Awww thanks~ I've gotten sass about my hand-speak, but it's so much a part of my way of communicating that it's hard to dial it back. Especially when it's on my channel, I suppose my attitude is "Welcome to my House... this is me." Thanks again ^_^
You have the best informational video on all of TH-cam. I bought a cool faceted piece of “watermelon” and wanted to learn about it. Most videos aren’t about the physical properties, but about their “spiritual” properties. Anyways, you should look into doing videos on minerals that have little information on TH-cam. I LOVE your videos.
Thank you for your kind words - I'm glad that my work has been of service to you. Thanks also for your suggestion on Tanzanite. I'll keep it in mind as I prepare more content.
Thanks Steve. Paraiba is super popular these days, and exceptional pieces are special indeed. I'm seeing far too many pieces that look like aquamarine these days though, and still priced like a neon Paraiba. Wild times
Exceptional Kashmiri stones are indeed worthy. There are also a lot of lousy ones, but that is part of what makes the contrast of exceptional stones so stark and memorable. Cheers
New subscriber here. Just wanted to say thanks so much for the info. I looove tourmaline but never before understood what characteristics to look for, so i dont end up buying glass instead! Thank you!
at 5.46 --- ha ha ha!🤣 That conveyed the essence of the stone better than any word(s) could. That was awesomely hilarious! Thank you for another great video!
To my understanding, the only way to make those particular crystals is to take a natural (but cheap) quartz cluster and then crystalize new quartz material over the top of it. Science is a fascinating funnel of exploration, so things like this fall into the category of "curio" for me. Definitely not rare, but the story of how we got to the place where that was even POSSIBLE is fascinating.
Great video! Good knowledge and the perfect touch of humor! haha. Thanks for the info on Tourmalines. I'm an expert on diamonds...not so much other gems. I'll be in touch!
My guiding principle is to buy what is beautiful that I believe to be rare in quality. Tourmaline is a huge family of stones and remarkably difficult to make a true synthetic. Because of this, I will say that I think that tourmaline is worth paying attention to and learning as much as you can about. After you feel you understand it well, then i'd advocate buying pieces that you believe to be rare based on the quality characteristics that you have come to know. That is the only way to become an expert in anything, as far as I understand.
Many of the gemstones I have cut have inclusions in them. For the longest time, I could not afford better rough stones to work with. But now and then I leave the inclusions in knowing that the price per carat is reduced by people can tell that the gem is not just "glass". In fact, the gemstone has character. My pitch is that like humans, gemstones are unique and like humans, gemstones can be flawed. I think a lightly-flawed gemstone can often describe the wearer or is suitable for the wearer who is equally unique but also somewhat flawed. There is much beauty even among the flawed.
I definitely agree with this perspective. I don't prefer loupe-clean stones myself. They're also more difficult to trade in because they don't provide the clear cut evidence of the stone's identity and whether or not it may have been treated. Eye clean is in some ways more desirable. Everyone gets their own perspective of course.
They're collector minerals, and market comparison is difficult. There are mineral people that get a real kick out of having something psychotically rare, but im more into beauty personally. If you can find an exceptional quality of one of these, they really can be exceptional, but I often feel the price runs far ahead of their aesthetic. That's purely a personal opinion. Rarity indeed does dictate value to a large degree. I think beauty should sit first, and then rarity can catalyze the price from there (again, my personal perspective)
Sounds like a solid idea ~ The Tucson gem show is one of the largest worldwide and is an annual beacon for many. I'll scheme and plot with my friends on how to show it off to best effect. Are there a lot of scams? Let's call it sumo wrestling perhaps. A scam only works on a total outsider. I hope to bring more outsiders "IN" Thx again for the comment and your interest~!
@@GemologyforSchmucks thank you for writing back! I am going next week and have watched all your videos, bought a Dichroscope and Chelsea filter, and loop because of you! Any other suggestions? I also agree about the scam, that is an outsider mentality. I feel so much less schmuck y lately!
@@jessica00beck enjoy yourself ~ while you will find some folk in Tucson at any time of year, the huge gem shows are typically in late january or the first few weeks of February. I suggest googling “Tucson Gem Show” for more details ~ cheers
@@GemologyforSchmucks Hello again! Yes, that's normally the time they are. Due to Covid they rescheduled twice and now the majority of the large shows start this week (the main show is still cancelled). I am mainly looking for genuine sapphire and colored diamonds. Should be fun!
