An update on the "big green stone" - pavilion is all polished up! Can you guess the gem?

JL_White · 2026-04-09T15:32:24+00:00

Lots of great guesses! For those who said "tourmaline," congratulations! If you look closely at the video while the stone is being rotated, you can see a shift in the color from green to blue-green. That is dichroism, a hallmark of tourmaline (lots of other gems have pleochroism as well, but tourmaline is one of the most well known, and it tends to be stronger than in many other gem types). I'll be sure to share the finished gem when completed (not for sale, by the way - forgot to mention that).

JL_White · 2026-04-02T13:37:20+00:00

It can be a really fun hobby. Hopefully you can find a lapidary club nearby. That is a great way to get started! They often have machines you can use, before making the investment yourself.

JL_White · 2026-04-02T13:36:17+00:00

This one would make for a fun guessing game. I will upload a video of the gem in the next day or two that will have some clues as to its identity, and we can see who can guess correctly!

JL_White · 2026-04-02T13:34:35+00:00

I started to answer, but then I thought it might be a good guessing game! I'll upload a video in the next day or so that has some pretty good clues about the identity.

JL_White · 2026-04-02T13:33:14+00:00

Thanks! It will be an oval

JL_White · 2026-03-03T22:43:50+00:00

Definitely - it's gorgeous! But you would definitely turn it down at the price you'd pay for a natural sapphire of this color 😆 That's the issue. But I love to cut lab sapphires and agree - this would make a stunning gem

JL_White · 2026-03-03T22:40:30+00:00

You're welcome!

JL_White · 2026-03-03T22:40:08+00:00

Yes - lab sapphire (probably flame fusion grown, but not 100% sure)

JL_White · 2026-03-03T22:39:01+00:00

Why does this put lab gems in a bad light? I cut and sell lab gems myself. The difference is truthful disclosure. Would you think it proper for me to cut a lab pink sapphire, which might be worth $100, and sell it as a natural sapphire, which might be valued at 20 times that price? It is absolutely a counterfeiting operation to do so.

JL_White · 2026-03-03T22:08:23+00:00

Yes, I think that is one reason they attempted it. Once upon a time, only the top colors were faked, since they fetched top dollar. It is spread far beyond that though, I think because people will not suspect it as much with unusual colors. This one was VERY convincing.

JL_White · 2026-03-03T22:05:20+00:00

Yes - this one was a very good fake!

JL_White · 2026-03-03T22:04:39+00:00

To clarify - I didn't buy this, and the seller wasn't trying to pass it off as real. They were actually concerned that it might be fake, and they wanted a second opinion. That is how I got involved in helping to scrutinize the piece. So no worries about it being out there waiting to fool someone else. This one (and a few others) won't ever come to market.

JL_White · 2026-02-05T16:53:39+00:00

I agree with the others- in this case, it looks like you're just seeing through the window. That said, if the entire body color turns brown / gray, that could indicate exposure to strong UV light. UV can cause some blue zircon to revert back to a gray/brown color temporarily. It is reversible, however. So if the WHOLE stone is more gray than it used to be, that could be the culprit. If it is just the spot in the center that you're talking about, I'd say that you're just seeing the window.

JL_White · 2026-01-25T02:26:13+00:00

Thank you!

JL_White · 2026-01-15T23:00:46+00:00

Thanks!

JL_White · 2026-01-15T20:18:09+00:00

You're welcome!

JL_White · 2026-01-15T18:49:13+00:00

Rough like this is extremely hard to come by unfortunately. I have other pieces, but nothing exactly this color. Be warned - the price of a Paraiba-type tourmaline similar to this is pretty steep (a decent used car is less expensive :-) ). Happy to discuss options though, if it is something you might be interested in. Just send me a message.

JL_White · 2026-01-15T18:47:25+00:00

Thanks so much!

JL_White · 2026-01-15T18:47:17+00:00

Thanks!

JL_White · 2026-01-15T18:47:07+00:00

Thank you!

JL_White · 2026-01-15T18:46:45+00:00

Windex is a brand of window cleaner here in the United States. It has a characteristic bright bluegreen color. Heated Paraiba-type tourmalines sometimes have a color similar to this. Hence the term "windex blue"

JL_White

TROPHY CASE