Here is why there are so many "Paraiba-like" tourmalines suddenly on the market! Take a good look at the banner photograph above. See those blue filled growth tubes? Now look at the banner sized photograph below. These two micro photographs could stand alone to make the case of what we are calling the dyefusion of “Paraiba-like” tourmalines that are suddenly so prevalent on the market….and at increasingly cheaper prices. But there is so much more to see that we won’t stop there…..not until we can fully show you what we have found about the Blue Tourmaline Dyefusion!

Due to the proclivity of some scientists to totally disregard a new finding simply because they don’t like the name it is being called, we have made up our own name so that no one can reject these findings over who got to name it. It’s called “dyefusion”. Which means we have no idea of exactly what is being done, only that something is indeed being done to artificially color these tourmalines that falls somewhere between dyeing and diffusion…..everyone can take their own guess, and quite honestly everyone can name this whatever works for you. For us….its dyefusion.

During the course of our andesine investigations we started receiving reports that someone was doing something funky to tourmalines, particularly these new “Paraiba-like” tourmalines that suddenly showed up on the market a couple of years ago. So we started collecting tourmalines from the open market. While some of the major labs did studies using only 20 or 30 tourmaline specimens from one or two select dealers, the ISG has collected thousands of specimens from over 50 different dealers world wide. Above left you see one of the first specimens we found that spelled T-R-O-U-B-L-E! We actually found many tourmalines, mainly from Thai and Chinese dealers, which showed this artificial coloring attempt. Recently, however, we found the end product, and by using the same method that we used to uncover the diffused andesine…..buying massive numbers of study specimens and inspecting each and every one for anomalies. Here is what we found…

We had to narrow the images down to two specimens, otherwise you would have to take the afternoon off to see all that we have collected. And rather than take up time with a lot of explanations we will simply let these images speak for themselves. The first is at right. A 3.50ct "Paraiba-like" tourmaline from Thailand.

We have been aware that most of the tourmalines used in this treatment are naturally light lavender in color in their original state. The blue color is imparted after a two phase treatment, much like the diffusion of andesine. The stone is first treated to open up channels and then treated with an artificial color element to create the color we see. But just as with the andesine it is the mistakes, the specimens that should have been thrown into someone’s garden rather than sold on eBay, which gave this away. For in the course of inspecting literally thousands of specimens we found the one you see below that shows the blue coloring element that just did not treat properly, did not permeate into the stone evenly that gave away the presence of the treatment. Please be aware that the blue colored blobs are inside the stone, not on the surface.

The Smoking Gun

The question of dyefusion came to a very abrupt end when we received the specimen you see at left. This 2.50ct shield cut blue “Paraiba-like” tourmaline was purchased through a dealer in Canada and provided us with the "smoking gun" regarding the dyefusion of blue tourmaline

As with previous treated tourmalines we found the “C” axis to have been cut perpendicular to the table and not parallel as one would expect. But more important is that the growth tubes ranged from very tiny to extremely enlarged, far beyond anything natural. And more important….they are filled with blue coloring material.

Viewed straight down the "C" axis we could see color holes where the coloring elements did not penetrate the channels due to the channels being closed off during treatment. as seen in the first picture on the left below This condition was prevalent throughout the stone as seen in the middle picture below. We even found large areas of no color when viewed in high magnification straight down the "C" axis as visible in the picture on the right below. The features you see below on the right are not holes in the stone, but rather holes in the coloring of the stone.

	And finally, at left and below you can see the blue artificial color elements filling the tubes and creating the artificial color in this "Paraiba-like" tourmaline. Clear evidence that someone is artificially creating this material, and that there is a very good reason why the market has enjoyed such a sudden influx of large "Paraiba-like" blue tourmalines that are both plentiful and cheap.
	To the left you see the final image in large size.

We publicly call on the members of the Lab Manual Harmonization Committee to rescind the LMHC Information Sheet #6 that was issued without proper investigation into this situation. We call on the LMHC to do the right thing for the industry.

It is clear that some sort of dyefusion is being done to these tourmalines in Thailand and elsewhere. It is time to stop allowing this material to be sold under a name that has for decades stood for the very rare and beautiful Paraiba Tourmaline.

There is no such thing as a “Paraiba-like” tourmaline. It’s either a true Paraiba Tourmaline, or it’s most likely a dyefusion treated tourmaline.

Robert James FGA, GG
President, International School of Gemology

©2009 International School of Gemology. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED All images are taken using the ISG Student Reference Collection of gemstones in the ISG office. This article and the images herein have been reprinted in entirety by written permission of the ISG for publication on Nice Ice. The statements and opinions made herein are that of the ISG and are not necessarily the opinion of Nice Ice, Inc.