Pink cuprian - beautiful

[MissMagpie]

Finally took the plunge and got a pink cuprian tourmaline ring after someone recommended pink cuprian on here - OMG, what a beautiful colour!

It wasn't cheap (needless to say), and I really have no idea whether it was a reasonable price or not because I've been unable to find anything comparable for clarity and colour intensity online; but it's lovely and it's staying! (I checked the enhancements on the R&Co website, and I'm pleased to see that pink cuprian tourmaline is "natural".)

Here's the link to my ring (but doesn't really do it justice):

http://www.rocksandco.com/index.php?task=jewelleryItemDisplay&action=display&sku=503 989

Personally, I think I'd have preferred a more ornate design, not to mention a heavier gold weight; if it gets squashed I'll have an excuse to get it reset one day!

Anyone else have pink cuprian?

 

[gemcherub]

Looks lovely enjoy wearing it x

 

[SUPERCOOLWILLOW]

looks lovely MissM

 

[Meeshoo]

There's no such thing as a Pink Cuprian - it's a marketing ploy I'm afraid. The same as selling a "normal" tourmaline as "Paraiba". Cuprian means "copper bearing" and this is simply a pink tourmaline that, presumably, has been chemically analysed and found to have copper in its content. Hence, pink cuprian tourmaline. The word "cuprian" is used to push the price up of gemstones and make them appear to be related to Paraiba Tourmaline etc etc.

If you want to find out more, do a search for cuprian tourmaline and what you'll find is that it relates mostly to paraiba coloured tourmaline (ie. copper bearing) and you'll also find references to the more difficult to source purple cuprian tourmaline (not pink). You'll find very little in relation to pink cuprian tourmaline because it's simply pink tourmaline.

There is evidence on the market that tourmaline is now being treated but hopefully that's not the case with these gems.

Hope that helps and enjoy wearing your ring. It looks very pretty.

 

[Meeshoo]

Found this ......... thought you might find it interesting:

http://cgi.ebay.com/2.94cts-Mozambi...ItemQQimsxZ20091124?IMSfp=TL091124194004r8454

 

[MissMagpie]

Thanks, Meeshoo. (Where's the "thanks" button gone?!)

Yes, I realise "cuprian" just means "copper bearing", and I did find a few references to "pink cuprian elbaite" and "pink copper-bearing elbaite/tourmaline" on the web.

I guess the gemstone market is a fickle thing. Why is paraiba tourmaline (which doesn't necessarily come from Paraiba, but does contain copper) more expensive than bright blue-green tourmaline of the same colour intensity that doesn't contain copper? It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but it must to someone!

 

[MissMagpie]

P.S. My ring from Rocks & Co is a much better colour than the one in the eBay photo... or were you just showing me that as an example of how people try to chizz buyers over the "copper bearing" thing?

 

[Meeshoo]

True Paraiba Tourmaline (forget locality for a moment) doesn't just have to be a bright blue or have intensity but it must glow AND have the correct chemical makeup. If a Tourmaline has all those elements then it's entitled to be called a Paraiba (because whilst that's a locality, it denotes a certain gemstone of a particular quality).

Actually I've seen some phenomenal blue/green Tourmalines and they can be simply stunning BUT when put side by side with a true, certified, Paraiba there is a difference.

 

[Meeshoo]

P.S. My ring from Rocks & Co is a much better colour than the one in the eBay photo... or were you just showing me that as an example of how people try to chizz buyers over the "copper bearing" thing?

Yes!

Just make sure you haven't overpaid won't you? If you love it, then to some degree the £s pale into insignificance but .......... it's not a particularly expensive gemstone.

 

[MissMagpie]

Yes, I do love it. I have plenty of pink tourmalines as it's one of my favourite gems (sorry, Meesh, I know you don't like it!), but I've never seen one this colour before. The nearest is one I bought for a song from thaigem.com pre-GemsTV (yes! the original Thaigem - how I wish I'd bought more from them), but it's not as good as this one...

 

[Oops-a-daisy!]

It looks like a very lovely gemstone Miss Magpie - the colour is very striking and a very good carat weight.

I bought a pink cuprian ring from R&Co a few months ago. Mine is a pure pink with no brown tones (lighter than yours) that shifts to a mauve colour in the day and alternates between baby pink and bubblegum pink depending on the light source. It also has that internal glow. I have to say it's also very well cut! ;-)

Enjoy wearing yours Miss M.

 

[gemcherub]

Your sounds lovely as well Oops, i would love to see photos of both your rings x

 

[meerkat]

Crikey, I used to buy a few things from Thaigem, even got an aquamarine marquise cut pendant made up to my specs, which was a steal.

Your ring looks a better colour than the ones I saw, they were too Barbie pink for my liking, but that looks closer to lovely rubellite.

 

[MissMagpie]

Hate to disappoint you, Meerkat, but it's PINK - pinker than it looks in the photo. Vivid slightly purplish pink, to be exact... I think Barbie might be quite proud of it.