Paraiba Tourmaline
Paraiba Tourmaline
Mahenge Spinel
A new find of neon pink-red spinel near Mahenge, Tanzania in 2007 produced the latest sensation in the world of rare gemstones.
Spinel is a gemstone that is highly regarded by gem dealers and collectors, but is still largely unknown to the general public. Since the supply is too limited to supply most retail jewelers, you will rarely find spinel in your local jewelry store. Gem aficionadoes prize spinel for its brilliance, hardness and wide range of spectacular colors. In addition to beautiful rich reds, spinel can be found in a range of lovely pastel shades of pink, purple and blue.
Historically, the most famous red spinels came from the Balas region of Afghanistan and were known as Balas rubies. Some of the most famous large rubies in the world, such as the Black Prince's Ruby, part of the British Crown Jewels, are actually spinels. More recently, Sri Lanka and Burma has been the main source for fine spinel.The highest quality transparent blood-red "ruby spinel" and hot-pink spinel has come from the Pein Pyit (Painpyit), Bawpadan, Inn Gaung Pyant and Pingutaung mines in Mogok, Upper Burma.
In the last decade we have seen interesting Tanzanian spinel enter the market. Recent discoveries in the Tundru region of Tanzania in East Africa have produced some beautiful blue and teal colored spinels. In these deposits, sapphire and spinel occur together and sometimes require gemological analysis to separate.
But the big news in the spinel world was the discovery in August 2007 of several huge spinel crystals at Ipanko, near the town of Mahenge, in Tanzania. The largest of these, a 52 kg pyramid-shaped stone, displayed the vibrant orangey pinkish red color that is considered to be top for spinel. Though the final yield of gemmy material from this rough was only a few percent, the stone yielded several thousand carats of valuable gems. The rough was faceted in Bangkok and AJS Gems was lucky enough to acquire some of the best of this rare material.
What is so special about this material is the highly saturated hot pink color and a unique neon-like glow. The color is quite pure, without the grey or brown secondary hue found in a lot of spinel, and the color is consistent under different kinds of lighting. But it is the remarkable glow that makes the best Mahenge spinel entirely unique. Like high quality paraiba tourmaline, the Mahenge spinel seems to possess a kind of energy that glows even under low light conditions.
Colors range from a slightly orangey pink to vivid pinkish red and wine red. Most of the Mahenge spinel you'll find in the market is in small sizes, but we were lucky to acquire some rare large stones, with a number of pieces over 3 carats and several over 5 carats. Three of these gemstones are among the finest in our entire collection -- a 7.50 ct heart, a 10.14 ct trillion and a 10.46 ct oval. In addition to their outstanding color, all three gems have superb clarity, graded as loupe clean or almost loupe clean. All of this material is completely untreated.
Though miners have searched extensively in the Mahenge area for more of this rare material, this appears to be a one time find. This is not unusual for exceptionally fine gems. It happened with Kashmir sapphire and Brazilian paraiba tourmaline. Since the Mahenge spinel is still a recent discovery, there is still top quality material available for collectors. Prices are of course commensurate with the rarity of the material. But it is only a matter of time before fine stones will only be available at auction from Sotheby's or Christie's.