What about brazilian tourmalines?! Such rich, deep and beautiful hues, tones and saturation (from delicate pastels to rich bold colors)! Brazilian 'indicolite' tourmalines are typically ocean blue with lemon green pleochromatic
...effect! Besides, of course, Paraíba being a Brazilian state where the variety was first found. Recently a very unique color was found from a region called "Mina dos Pirineus", with boasts softer saruration than Paraíbas, but are super light and bright - one could say it's a classier, not so flamboyant, sister. As always, love your content! Cheers from Brazil!
Brazil is another one of those gem paradises like Myanmar, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. There is such a huge variety of excellent material that comes out of these places because of the incredible geological conditions. Ok, yes, Brazil is huge - but so are China and the United States, and neither of those nations can boast anything CLOSE to the variety, size and quality of stones. Though the US does have Red Beryl, and no one else seems to XD (yet!) Brazilian tourmalines, along with the highly coveted Paraiba as you mentioned, are world class. The only tourmalines that really compete with Afghan tourmaline, would be Brazil, and on some occasions there are African deposits that can put out these fresh mint colours, but not as often and rarely as nice as the Afghan and Brazilian deposits. This is what I hear and see in the market eh? One man's experience and hear say evidence cannot be considered the encyclopedia of truth XD Thx for another great comment Victor~
I love your passion and sense of humor !! Very informative of this gem stone as well! By far this is the most helpful on tourmaline gem stone on TH-cam! I recently just got an tourmaline gem stone on a necklace and want to find out how to tell if it's real .
Thanks Maggie ~ I'm glad you enjoy my work. For tourmaline a gemologist will mostly identify that the refractive index matches with tourmaline, and then look for natural inclusions.
Very simple to tell if its real. At home for yourself. Get a Grade A jewlers loupe!. Not from amazon..... Study up on the stone for their infraction lines first. Plus look for inclusions. Inclusions are birth marks for genuine stones. Dont pay no one, you can learn a exciting achievement!
I am glad to be of service. I'm planning on doing an episode about the pen testers soon. The short version is: they have a function, but it they are not a magic wand. The best thing to do is to learn the characteristics of the gems that you like, and how to distinguish them from other similar stones and their simulants (fakes). If you're just trying to distinguish diamonds, moissonite and cubic zirconia (CZ), then the pen testers are quite effective when used properly. For everything else, i'd put it in a drawer and forget about it.
I do not have a store. If there is something you're interested in, you're welcome to reach out to me at thegemshepherd@gmail.com and we can talk further.
You are welcome to email me at thegemshepherd@gmail.com and we can talk about the details of what you would like to acquire. There's some quite nice faceted material in Bangkok now with the pink green zoning that many call watermelon tourmaline.
For pricing, you'd need to shop several suppliers that are selling the same size and quality of stone. Colourless tourmaline isn't something I deal in, so I do not have a price to give you as a reference.
@@Rajimmi20 I may do a video on that in the future to unpack the idea, but to put it in a nut shell: This is an education platform, and the first law of learning is that you have to admit that you need to know in order to learn. If we think we know, then we are unable to see what is new.
@@Rajimmi20 In the American Yiddish use of the word it is also mildly offensive, but then again so is "Dummy" and the "Auto Repair for Dummies" and other books of the like have been an institution in the English speaking world for quite some time. I suppose we can't please everyone, so i'll settle with being as genuine as I can and hope that folk will interact with me to hear my story and see that my desire is to share and build, not to malign, darken and tear down. Cheers
Gemstones have provided an opportunity for hardworking people in some of the most underserved communities worldwide to change their fortunes and seek life and growth. This same story can be seen in Afghanistan, Burma, Madagascar, Russia and many more nations. The people who pursue gemstones are people who are fueled on passion and hope for the future. That's how they get out of bed in the morning.
![Not Your Grandma's Rhinestones: Zircon [Gem Buyer's Guide]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tmydzimtX_4/mqdefault.jpg)
![เจ็บที่ยังฮัก - ม่อน วรวิทย์ [ Official Mv ] จอนนี่มิวสิค](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KALIGSRSjFs/mqdefault.jpg)
You're so amusing & smart... I like how you talk with your hands. ❤
Awww thanks~ I've gotten sass about my hand-speak, but it's so much a part of my way of communicating that it's hard to dial it back. Especially when it's on my channel, I suppose my attitude is "Welcome to my House... this is me." Thanks again ^_^
You have the best informational video on all of TH-cam. I bought a cool faceted piece of “watermelon” and wanted to learn about it. Most videos aren’t about the physical properties, but about their “spiritual” properties. Anyways, you should look into doing videos on minerals that have little information on TH-cam. I LOVE your videos.
