May I have your opinions on this chrome tourmaline

[babydoll_mini]

Hi experts, I am seriouly considering purchasing this chrome tourmaline.
Could you please give my some suggestions?

Here is the spec:
2.3ct
8.9 x 7.2 x 5.5
eye clean
slightly windowed

I think the color is slightly yellowish intense green, however the vendor described it as "bottle green".
Though I never knew what exactly does "bottle green" mean...this makes me worry a little bit.
Is "bottle green" a little bit "muddy" comparing to "pure green" or "chrome green"?

And I heard that yellowish second hue lower the value of chrome tourmaline, so what per carat price will you consider to be reasonable for this one?

oh btw the vendor said it does appear red under the filter, so I guess it is a real chrome tourmaline.
Please let me know what you think~
Thank you very much in advance!

 

[babydoll_mini]

and here is the snapshot from the video

 

[chrono]

My idea of bottle green is the dark green colour of the bygone days’ soda pop bottles.

I agree with your colour assessment that the colour is a slightly yellowish green with good saturation. More importantly, will the vendor provide you a lab brief? The vendor can say whatever he wants but if you don’t have the necessary equipment to verify it yourself, what good does it do? How do you know if it’s really a tourmaline, much less a chrome tourmaline?

ETA
I wrote about the lab memo on the stipulation that the vendor is from eBay where you have a range of honest to downright crook vendors.

 

[babydoll_mini]

and another

 

[babydoll_mini]

Date: 5/19/2010 8:47:48 AM
Author: Chrono
My idea of bottle green is the dark green colour of the bygone days¡¯ soda pop bottles.

I agree with your colour assessment that the colour is a slightly yellowish green with good saturation. More importantly, will the vendor provide you a lab brief? The vendor can say whatever he wants but if you don¡¯t have the necessary equipment to verify it yourself, what good does it do? How do you know if it¡¯s really a tourmaline, much less a chrome tourmaline?

ETA
I wrote about the lab memo on the stipulation that the vendor is from eBay where you have a range of honest to downright crook vendors.

Thank you chrono for being helpful as always.
I''m considering purchasing a chelsea colour filter myself because it costs as much as a lab memo I think.
Do you think it will be good enough to idenfy a chrome tourmaline given it is a tourmaline?
The stone is from Tan, so I incline to believe it is a tourmaline indeed.

 

[T L]

Just saw this thread now. Babydoll, get an AIGS from Tan (he never refused any for any stone I bought and I bought A LOT), it will give you peace of mind. Did you get the tourmaline yet? It has nice saturation, not overly dark at all, but it is a bit on the yellow side.

 

[chictomato]

Hi babydoll! I was told by my gemologist that appearing red under the chelsea filter is not enough to prove that it contain Chromium (which make it a true Chrome Tourmaline). It has to go thru trace element using EDAX ( some kinda testing equipment which is suppose to cost a bomb according to the gemologist) to determine the presence of chromium. Kindly excuse me if the info is not complete as it is a 'cut and paste' from from my memory of what my gemologist had said I had purchased a 2.40 carats Chrome Tourmaline from Tan , it does not come cheap and it is accompanied with a AIGS report stating 'Natural Chrome Tourmaline". I have contacted AIGS thru email as I would like to know what tests have been done to determine that its a 'Chrome tourmaline". AIGS has replied that they uses EDAX to determine. IMO, get a report from AIGS, it is a reputable lab and you can be sure of what you are buying I have to say that the Chrome tourmaline is a beautiful intense green, no yellow, this is my favorite piece in my collection so far. Comparing by the vendor's photos, my Chrome Tourmaline appears a little darker and a little greener. Hope it helps! Do post some photos when you get it I agree that it has good saturation and most importantly not dark, just a touch of yellow. I love green btw..

 

[Barrett]

i think the color is very nice!

 

[babydoll_mini]

Date: 5/25/2010 8:16:14 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Just saw this thread now. Babydoll, get an AIGS from Tan (he never refused any for any stone I bought and I bought A LOT), it will give you peace of mind. Did you get the tourmaline yet? It has nice saturation, not overly dark at all, but it is a bit on the yellow side.

