This fine, barely dichroic Indicolite is a beautiful gemstone without any problems. Its medium dark tone is well suited for its size. It weighs 1.07 carats.
This blue without green emerald cut deserved to be called an Indicolite. I have been reading about reports that the old trade varietal names like Indicolite are going out of favor. In the future just plain Jane names like red, blue and green will be placed in front of tourmaline to describe all the complexities of color. I don’t think that it is either necessary or that useful. I think the bigger problem is in the abuse of the old varietal names to try and give status to blue greens that should not be called Indicolite or reds that brown out what should not be call Rubellites etc. If the trade would support the varietal names properly, tourmaline would gain substance and its nomenclature would not be misleading. (How many in the trade have suggested calling ruby, red corundum?)
So what can be said about this Indicolite. It is eye clean and has fine crystal. The ends of the emerald cut have normal angles and are not closed at all. In fact this delightfully open, medium dark toned, Indicolite is barely dichroic, if at all. The final point I would make with this stone is: Tourmaline maybe billed as an extremely dichroic gemstone, but it is not a consist feature of tourmaline and can not used for identification purposes.
The rough for this beautiful emerald cut was born in Namibia and the gem weighs a delicate 1.07 carats of blue magic.
Bruce
Bruce