I’d like to see one on tanzanite.
Thank you for your kind words - I'm glad that my work has been of service to you. Thanks also for your suggestion on Tanzanite. I'll keep it in mind as I prepare more content.
I love your energy, sir!
Thank you - sometimes it takes some extra coffee to jump-start me, but overall I prefer to stay pretty amped in life XD
Loving your videos. Very informative. I adore Paraiba tourmaline.
Thanks Steve. Paraiba is super popular these days, and exceptional pieces are special indeed. I'm seeing far too many pieces that look like aquamarine these days though, and still priced like a neon Paraiba. Wild times
Aha wonderful video. As a gemologist, I’d endorse your points. Great work
Thanks very much~
Excellent detail, lovely delivery. Great stuff!! 👍 🎉
Thanks very much~!
You're hilarious! I would love to hear you speak to the mohs hardness of each stone you evaluate too
Thank you AJ BM ~ i'll keep that in mind for new videos with new stones~
Instantaneous subscription due to your presentation ❤
Thank you ~ and welcome to the channel.
Great presentation thanks
My pleasure - thank you for your kind words.
Perfect i was looking for this exactly
the Kashmiri Saphire Unheated is fabulous..... I saw one in Dubai -- velvet that envelopes you.
Exceptional Kashmiri stones are indeed worthy. There are also a lot of lousy ones, but that is part of what makes the contrast of exceptional stones so stark and memorable. Cheers
New subscriber here. Just wanted to say thanks so much for the info. I looove tourmaline but never before understood what characteristics to look for, so i dont end up buying glass instead! Thank you!
My pleasure Brounwyn ~ welcome to the channel.
Peter, another awesome video! Please please please make corundum buyer’s guide!
at 5.46 --- ha ha ha!🤣 That conveyed the essence of the stone better than any word(s) could. That was awesomely hilarious! Thank you for another great video!
Glad you enjoyed it ~
Another great video, would love to see one on spinels!
There's one in the works actually~ you've seen those stones quite intimately though XD.
@@GemologyforSchmucks Awesome, looking forward to it!
I just got some long tourmaline crystals and two 5 carats gems!
That green quartz cluster you have in the cabinet to the right looks like one of them lab grown re-crystallized fake phantom crystal clusters
To my understanding, the only way to make those particular crystals is to take a natural (but cheap) quartz cluster and then crystalize new quartz material over the top of it. Science is a fascinating funnel of exploration, so things like this fall into the category of "curio" for me. Definitely not rare, but the story of how we got to the place where that was even POSSIBLE is fascinating.
Excellant advise as always!
Thank you Suzanie~ my pleasure to help
Great video! Good knowledge and the perfect touch of humor! haha. Thanks for the info on Tourmalines. I'm an expert on diamonds...not so much other gems. I'll be in touch!
I'm glad you enjoyed it ~ and I look forward to your contact.
“Spastic child”.. you kill me!
Should I be hidin' from the police now??! XD Glad you enjoyed, Stephanie.
is Tourmaline a good stone to invest in? Do you predict their value going up?
My guiding principle is to buy what is beautiful that I believe to be rare in quality. Tourmaline is a huge family of stones and remarkably difficult to make a true synthetic. Because of this, I will say that I think that tourmaline is worth paying attention to and learning as much as you can about. After you feel you understand it well, then i'd advocate buying pieces that you believe to be rare based on the quality characteristics that you have come to know. That is the only way to become an expert in anything, as far as I understand.
Love Paraiba Tourmalines!Prefer the bluish green to the Turquoise blue though.
Some paraiba are indeed extraordinary. Neon is an incredible thing. That said - the price I see for some grotesquely included stones, hurts my bones.
I bought a 40 carats green tourmaline crystal it’s dark green I think polished it would be an amazing ring
Sounds like there is loads of potential ~ I hope you make it happen.
Love the content, you’re slaying the game ✨💎👏🏼
Thanks Edwin~! That's the best compliment i've received in a hott minute XD Fantastic
Many of the gemstones I have cut have inclusions in them. For the longest time, I could not afford better rough stones to work with. But now and then I leave the inclusions in knowing that the price per carat is reduced by people can tell that the gem is not just "glass". In fact, the gemstone has character.
