My not so favorite gem dealer had a lot mounted toumalines he called neon titanium. Seemed like an ok price at 1000/ct. in the high end mountings.The one that caught my eye was an 8.5 ct. that had a really unusual purplish red color. This is a similar stone but not as nice. I know some greens are colored by titanium but didn't think the reds, purples, and pinks were. Maybe Bruce or one of our experts might know?
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They are probably trying to coin a fancy color descriptor, like mint or seafoam or lagoon, and it doesn't have much to do with the chemical elements present in the stone. That would be my guess.
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:33 am Posts: 840 Location: Mars PA
In the old days of my youth, there was a song called The Name Game. It was a catchy tune with English words that were modified by some rules. I think the trade has an exceptional way with the creation of names with the rules being catch the consumer's pocketbook. I have not found anyway to establish a new name for the same old thing or something new except to use it. Now that I think of it, how did the trade decide that oriental amethyst and oriental topaz etc. were deceptive names and decided to call all colors of corundum Sapphire, except for red of course, instead? (I think oriental rubellite would have been a great for red corundum in the days of old.) How could I ever establish the name Laurellite for the reverse alexandrite color changing copper bearing tourmaline that I introduce to the world except to use it with enough economic clout behind it. Since Laurellite has no future since it would be heated to paraiba type brilliance, there really is no need for the name in the trade.
Now to the name game of gems with neon and titanium in the spot light of tourmaline glory. I would like to start with a story. I went to New Orleans soon after Katrina to discuss tourmaline and have some gems tested. During a great day of testing I learn many things along with the fact that pure iron, as a chromophore in tourmaline, does NOT produce off color tourmaline, titanium does. Since then I have seen many tourmaline with vibrant saturated color that is thanks to iron alone. And many brownish bombs including a large strongly browned rubellite that a high end dealer called the ugliest tourmaline in my collection. It is different and it stays!
So am I going to give an opinion about the tourmaline in question? Yes of course, but it is based on my observations and investigation of tourmaline. I have never heard of the combination of neon/titanium used together in regards to tourmaline. I do not think the stone is either neon or has a color effected by titanium. Its color is in line with a non cuprian mixture of iron and manganese of the appropriate oxidation states. I have found it common, in my non cuprian purples, that they are on the reddish side and have some grey in them. Some of my best examples are reported to have come from Madagascar. ( I would like to see the really unusually color one in person.) Having titanium, the strongest metal in the world !!!! and being neon are much less interesting to me than a different hue, but I bet it would catch some big spenders eyes. Such is the life of a color addict. Anyone interested in a meteoric tourmaline colored by moon dust, it is very rare and a beauty.
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
I'm resurrecting this thread because I got a call today from a chap who purchased a neon titanium yellow tourmaline and asked if I could test the stone for titanium percentage, No. Apparently this jeweler is still marketing neon/titanium tourmaline without anyone challenging the validity of the claim.
I hate this kind of marketing hype.
With some additional research, I find no evidence that titanium does anything but compromise the potential brightness of stones simply containing Fe and Mn as chromophores.
I imagine they could refer to their source in Didy Madagascar and are not the same color as the stone with the same names from the traditional sources?
Is this even a Tourmaline? More like a Moissanite diamond. And reddish hued Tourmalines are not rare, are they? I've seen lots of dark Pink tourmalines that give out a red tone when exposed to sunlight. Here's one that I have, about three carat
Is this even a Tourmaline? More like a Moissanite diamond. And reddish hued Tourmalines are not rare, are they? I've seen lots of dark Pink tourmalines that give out a red tone when exposed to sunlight. Here's one that I have, about three carat
Moissanite is Silicon Carbide, of course, *not* diamond. It is sometimes used as a diamond substitute, though, which is probably what you mean. But I believe it is a tourmaline.
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