Tourmaline asscher is here!

[alene]

The much anticipated asscher is here! It''s such a pretty stone and the cut is just amazing! It doesn''t sparkle much but twinkles and the color is beautiful, though a bit darker than I expected. My main concern is the visible inclusion, it''s definitely quite noticeable to the eye and it''s right on the girldle. Would it be an issue with setting the stone? I''m also wondering if the color is a bit dark for showing off the asscher cut well. So what do you think? Oh and it''s not my stone yet, so please don''t hold back with your feedback!

 

[alene]

A couple more pictures.

 

[alene]

Last one!

 

[LD]

I love the cut on it - very pretty indeed. I think however there are several concerns that you''re unsure about:

1. The performance - you mentioned it doesn''t perform how you expected? Will that worry you further down the line?

2. The colour - you''ve said that it''s darker than you expected also. This is something right from the start of your search that has been a concern for you. A gemstone nearly always darkens a little when set. To get a very rough idea of how it will look, encircle it with your fingers and place it over your hand. Does it look too dark now? If it''s too dark for you that will probably be an issue.

3. Lastly, does the fact that you can see the inclusion worry you?

Colour and performance are really personal and what one person will accept another may not and I guess the same goes for the inclusion also. Overall, when you look at the gemstone do you LOVE it? If not, it should go back because you shouldn''t accept something you just "like".

 

[T L]

Can we see a photo of it on your hand resting between your fingers in natural diffused lighting? What kind of lighting did you photograph that stone in for the above shots? How does the stone look in artificial light vs natural light? Does it go darker in one lighting condition vs another? The reason I ask is because tourmaline can tend to go darker in certain lighting to the point where they're too dark. Not saying that will happen with yours, but you want to make sure.

 

[alene]

Here's a blurry hand photo but taken under direct bathroom light. The ones above are taken in natural light, not in the sun.

 

[Gailey]

A well made bezel will certainly minimise the inclusion, but it may darken the stone further unless it''s a very thin bezel.

 

[VapidLapid]

Really have to see it outdoors in sunlight - that''s tourmaline''s natural environment. There was no artificial light back when tourmalines were formed!

 

[T L]

Date: 4/28/2010 8:45:32 PM
Author: VapidLapid
Really have to see it outdoors in sunlight - that''s tourmaline''s natural environment. There was no artificial light back when tourmalines were formed!

True, I had one a similar color that went almost black outdoors in direct sun. I returned it, but hopefully this one doesn''t!!! It''s a pleasant bluish green color, so I''m keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you.

 

[VapidLapid]

i really like the color. It''s my personal ideal for unheated aquamarine.

 

[chictomato]

I like asscher cut alot, and the pattern shows up well! Can I know if the inclusion breaks the surface of the stone? or is it within the stone?

 

[alene]

Date: 4/28/2010 9:08:21 PM
Author: chictomato
I like asscher cut alot, and the pattern shows up well! Can I know if the inclusion breaks the surface of the stone? or is it within the stone?

I think it breaks the surface on the side, though I''m not sure.

 

[VapidLapid]

well I guess I just want to know where it came from in case you send it back!

 

[VapidLapid]

It seems I am starting a shelter for wayward gems.

 

[StonieGrl]

"Thin bezel."

Don''t even THINK about a thin bezel if you want to keep that stone in the setting. Every time I''ve gotten a thin bezel over the advice of a jeweler, they have always been proven right and I''m very very careful with my hands, no manual labor going on here, LOL.

 

[loriken214]

Date: 4/28/2010 8:29:33 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
I love the cut on it - very pretty indeed. I think however there are several concerns that you''re unsure about:

1. The performance - you mentioned it doesn''t perform how you expected? Will that worry you further down the line?

2. The colour - you''ve said that it''s darker than you expected also. This is something right from the start of your search that has been a concern for you. A gemstone nearly always darkens a little when set. To get a very rough idea of how it will look, encircle it with your fingers and place it over your hand. Does it look too dark now? If it''s too dark for you that will probably be an issue.

3. Lastly, does the fact that you can see the inclusion worry you?

Colour and performance are really personal and what one person will accept another may not and I guess the same goes for the inclusion also. Overall, when you look at the gemstone do you LOVE it? If not, it should go back because you shouldn''t accept something you just ''like''.

Well said LD! My thoughts exactly!

Lori

 

[marcy]

Very pretty.

 

[chrono]

Have you viewed the stone under different lighting (outdoors, shade, fluorescent, halogen and incandescent)? Most gemstones will behave differently and you may find that you prefer one lighting condition more than another. An asscher cut and tourmalines in general are not going to give you a lot of sparkle due to it being a step cut and the lower RI of a tourmaline.

 

[alene]

So far I''ve seen it under natural light (indoors) and fluorescent lights. It''s very pretty, just a bit dark, but that''s mostly because I really wanted a lighter stone. It''s really the inclusion that seems to bother me the most.
VapidLapid, I''d love to tell you where the stone came from but the seller wished to remain anonymous.

So, what''s wrong with thin bezels, do stones just fall out of them?

 

[chrono]

I always stay away from surface breaking inclusions so I think it’ll be beneficial for you to find out if that inclusion really breaks the surface or is just close to the surface.

 

[Liane]

It''s lovely, although I too would shy away from a surface-breaking inclusion.

re: thin bezels -- I''ve never had a problem with any of mine, and I have some that are literally paper-thin. However, all my bezeled rings are round (the fancy-shaped stones I''ve had bezeled were all for pendants) so I''m not sure if it would be different with an asscher. I wouldn''t think so, but I have no personal experience to draw on there.

 

[LD]

Date: 4/29/2010 11:45:16 AM
Author: alene
So far I''ve seen it under natural light (indoors) and fluorescent lights. It''s very pretty, just a bit dark, but that''s mostly because I really wanted a lighter stone. It''s really the inclusion that seems to bother me the most.
VapidLapid, I''d love to tell you where the stone came from but the seller wished to remain anonymous.

So, what''s wrong with thin bezels, do stones just fall out of them?

I think you''re answering your own question. If the stone is too dark, it''s too dark. It doesn''t matter how you set it, it will still appear a bit darker.

If there''s a surface breaking inclusion that would worry me intensely. I think I''d have to absolutely LOVE ADORE and WORSHIP a stone to keep it if it had that.

 

[oddoneout]

I like the cut and colour but the inclusion would bother me too.

 

[alene]

Thank you all again! After much deliberation, I sent the stone back. This is likely going to be the only nice piece of jewelry I''ll get for quite some time so I really want to find something I really love. So I guess the search continues.

 

[Indylady]

Sometimes it happens. Its difficult to purchase gems sight unseen.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 4/29/2010 7:49:45 PM
Author: alene
Thank you all again! After much deliberation, I sent the stone back. This is likely going to be the only nice piece of jewelry I''ll get for quite some time so I really want to find something I really love. So I guess the search continues.

I think this attitude is right. You really need to love it. So go for a lighter colored stone to show off the cutting! Hope you find your stone soon!