About the Author
AJS Gems, Bangkok is a leading online dealer in fine gemstones, including spinel, Burma ruby, sapphire, tourmaline, spessartite garnet and zircon. Mahenge Spinel Photos
Paraiba Tourmaline
GP3661 - Cheryl paraiba tourmaline parcel
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Gold and tourmaline pendant, 'Amazon Treasures' $657.95 "I wanted to highlight the beauty of green tourmaline," confides designer Ekaterina Pokrovskaya. Mined in Paraiba, Brazil, tourmaline is regarded as a gem of the finest quality, which therefore makes it one of the most expensive. Pokrovskaya sets lush green tourmaline in 18k gold for a radiant contrast. Marked 750, the official designation for 75% gold and the equivalent of 18k. |
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Gold and tourmaline pendant Amazon Treasures $657.95 "I wanted to highlight the beauty of green tourmaline," confides designer Ekaterina Pokrovskaya. Mined in Paraiba, Brazil, tourmaline is regarded as a gem of the finest quality, which therefore makes it one of the most expensive. Pokrovskaya sets lush green tourmaline in 18k gold for a radiant contrast. Marked 750, the official designation for 75% gold and the equivalent of 18k. |
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Gold and tourmaline chandelier earrings, 'Amazon Treasures' $1674.95 "I wanted to highlight the beauty of green tourmaline," confides designer Ekaterina Pokrovskaya. Mined in Paraiba, Brazil, tourmaline is regarded as a gem of the finest quality, which therefore makes it one of the most expensive. Pokrovskaya sets the lush green tourmalines in 18k gold for a radiant contrast. Marked 750, the official designation for 75% gold and the equivalent of 18k. |
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Gold and tourmaline chandelier earrings Amazon Treasures $1674.95 "I wanted to highlight the beauty of green tourmaline," confides designer Ekaterina Pokrovskaya. Mined in Paraiba, Brazil, tourmaline is regarded as a gem of the finest quality, which therefore makes it one of the most expensive. Pokrovskaya sets the lush green tourmalines in 18k gold for a radiant contrast. Marked 750, the official designation for 75% gold and the equivalent of 18k. |
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Indians Using a Fallen Tree-Trunk to Cross the Rio Paraiba Do Sul $49.99 Jean Baptiste Debret Indians Using a Fallen Tree-Trunk to Cross the Rio Paraiba Do Sul - Giclee Print |
Unique Handcrafted Jewelry – The Ultimate in Timeless Style
Shoes get worn down, purses get dirty and clothes go out of style in a hurry. For timeless personal style, jewelry is the way to go. Whether it's one signature piece or a collection of pieces that just say "you", unique handcrafted jewelry gives you a fashionable way of self-expression.
You could spend hundreds of dollars on a designer purse or a pair of designer shoes and by next season it's already out of style. Or you could be walking down the street and see someone with the exact same thing. Spend the same money – or less – for unique handmade jewelry and it'll last you a lifetime and never go out of style. Ever heard of an heirloom purse or pair of shoes? Probably not. It's because clothing and accessories don't have the staying power of jewelry.
When perusing the mall jewelry counters, it's hard to find pieces that really stick out as different. They have to stock their stores with jewelry for the masses, with largely high volume commercial appeal. However, very often what you're left with is generic designs. The jewelry might sparkle and shine under the bright lights, but what you find in the mall lacks the ‘Wow' factor of unique handmade jewelry.
The customization options for unique handcrafted jewelry are endless
Unique handcrafted jewelry offers an array of styles you wouldn't normally find in stores, allowing you to customize your look and have a distinctive fashion sense. The designs are generally more intricate than what you might find in the mall and the metal work goes beyond simple shapes that are easily mass-produced. You can usually tell handcrafted jewelry when you see it because it looks like it took more effort to make. It looks like it was made just for you.
The materials used in handcrafted jewelry are also hard to find in your local mall. If were simply looking for diamonds, emeralds, blue sapphires or rubies then you could easily get that. But walk in and ask for Paraiba tourmaline or smoky quartz or lapis and you're likely to walk out empty handed. You could end up falling for pieces with materials you've never even heard of.
It's the unique designs and materials that make handmade jewelry worth the investment. Step out in some handcrafted jewelry and friends, co-workers and strangers will be dying to know where you got it. You could be looking for something ultra-feminine, something Goth-inspired or something just totally off the wall … and handcrafted jewelry will probably have the answer to what you want in something daring and different.
About the Author
Mike Nielson, For more information on sterling silver handcrafted jewelry, Unique handcrafted jewelry and unique handmade jewelry. Please: http://www.galerina.com/
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Tourmaline - Watermelon Tourmaline on Quartz with Lepidolite Crystal Specimen - Paraiba, Brazil This stunning piece features large watermelon Tourmaline crystals embedded in Quartz with pink Lepidolite, and the signature blue Paraiba coloring. A must have for any Tourmaline lover! Origin is Brazil.All sales of SALE items are final.... |
Paraiba Tourmaline