My pitch is that like humans, gemstones are unique and like humans, gemstones can be flawed. I think a lightly-flawed gemstone can often describe the wearer or is suitable for the wearer who is equally unique but also somewhat flawed. There is much beauty even among the flawed.
I definitely agree with this perspective. I don't prefer loupe-clean stones myself. They're also more difficult to trade in because they don't provide the clear cut evidence of the stone's identity and whether or not it may have been treated. Eye clean is in some ways more desirable. Everyone gets their own perspective of course.
Would like your opinion on rarer minerals such as Taaffeite, Grandidierite & Painite
They're collector minerals, and market comparison is difficult. There are mineral people that get a real kick out of having something psychotically rare, but im more into beauty personally. If you can find an exceptional quality of one of these, they really can be exceptional, but I often feel the price runs far ahead of their aesthetic. That's purely a personal opinion. Rarity indeed does dictate value to a large degree. I think beauty should sit first, and then rarity can catalyze the price from there (again, my personal perspective)
Love this video! Please make a video about what to look for at the Tucson Gem Market! Is there a lot of scams?
Sounds like a solid idea ~ The Tucson gem show is one of the largest worldwide and is an annual beacon for many. I'll scheme and plot with my friends on how to show it off to best effect. Are there a lot of scams? Let's call it sumo wrestling perhaps. A scam only works on a total outsider. I hope to bring more outsiders "IN"
Thx again for the comment and your interest~!
@@GemologyforSchmucks thank you for writing back! I am going next week and have watched all your videos, bought a Dichroscope and Chelsea filter, and loop because of you! Any other suggestions? I also agree about the scam, that is an outsider mentality. I feel so much less schmuck y lately!
@@jessica00beck enjoy yourself ~ while you will find some folk in Tucson at any time of year, the huge gem shows are typically in late january or the first few weeks of February. I suggest googling “Tucson Gem Show” for more details ~ cheers
@@GemologyforSchmucks Hello again! Yes, that's normally the time they are. Due to Covid they rescheduled twice and now the majority of the large shows start this week (the main show is still cancelled). I am mainly looking for genuine sapphire and colored diamonds. Should be fun!
@@jessica00beck ooo! That's something I hadn't heard. Thx for the intel~
What about brazilian tourmalines?! Such rich, deep and beautiful hues, tones and saturation (from delicate pastels to rich bold colors)! Brazilian 'indicolite' tourmalines are typically ocean blue with lemon green pleochromatic
...effect! Besides, of course, Paraíba being a Brazilian state where the variety was first found. Recently a very unique color was found from a region called "Mina dos Pirineus", with boasts softer saruration than Paraíbas, but are super light and bright - one could say it's a classier, not so flamboyant, sister. As always, love your content! Cheers from Brazil!
Brazil is another one of those gem paradises like Myanmar, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. There is such a huge variety of excellent material that comes out of these places because of the incredible geological conditions. Ok, yes, Brazil is huge - but so are China and the United States, and neither of those nations can boast anything CLOSE to the variety, size and quality of stones.
Though the US does have Red Beryl, and no one else seems to XD (yet!)
Brazilian tourmalines, along with the highly coveted Paraiba as you mentioned, are world class. The only tourmalines that really compete with Afghan tourmaline, would be Brazil, and on some occasions there are African deposits that can put out these fresh mint colours, but not as often and rarely as nice as the Afghan and Brazilian deposits. This is what I hear and see in the market eh? One man's experience and hear say evidence cannot be considered the encyclopedia of truth XD
Thx for another great comment Victor~
Best ever TH-cam on gemstones.. Me subscriber
Thank you for your high praise~! Welcome to the channel.
I just bought a 4 carat green tourmaline ring n was hoping to kw more abt dis beautiful crystal..ur a great help indeed
Hey how do I get a hold of you for business on gemstone
If you're looking to purchase gemstones, you're welcome to email me at thegemshepherd@gmail.com
I have black,and yello turmalins ,please where?
I love your passion and sense of humor !! Very informative of this gem stone as well! By far this is the most helpful on tourmaline gem stone on TH-cam! I recently just got an tourmaline gem stone on a necklace and want to find out how to tell if it's real .
Thanks Maggie ~ I'm glad you enjoy my work. For tourmaline a gemologist will mostly identify that the refractive index matches with tourmaline, and then look for natural inclusions.
@@GemologyforSchmucks thank you again!
Very simple to tell if its real. At home for yourself. Get a Grade A jewlers loupe!. Not from amazon.....