Hi TL, thank you for your reply!
Actually I did ask Tan to get an AIGS memo but here is his repy:
>>>
The AIGS will cost extra $30.00 but we don''t know when and how long this process cause the AIGS office were close due to the political turmoil in our Bangkok city. Usually it takes 10-14days to obtain the certificate but the problem now we do not know when the office will be re-open.
<<<

So I already have the stone shipped out and I will have to take it to local NGTC I guess.
I will definitely post pictures when I get the tourmaline. Thanks again!

 

[babydoll_mini]

Date: 5/25/2010 9:06:44 PM
Author: chictomato
Hi babydoll! I was told by my gemologist that appearing red under the chelsea filter is not enough to prove that it contain Chromium (which make it a true Chrome Tourmaline). It has to go thru trace element using EDAX ( some kinda testing equipment which is suppose to cost a bomb according to the gemologist) to determine the presence of chromium. Kindly excuse me if the info is not complete as it is a ''cut and paste'' from from my memory of what my gemologist had said I had purchased a 2.40 carats Chrome Tourmaline from Tan , it does not come cheap and it is accompanied with a AIGS report stating ''Natural Chrome Tourmaline''. I have contacted AIGS thru email as I would like to know what tests have been done to determine that its a ''Chrome tourmaline''. AIGS has replied that they uses EDAX to determine. IMO, get a report from AIGS, it is a reputable lab and you can be sure of what you are buying I have to say that the Chrome tourmaline is a beautiful intense green, no yellow, this is my favorite piece in my collection so far. Comparing by the vendor''s photos, my Chrome Tourmaline appears a little darker and a little greener. Hope it helps! Do post some photos when you get it I agree that it has good saturation and most importantly not dark, just a touch of yellow. I love green btw..

Hi chictomato, I do remember your concave chrome tourmaline from Tan, love it!
And you are super quick with the setting too, impressed

Love the setting too!

And thank you very much for the information on the EDAX, it really saved my neck.
I was almost buying a chelsea filter to do it myself

Now I will take to a local lab, hope they can do this EDAX testing.
Thanks again!

 

[chictomato]

Hi Babydoll thanks

I do trust Tan, I waited almost 2 weeks instead of 1 for my AIGS report then. Tan said that AIGS was doing some internal restructuring. And true enough AIGS said the same I was just thinking that when the stone reaches you and you like it. You can probably arrange to send it back to Tan to obtain an AIGS report, since they are using EDAX (your local lab might cost much more)

 

[T L]

Date: 5/25/2010 11:12:01 PM
Author: chictomato
Hi Babydoll thanks


I do trust Tan, I waited almost 2 weeks instead of 1 for my AIGS report then. Tan said that AIGS was doing some internal restructuring. And true enough AIGS said the same I was just thinking that when the stone reaches you and you like it. You can probably arrange to send it back to Tan to obtain an AIGS report, since they are using EDAX (your local lab might cost much more)

Me too. I had to wait almost a month for an AIGS, but I think it''s worth it on some stones. He also offers GIT and Burapha memos as well, but I prefer AIGS since it has a photo of the stone and is verifiable online.

 

[chrono]

Not to mention AIGS does full testing for a fraction of the cost of most other labs.

 

[babydoll_mini]

Hi experts, I have received the chrome tourmaline, but I don't know whether I should keep it.
Need your opinions again...(and thank you in advance!)

I found the stone black out a lot

I have to orient its table towards the light source to see the sparkles coming out, otherwise, it is a hole...
I think chictomato once said her chrome never blacks out in any light.

like this:

 

[babydoll_mini]

Here is how it looks when it is oriented right.
The picture is took under moderate strong incandescent light, but the stone look more blue and less yellow IRL.

And it looks a tiny little bit olive under fluorescent or daylight.
I think the color is acceptable to me because I always knew it is a bit towards yellowish.

 

[VapidLapid]

I wouldnt be able to put up with it.

 

[babydoll_mini]

And by the way, I''m totally thrilled by the other 2 stones I get from Tan.
The picture doesn''t do them justice.

 

[T L]

Return the chrome tourmaline, it shouldn't black out like that. The other two gems are much brighter in color. Next time, ask Tan if the stone goes extinct in certain lighting. I will say it has nice cutting on it, but if color comes first to you, then return it.

 

[chictomato]

Hi babydoll! Personally I think that there is a lot of extinction on the Tourmaline. I will choose to return it.

 

[Agnesg]

This happened to my green tour from Tan.. so different form VDO