2.99 Ct. Tourmaline from Mozambique

This 2.99 carat transparent bi color tourmaline from Mozambique, offered by The Natural Gemstone Company, measures 12.23 by 5.52 by 4.93 millimeters and presents in a refined fancy shape executed with a classical step cut, excellent polish, and a clarity grade of very slightly included when evaluated at eye level, medium color intensity, heat treated to stabilize and enhance its hues. The step cut in this stone employs parallel terraces across the crown and pavilion, producing long linear facets that emphasize the stone length and the internal color zoning, rather than producing the small scintillating flashes associated with brilliant cutting. The cutter has prioritized face up color and symmetry, orienting the pavilion steps to align with the natural dichroic axes of the tourmaline crystal structure, a precision that controls pleochroic shifts when the stone is viewed in different directions. The result is a clean visual field across the table with measured facet junctions, crisp girdle geometry and careful truncation of the corners to reduce chipping risk in practical settings.

Color and tone in this bi color specimen register as a calibrated transition between a cool teal blue and a fresh mid grass green, with medium intensity that reads as vivid under direct lighting yet remains balanced and wearable in everyday illumination. Compared to classic Brazilian Paraiba tourmalines known for their neon saturated copper blues and intense high chroma, this Mozambique example is more restrained, offering a cooler and more naturalistic teal rather than electric neon. When set against green tourmalines from Minas Gerais in Brazil that often skew toward warm yellowish green tones, this stone shows a distinctly cooler bias and finer clarity, with the blue component shifting the perceived temperature toward the cyan end of the spectrum. Compared to East African tourmalines from Tanzania that sometimes present strong bluish green colors, and to Afghan and Pakistani bi color material that can show deep saturated pink to green transitions, this Mozambique piece maintains a medium tone throughout, avoiding overly dark or muddy zones, which preserves transparency and delivers superior light return for its weight.

From a clarity and craftsmanship perspective the very slightly included grade at eye level indicates small needlelike or stringed inclusions that are typical of natural tourmaline, oriented parallel to the crystal axis and intentionally placed by the cutter to minimize visibility through the table. The step cut accentuates linear inclusions along the length, but in this instance the cutter utilized facet placement to break up inclusion continuity and to position brighter color bands over the table where they mask any minor internal features. The excellent polish reduces surface scatter and enhances the stone lustre, while the heat treatment has been applied conservatively to improve tone uniformity and to remove residual brownish modifiers without creating over saturated or unnatural appearance. For technical reference, tourmaline refractive indices typically range around 1.62 to 1.64 and specific gravity values commonly fall near 3.06, properties that in combination with this stone transparency yield a brisk degree of brilliance within the constraints of step faceting, and a predictable response to light that is favorable for calibrated settings.

In comparative terms this bi color Mozambique tourmaline sits between several well known trade benchmarks in hue, tone and light performance, making it a versatile choice for collectors and designers who seek color nuance rather than maximal saturation. Against Colombian emeralds that display deep saturated forest greens with a velvety internal appearance and lower transparency, this turquoise leaning tourmaline offers greater clarity and a lighter, more luminous tone that favors faceted ring or pendant usage where sparkle and color shift are desirable. Against Brazilian Paraiba specimens with their electric color, this tourmaline provides a more classical and controllable palette, suitable for matched sets or bespoke jewelry where color harmony and durability are priorities. The Natural Gemstone Company presents this piece as a technically precise option, a 2.99 carat bi color tourmaline that combines careful step cutting, disciplined clarity management, and subtle heat enhancement to yield a stone with predictable optical behavior and refined aesthetic presence, ideal for connoisseurs who value cut orientation, color balance and craftsmanship in equal measure.