1.34 Ct. Tourmaline from Tanzania

This transparent brownish orange tourmaline weighs 1.34 carats, it measures 6.11 by 6.08 by 5.03 millimeters, and it has been fashioned into a precise princess shape with a faceting plan that emphasizes symmetry and light return. The color is intense, presenting warm tones that range from amber to a richer brownish orange depending on the angle of view. Clarity has been evaluated at eye level and the stone is eye clean, showing no inclusions visible without magnification, which allows the color and internal reflections to read clearly. The polish is excellent, giving each facet crisp delineation and contributing to a bright and lively appearance. The piece originates from Tanzania and has been heat treated as a stable enhancement to refine its hue and even out color distribution, a common and well understood practice in tourmaline processing. The Natural Gemstone Company provides these details to ensure full transparency of origin, treatment, and measurable characteristics, and to support informed selection by gem professionals and discerning collectors.

The story of this tourmaline began deep within the earth millions of years ago, in a geologic environment shaped by tectonic forces and the slow movement of mineral rich fluids. In regions that now form parts of eastern Africa, granitic magmas intruded into the crust and produced pegmatitic bodies, environments particularly favorable for the formation of large, well ordered crystals. As the host magma cooled and differentiated, volatile components including water and boron became progressively concentrated in residual melts, creating pockets of superheated fluid that carried an array of dissolved elements. Within those fluids, boron combined with aluminium, silicon, and trace transition metals to nucleate tourmaline crystals. Cooling proceeded over extended time scales, and chemical zoning developed as slight variations in temperature and fluid composition occurred, resulting in the specific trace element balance that imparts this stone its brownish orange hue.

Over the same deep time frame, regional metamorphism and later uplift gradually exposed pegmatite veins to shallower crustal levels where weathering and erosion could liberate gem material. Individual rough crystals from Tanzanian pegmatites were harvested by miners who recognize pegmatite morphology and concentration of gem quality material. The selected crystal that became this gem displayed a combination of size, optical clarity, and an internal habit that made it a suitable candidate for a square princess cut, a cutting style chosen to maximize face up weight while creating a controlled optical pattern. The cutter oriented the pavilion and crown angles to enhance brilliancy and to preserve the natural color zoning in a balanced manner, resulting in dimensions of 6.11 by 6.08 by 5.03 millimeters and a final weight of 1.34 carats. During the cutting and prefinishing stages, the stone exhibited stable internal characteristics and responded well to polish, achieving the excellent surface finish that contributes to its light performance.

From a practical standpoint, this tourmaline offers a combination of gemological attributes that make it appropriate for a variety of settings and applications, for both jewelry makers and collectors who prioritize measurable quality. It is transparent, eye clean, and carries an intense color that has been gently optimized through heat treatment to ensure uniformity and to bring out the warm tonal range inherent to its composition. The princess cut provides a modern, geometric silhouette that can be set in bezel, four prong, or channel styles while maintaining secure fitment due to the controlled pavilion depth. The Natural Gemstone Company documents provenance as Tanzania and notes the heat enhancement, and we provide these specifics to support ethical sourcing and accurate appraisal. For those considering this tourmaline as a center gem or as a focal accent, its combination of weight, cut proportions, clarity, and stable enhancement make it a technically sound choice, grounded in a clear geological history and refined through careful lapidary work.