Tr-color Tourmaline?

[prs]

My wife spotted these earrings yesterday in a local pawn shop. The stones sure look like tri-color tourmaline but I've never seen specimens this small. The undersides of the stones are black, and I suspect the colors might be painted on. However the colors are different in each stone and, if hand painted, it was done by someone with a great eye and a lot of skill. Please share your opinion with me.

 

[MJ_Mac]

These look like ammolite. They are a very fragile gemstone. These are most likely doublets or triplets. See the attached link for information on ammolite.
https://www.gemsociety.org/article/ammolite-jewelry-gem-information/

 

[ShinyPink]

Wow, Peter! You're still jewelry shopping after that ginormous and beautiful emerald purchase! You are a keeper!

 

[prs]

Wow, Peter! You're still jewelry shopping after that ginormous and beautiful emerald purchase! You are a keeper!

@MrsKMB after that find we can't pass a pawn shop or a consignment store without stopping! Is there any chance this addiction will wear off soon?

@Poodles4me thank you so much, you are exactly right; they are ammolite triplets. A PriceScope expert strikes again!!!

 

[peacechick]

Was coming in here to say they’re ammolite too! See a lot of these in Canadian jewelry shops. Ammolite is thin to begin with, so usually it is set as doublets or triplets. It’s not a sign of poorer quality as you see with opals. I think the price you pay just depends on how many colors it shows and whether you like the design.

 

[Garnetgirl]

@prs just want to add that ammolites with a decent amount of blue in them are somewhat rarer than others, which also affects the price. The earrings look very pretty and the stones are nicer than many that I've seen.

 

[prs]

@peacechick @Garnetgirl thanks for the additional info. Our earrings are very similar to, but not nearly as spectacular as, the ammolite pieces shown towards the bottom of the article Poodles linked



The article lists the value of triplets at $7 to $74/ct. We paid $100 for the earrings, and I think this time the pawn shop might have got the better of the deal.

 

[Luce]

These look like ammolite. They are a very fragile gemstone. These are most likely doublets or triplets. See the attached link for information on ammolite.
https://www.gemsociety.org/article/ammolite-jewelry-gem-information/

I second the ammolite! That is my husband's favorite stone!

 

[MJ_Mac]

@prs - I was going to ask if you bought them and hoping you didn't spend too much. I was on my iPad last night when I posted so I kept it short (iPad doesn't work well for me when posting for some reason). Ammolite was promoted quite aggressively in Canada a few decades ago as a rare Canadian gemstone that was destined to run out and would be extremely valuable at some point. Most Ammolite is mined in the Canadian Rockies therefore it is sold in many boutiques in the Banff and Jasper area (and Calgary). I don't think it ever really caught on that well with Canadians. In the past 15 years it has been sold on the Home Shopping Channel.

Are the earrings 10K, 14K or 18K? Earlier jewellery made from Ammolite was usually 10K. My first Ammolite piece was a 10K ring - gift from my husband. I knew nothing about gemstones back then and wore this daily, which is a no-no for Ammolite in rings. The shank wore out in less than a year so the store sent it back to the manufacturer to be repaired. When it was returned I thought the stone looked different. I finally went back to the store, who in turn contacted the manufacturer. The manufacturer admitted at that point my stone shattered during the repair process. They replaced it but didn't mention it because they thought I wouldn't notice. The replacement stone isn't nearly as pretty as my original. I have a pendant and earring set as well. Mine isn't the most desirable colour combination. They blues weren't promoted until much later plus I love greens.

Enjoy the earrings. They are a very unique Canadian stone and pretty. You may have paid a bit more than they are worth but it was not an exorbitant amount. The main thing is that you and your wife love them.

 

[prs]

Thanks @Poodles4me we are not sure about the gold, I couldn't find any markings. DW only likes to wear her best jewelry when we are going out to dinner, so these will be perfect for daily casual wear. She has a peridot bracelet that should match up well.