This highly unusual gemstone is from Nigeria- it was taken from the earth there and cut and polished here in Thailand. Thailand is a cutting center- that is why my wife and I chose to live here. We have first shot at a lot of great stones at the wholesale gemstone markets here in Bangkok and in Chanthaburi.
This gemstone is very odd for many reasons. First, it is almost 5 carats which is huge for an untreated Nigerian tourmaline. It actually weighs 4.96 carats which is barely under one full gram. While size and beautiful color make this rare and unusual, it is even more valuable because it exhibits color shift. It is one color in daylight and a different color in incandescent (light bulb) light. In other words, a light with daylight characteristics (about 6500K) will show one color while a light bulb or candle will show a different color.
Describing these two colors is a bit difficult as I have never seen these hues in a tourmaline before. Let me show you both pics first:
The best way to describe the color shift is that it goes from a purplish Pink to a pinkish Purple in daylight to a tangerine pink in incandescent light. This is not considered color change but color shift. As a GIA Graduate Gemologist I am trained to know the difference and I will explain it briefly. If a stone changes from a cool hue in daylight to a warm hue in incandescent light, this is color change. If it is warm or cool colors in both light you can not call it "color change". But it is obvious that this stone shows two colors as you see in the pictures. Because both of these hue are warm- pink tangerine and purple-Pink to pink-Purple, it is only a color shift stone.
So why the big deal? This stone exhibits this without any treatment at all- no heat, no high pressure and temperatures, no coating, no laser-drilling or fissure filling or dyes or diffusion. This is a 100% natural gemstone from Nigeria. I guarantee 100% accuracy in my description but my wife and I have done this for a living for many years and will go a step further- we guarantee that you will love this stone. If you don't, just send it back and we will offer a full refund.
Let's start the bidding at 12BTC. Who will give me 12BTC for this gemstone?
This is a 3 day auction. It will end Monday, November 26th at 1:30 PM GMT (forum time).
You will automatically get registered air mail with online tracking for no cost. Just win the bidding!
Do I hear 12BTC? 12BTC anyone?
