Tourmaline Origin?

[prs]

We will be passing through Carlsbad next week and intend to stop by GIA to drop off some items for report testing. They offer "Identification and Origin" reports for those more expensive stones where Country of Origin can really make a difference in value. They only offer the "Identification" report for stones where Origin does not impact price.

We have a couple of tourmaline rings we are going to submit, and they do offer the Origin report for tourmaline. It's an additional $75 to get this report and I'm wondering if it's really worth it. I don't recall ever seeing any discussion here about tourmaline origin, and if stones from any particular source are more valuable.

PS I know AGL is better for colored stones, and we will not be submitting anything of really high value.

 

[T L]

To be honest, the only time it matters is for fine Paraiba, as Brazil has a premium over Africa (Nigeria and Mozambique).

If they weren’t expensive, I wouldn’t bother with a lab report, unless you have reason to think they’re simulants, tourmaline is not synthesized.

 

[prs]

To be honest, the only time it matters is for fine Paraiba, as Brazil has a premium over Africa (Nigeria and Mozambique).

If they weren’t expensive, I wouldn’t bother with a lab report, unless you have reason to think they’re simulants, tourmaline is not synthesized.

Thanks, I agree. Maybe they offer the Origin report for tourmaline so they can still charge the higher fee if the stone doesn't turn out to be Paraiba.

 

[T L]

Thanks, I agree. Maybe they offer the Origin report for tourmaline so they can still charge the higher fee if the stone doesn't turn out to be Paraiba.

Origin sometimes matters to people if you’re collecting stones based on countries, but a fine tourmaline will always be valued for its quality over origin, unless it’s a Brazilian Paraiba. I think some of the finest tourmaline comes from Afghanistan, but if you find one from Nigeria that was just as beautiful, it wouldn’t cost any less if all else were equal.

The only thing you have to really worry about is being overcharged for a gem just because it contains copper. You shouldn’t pay more for a copper bearing indicolite or rubellite if there are identical stones that do not contain copper. Be very careful of the Paraiba moniker loosely thrown about.

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

@T L

"tourmaline is not synthesized."

I'm not challenging you, but isn't it synthetic tourmaline they use in all those hair straighteners, curling wands, etc?

 

[T L]

@T L

"tourmaline is not synthesized."

I'm not challenging you, but isn't it synthetic tourmaline they use in all those hair straighteners, curling wands, etc?

I know there is no synthetic gem tourmaline. Unlike other gems that are composed of just a one to three chemical elements, tourmaline is
(Ca,K,Na, ▢)(Al,Fe,Li,Mg,Mn)3(Al,Cr, Fe,V)6
(BO3)3(Si,Al,B)6O18(OH,F)4

It’s just too difficult to synthesize. That doesn’t mean there aren’t stimulants, but synthetic, no.

I have no idea what they use in those hair straighteners, but if they are using tourmaline, maybe it’s ground down dravite.