I have been working on upgrading the tray section of this site. In order to get a handle on the dynamic nature of color in tourmaline I have a number of different lights to use on them, to try and describe their color. Some stones slide around a great deal more than others and some cuts are harder to get a good look at, than others.
Well I have found a set up that is both fun, beautiful and entertaining for looking at my collection of tourmaline. It is nothing more than a bulb, in my case a miniature fluorescent one, that is inside a yellowish shade. I put the tourmaline gemstone face up toward the ceiling, in side the shade. Wow, every facet that ever was cut seems to flash at the same time. Darker stones that are rather lazy come alive. It is great fun and the site of all those stones, in fullflash, is beautiful.
Now I am not saying that this arrangement of the stone being so close to a bulb inside a shade is a normal/average way to display a gemstone, but it is a visual delight. One reserved for those lucky enough to have a well cut and polish gemstone. If it has great color, so much the better.
Bruce,
As a foot note, I have found that looking at the collection in a room blessed with many windows and indirect sunlight coming off of new fallen snow, is the best set up to make the collection display beautifully. It seems that all the tourmalines like the set up and respond accordingly.
