Eleven Tourmaline Preforms

Thanks hummingbirdstones . They still need a lot of work. But as the old rockhound bumper sticker says: "Rockhounds do it with polish."

Nothing quite like the colors of tourmaline. Looking forward to seeing them finished.

Some of you asked to see the tourmalines in this post after they were polished. So (drumroll) here they are.

This isn't my top material of course. Some have inclusions, especially the tubes that create the cat's-eye effect when they're arranged properly. Tubes in some of these cabs are quite large and aren't chatoyant. But a couple of them have nice eyes, especially the little bicolor stone at bottom right.  Special photography is needed to show it properly.

The colors of others aren't the most desirable but this was an experiment. Tourmaline is strongly dichroic, meaning different colors show depending on the orientation of the rough stone. Some of these cabs were from rough that shows a lovely emerald green in one direction and a rather muddy yellowish green in the other. The only way I could get a cab was by cutting in the least desirable orientation. Oh well.  The rubellite pear and the long bicolor are quite nice as are some of the others.

They came out great, Rick gemfeller!  Cut little stones. 

Thanks. Actually, I've learned to preform little stones by hand with no injuries. I guess my fingers are a little smaller than average but there are basic cutting techniques I've learned by experience that make it possible. I do use dops for sanding and polishing small stones; my fingers aren't THAT nimble.

They are really good. I would never have thought of tumbling Tourmaline. The only Tourmaline here in Oz is black Schorl or very very pricey faceting grade stuff. So pricey that I have never been tempted to buy it.

Exquisite. Wish I had a few pounds to cab!