Study up on the stone for their infraction lines first. Plus look for inclusions. Inclusions are birth marks for genuine stones. Dont pay no one, you can learn a exciting achievement!
Great video!
I appreciate it Dana ^_^
I have seen some beutifull tomouline stones pink,blue , green an watermelo and good sizes here in my country
Excellent - glad you have access to them. There are many who do not.
@@GemologyforSchmucks the next time i travel to whre they are mined il send a pic a small vid
Love these videos. Learning gemology here. Wondering if you can tell what is the best gem tester in the market. Any thoughts?
I am glad to be of service. I'm planning on doing an episode about the pen testers soon. The short version is: they have a function, but it they are not a magic wand. The best thing to do is to learn the characteristics of the gems that you like, and how to distinguish them from other similar stones and their simulants (fakes). If you're just trying to distinguish diamonds, moissonite and cubic zirconia (CZ), then the pen testers are quite effective when used properly. For everything else, i'd put it in a drawer and forget about it.
I have them here in Africa but i don't know where to sell them
I will buy some from you. Are they faceted? Have they been tested?
You have a store?
I do not have a store. If there is something you're interested in, you're welcome to reach out to me at thegemshepherd@gmail.com and we can talk further.
nice video ❤️
Thank you ~ glad you enjoyed it ^_^
thank you
You're welcome ma'am ~ thanks for the kind words.
great video
Thanks~ glad you enjoyed it.
I want to buy a beautiful watermelon or tricolor tourmaline
You are welcome to email me at thegemshepherd@gmail.com and we can talk about the details of what you would like to acquire. There's some quite nice faceted material in Bangkok now with the pink green zoning that many call watermelon tourmaline.
I need buyer
Nice👍
Thanks Umar~
❤❤❤ i have tourmaline
I hope you enjoy your tourmaline~
I got gemstone in raw form where should i sent u pic want know abt it
Omg ur so funny 🤣
Thank you for the info
I'm glad you enjoyed XD
What is the price of natural white top quality turmlin 10 carat
For pricing, you'd need to shop several suppliers that are selling the same size and quality of stone. Colourless tourmaline isn't something I deal in, so I do not have a price to give you as a reference.
Sir I have over one thousand grams (1000g) a piece taurmaline clean piece
sir wha1t is the high price?
@@TalhaSayyed-b3b you’ll need to go compare the quality and colour that you have with what is available in the market.
"Inception"....bwahahahah love it!
It was a good movie, but that meme is truly the gift that keeps on giving!~
❤
Thanks ~ glad you enjoyed
I like raw tourmaline crystals.
@@michaelp772 the triangular columns can be quite interesting indeed.
I’m from Kashmir and I deal gemstones where are you located
In Bangkok - we also deal in gemstones. If you're interested, you can send us an email at nazoannagems@gmail.com
Why do you call Gemology for schmucks?
@@Rajimmi20 I may do a video on that in the future to unpack the idea, but to put it in a nut shell: This is an education platform, and the first law of learning is that you have to admit that you need to know in order to learn. If we think we know, then we are unable to see what is new.
Agreed ,but I use to work with one of my Jewish friend and he use to use this word when he means to slightly insult some one .
@@Rajimmi20 In the American Yiddish use of the word it is also mildly offensive, but then again so is "Dummy" and the "Auto Repair for Dummies" and other books of the like have been an institution in the English speaking world for quite some time.
I suppose we can't please everyone, so i'll settle with being as genuine as I can and hope that folk will interact with me to hear my story and see that my desire is to share and build, not to malign, darken and tear down.
Cheers
My stone is from Africa and it's a forest green kind of color. I hope its real!!
If you’re certain that its tourmaline, then its very likely. To my understanding there are no true synthetic tourmalines.
More show. AND tell. While telling. Less face, more facet. You get my culet.
Thanks for the advice Tina~ XD
👍💎🥰👍💎
I don't like clear.. too easy to make from glass..
and THAT is exactly why I buy polarized sunglasses and have a loupe that lives in my pocket~
Can u use polarized sunglasses to aquamarine?@@GemologyforSchmucks
Afghan means bloody tourmalines😣
Gemstones have provided an opportunity for hardworking people in some of the most underserved communities worldwide to change their fortunes and seek life and growth. This same story can be seen in Afghanistan, Burma, Madagascar, Russia and many more nations.
The people who pursue gemstones are people who are fueled on passion and hope for the future. That's how they get out of bed in the morning.
Enclusions help to identify the stone 🪨 as being real!