, I''d stick that on a refractometer. I''ll tell you why.

I bought a piece of rough to have cut that was sold as an aquamarine from Pakistan. It doesn''t have the properties that aqua has, and I have to wait for the cutting to be done before I can say for sure. Ironically, the same dealer has some HUGE pieces of rough that are supposed Paraiba''s, but they look erily familiar to my so called "aqua" rough. Test it on a refractometer first and see what that says. If it doesn''t change colors in the light from a greenish blue and something else, RUN!!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 3/26/2008 1:34:43 PM
Author: jszweda

Date: 3/26/2008 1:16:16 PM
Author: Chrono
Are you planning to heat it? I hear that heating after cutting brings out the windex colour in the purple ones. Not sure about ones that are already blue, whether it will affect the colour in any way.

Where do you plan to send it for testing? Just curious as I have no idea other than AGTA in the USA.

If it were me, before I cut it, I'd stick that on a refractometer. I'll tell you why.

I bought a piece of rough to have cut that was sold as an aquamarine from Pakistan. It doesn't have the properties that aqua has, and I have to wait for the cutting to be done before I can say for sure. Ironically, the same dealer has some HUGE pieces of rough that are supposed Paraiba's, but they look erily familiar to my so called 'aqua' rough. Test it on a refractometer first and see what that says. If it doesn't change colors in the light from a greenish blue and something else, RUN!!

Do you mean a dichroscope?

Thanks Jeff for agreeing to do the pictures! I can't wait to see them?

How did you learn to cut? Did you do a course or something.

Any chance you could do a 'cutting 101' some day and show us what machines you use etc. (Oh and can you make them very very small in the pictures so I can show them to my other half and not have him say "Over my dead body"!)

 

[surfgirl]

Oooh, I cant wait to see the step by step photos too...how interesting...

PANDORA, you''re being paged on Hangout, just FYI...

 

[RevolutionGems]

I actually learned to cut through my local gem and mineral club. There are some faceters there and they offered classes. Believe it or not, cutting is really not that difficult. It is, however, very intense anr requires a good deal of patience. The equipment is not cheap either. The faceting machine itself will run around $3000 though you can get used ones for around $2000. Then there are the laps (diamond disks) that are actually used for the cutting, dops to mount the stones, polishing laps and the rough. Not a cheap hobby but incredibly rewarding.

In any case, I will try to take a few photos of my setup and offer explainations of how it all works.

 

[lisa1.01fvs1]

Date: 3/26/2008 8:18:45 AM
Author: Pandora II
Jeff, can you do step by step photos as you cut it?

It would be really interesting to watch the progress from rough to finished piece!

Yes yes, I second Pandora!

Want to see it all.

BTW, have you got any tips on procuring pink tourmaline? A source or vendor?

Thanks!

 

[Catmom]

Jeff,

Thank you so much for doing this for us. I have always wanted to see the step by step process. This is going to be fun!!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I would also love to see a step-by-step!

DD

 

[Miranda]

How generous of you to share in the step by step cutting process. I am intrigued! Out of curiosity, how long does it take to cut a stone? Minutes? Hours? Days? Pardon my question if it is idiotic, but, I really have no idea...Other than what I''ve seen on National Geographics.

 

[RevolutionGems]

Well Troops, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I got the stone. The bad news is that the color is not what I was expecting and it has a fracture that will cause a significant loss on the stone if I cut it out. So, I think I am going to return this piece.

However, Last year I managed to obtain a nice piece of Pala tourmaline (beautiful pink) that I have not cut yet.

So instead of doing a step by step on the Paraiba, I will do it with the Pala stone.

It usually takes 2 days to cut the stone, around 2 hours each day. The pavillion is cut first and then the stone is tranferred and the crown is cut.

I am deep inot some projects at the moment but I am hoping to start cutting the stone early next week. At that point I will start a thread with some pictures as the stone progresses.

Thanks for the feedback from everyone. It was great to see your comments!