This oval is cut with both the pavilion and crown being "super nova" cuts. The added depth shows off the most extreme dichroic color difference in any brown (cream a/b axis). It weighs 12.17 carats.
I have been waiting to post about this longer ratio, deeply cut oval. Face up the dravite, a trade name for brown tourmaline, looks like many of the brown gems I have posted about, with the possible exception that its tone level is a little lighter than the average for such a large stone. The surprise comes from looking at the side of the gemstone and seeing an almost completely colorless a/b axis color. The deep “super nova” cut does bring the mahogany color into the bottom two thirds of the pavilion, but around the girdle there is only a pale cream color. There is nothing in the brown area of the collection that comes even close to this extreme difference in dichroic colors. To both exploit the full potential of the rough in both yield and color, I cut the full “super nova” crown on this gemstone, which I have seldom done. The bottom line about this exceptional gemstone is that I love to show people the amazing properties of a beautiful, very different tourmaline that weighs 12.17 carats. Oh and I should mention that it is eye clean and with excellent crystal, which helps with the fun.
Bruce
