Gem: Tourmaline
Weight: 1.02 ct.
Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.65 mm
Clarity: VS
Origin: Calabar, Nigeria
Treatments: None
Comments:
One of the most unique tourmaline gemstones I have ever cut! This gem has dozens of individual stripes of color, occasionally jumping between green and pink and back again. On average, it starts as a medium pink at one end, and tapers into a lighter pink middle zone, followed by a thin, but stark medium green stripe, and finishing up on an incredible pinkish yellow-bronze color (see side view photo for a look at the striping and color zoning)
Four distinct colors is a LOT, and I wanted to preserve the separation of these colors, instead of mixing them all up together and getting a muddy color throughout. So I decided to do a classic emerald step-cut. Sometimes the simple, classic option is the superior option. Coupled with a perfect polish, and perfect meet-points.
The colors in this gem combine and recombine endlessly. One could get lost making new colors for fun.