Tourmaline in Quartz
Gemstone Quality Standard
Gemrocks tourmaline mining
In 2021, Gemrock Peru started mining Tourmaline in the desert mountains of Lima province.
After Brazil and Argentine, Peru is now becoming an additional provider of tourmaline crystals in white and transparent quartz, a beautiful material for jewelry and decor products.
Ethically & environmentally friendly mined
We are not mining this stone. It is surface collected (rockhounding) in the Andean Desert mountains. No dynamite or chemicals are used. No habitat is destroyed.
Color, Structure and Clarity
We can define three material quality levels:
1.) Black and white: High content of Black Tourmaline in milky Quartz, no defined crystal structure of the Tourmaline
2.) Black and transparent: High content of Black Tourmaline in transparent Quartz, no defined crystal structure of the Tourmaline
3.) Clearly defined Tourmaline needles (crystals) in transparent Quartz
Polishable
Tourmaline in Quartz can be polished to glass finish.
Cutting Quality
Top-cutting-quality is characterized by:
- a polished backside
- a sharp unchipped edge between the backside and the bezel
- a very straight and even highly polished bezel
- a sharp unchipped edge between the bezel and the dome
- a well-shaped dome, not showing any deformation
- Top-quality polish
Pricing
Adequate pricing must take into account the cost factors to obtain top-quality cabochons:
- Selection of material and discarding more than 50 percent of the rough rock as unsuitable for jewelry.
- A usual material loss of approximately 90 % of the selected material during the cutting and shaping process.
- The level of experience required by a cutter to produce a flawlessly shaped and highly polished cabochon.
- Market research
- Our Jewelry Grade (A)
- Our Top-Quality Jewelry Grade (AA)
- Our Premium Jewelry Grade (AAA)
The data in this sheet has been compiled by reviewing a great number of websites and sales platforms.
Cutting quality:
The vast majority of “cabochons” on offer show low cutting quality. Very frequently cabochons are cut with rounded corners (similar to a palmstone) which do not show any bezel.
Quality Grading
Most cabochons were offered as AA or AAA quality, which obviously does not represent the reality. Given the fact that there is no commonly accepted grading standard AA and AAA gradings are used as a marketing strategy without reflecting a real criteria of quality. This type of marketing must be viewed as misleading.
Pricing
The average pricing for cabochons is 0.95 USD per carat (with a range from 0.58 USD per carat to 1.47 USD per carat).
We could not find a correlation between cutting quality or material quality and pricing. A higher price does not indicate a higher quality.
Jewelry-grade Material:
Black Tourmaline spots in milky to translucent quartz
Cutting Quality:
- Straight bezel (minor irregularities possible), 3 mm high
- Perfect dome (3-5 mm high)
- Edges between bezel and dome, as well as bezel and backside: sharp and crispy, minor chips on lower edge possible
- Backside flat at 280 grit, unpolished
Pricing:
Recommended Retail Price (A): 0.69 USD per carat
High-quality jewelry-grade Material:
Black Tourmaline spots in transparent quartz
Top-quality jewelry-grade Material:
Black Tourmaline needles in translucent to transparent quartz
Cutting Quality:
- Straight bezel, 3 mm high
- Flat and perfect dome (3 mm high)
- Edges between bezel and dome, as well as bezel and backside: sharp and crispy, minor chips on lower edge possible but very rare.
- Backside flat, at 280 grit
Additional Quality (AA+): Backside polished to 3000 grit
Pricing (AA):
Jewelry-grade material: Recommended Retail Price: 0.99 USD per carat (AA+: 1.09 USD/c)
Top-Quality Jewelry-grade Material: Recommended Retail Price: 1.4 USD per carat (AA+: 1.49 USD/c)
High-quality jewelry-grade Material:
Black Tourmaline spots in milky to translucent quartz
Top-quality jewelry-grade Material:
Black Tourmaline needles in translucent to transparent quartz
Cutting Quality:
- Only cut by our best master cutters
- Straight bezel, 3 mm high
- Flat and perfect dome (1-3 mm high)
- The Edges between the bezel and dome, as well as the bezel and backside: sharp and crispy, no chips on lower edge.
Additional Quality (AAA+): Backside polished to 3000 grit
Pricing (AAA):
High-quality jewelry-grade Material: Recommended Retail Price: 1.29 USD per carat (AAA+: 1.39 USD/c)
Top-Quality Jewelry-grade Material: Recommended Retail Price: 1.8 USD per carat (AAA+: 1.89 USD/c)
Is there anything you wish to know about:
Shipping cost and logistics, Payment options, Product quality, Packaging, Shipping damage, Refunds, etc. ?
Cutting services
Do you need reliable high-quality cutting services for a reasonable price? Are you looking for a service provider that is willing to develop new products according to your requirements? Would you like to get expert advice in order to improve your product? Do you wish for someone to optimize the process and get the most out of your rough? Just talk to us.
Get in Touch
+51 994104206
gemrockinternational@gmail.com