1.32 Ct.Tw.Total Carat Weight Tourmaline Pair from Namibia

From the slow cool of Namibia under a sky that remembers ancient seas, these two tourmalines began their journey in hidden pegmatite veins where mineral rich fluids crystallized over millions of years, forming the transparent bluish green gems you see now. Miners in the field hand selected the rough for clarity and color, recognizing early the rare combination of intense hue and eye level clarity that set these pieces apart. Each stone carries its own small history of pressure and time, a story visible in the way light pools and travels through the crystal, and in the gentle variations between the pair. The smaller gem weighs 0.60 carats, and the larger 0.72 carats, with dimensions of 6.84 x 4.92 x 3.04 mm, and 6.83 x 5.02 x 3.68 mm respectively, both cut into elegant oval silhouettes that preserve the natural depth of color while enhancing transparency and brilliance. These tourmalines arrived at our workshop with no enhancement, a quality that honors their natural origin, and sets the stage for a cutting process that respects what nature has already perfected.

In the hands of our master cutters the rough was studied like a landscape, each inclusion mapped and each color zone respected, to determine the best orientation for faceting. The decision to execute a mixed brilliant cut was deliberate, it was chosen to marry the scintillation of a brilliant style with the depth and color retention that step elements can provide, yielding an oval that is lively yet deep. Very slightly included at eye level, these stones presented a chance to open windows into their cores without compromising integrity, and the cutters adjusted pavilion depths and crown angles to minimize the visual impact of any minor inclusions. The result is an excellent polish that allows light to enter and exit with minimal obstruction, creating a face up that appears both vibrant and clean. Throughout the cutting process weight retention was balanced against optical performance, preserving the natural carat sizes of 0.60 and 0.72 while achieving symmetry and alignment across facets that ensures matching fire and tone between the pair.

Comparing cutting techniques helps to reveal why the mixed brilliant approach was the right choice for these bluish green tourmalines, the classic full brilliant cut excels at maximizing sparkle and scintillation in stones with strong dispersion, yet it can sometimes reduce the saturation of subtler colors when too much depth is removed. Conversely a step cut preserves color and clarity by emphasizing broad facets and depth, it tends to produce quieter light return and a more elegant, mirror like appearance. The mixed brilliant cut used here takes the best of both philosophies, introducing a crown facet arrangement that scatters light into lively flashes, while maintaining deeper pavilion facets that hold and intensify the bluish green tone. For a matched pair like this one, the cutter must reconcile the unique internal geography of each crystal, adjusting facet window sizes and angles so that both stones exhibit consistent color intensity and brilliance despite slight differences in dimensions and depth. This exacting balancing act between facet count, facet placement, and proportion is what separates a technically good cut from a truly crafted gem.

When set, these tourmalines will offer a living color that seems to shift between teal and deep sea green depending on the light source and the movement of the wearer, their intense color intensity giving them presence in both delicate and bold settings. The oval shape lends itself to classic solitaire earrings, to a refined pendant, or to paired settings that celebrate the stones as a matched duet, their close size and matched hue creating a sense of deliberate harmony. Practical considerations such as the slightly different depths 3.04 mm and 3.68 mm were accounted for in the faceting, ensuring that the table sizes and facet reflections are in visual sync, so that once mounted the pair reads as one cohesive set. For collectors who appreciate natural material, the declaration of no enhancement is significant, it means the color and clarity you admire are inherent, not the result of heat or irradiation, and it ties each gem back to its Namibian origin in a direct and honest way.

At The Natural Gemstone Company we curate and craft with provenance and transparency as guiding principles, and this pair of Namibian tourmalines exemplifies that approach, from the initial discovery in remote formations to the final refined pair that arrives ready for design and setting. We are happy to advise on mounting options that will protect the stones while maximizing their optical performance, and to provide close up imagery and measurements for your design process. If you seek a matched pair that tells the story of earth and time, that demonstrates careful cutting choices and expert polish, and that arrives unenhanced with a clear origin, these bluish green mixed brilliant ovals are ready to become part of your next creation. Contact The Natural Gemstone Company to discuss availability and to arrange viewing, we will guide you through matching these gems to a setting that honors their journey and celebrates their natural beauty.