WHAT IS A GEM PARAIBA TOURMALINE?
PROPERTIES: Best color = Vivid turquoise blue (vibrant “electric” color in daylight and in incandescent light). Transparency = Transparent. Brilliancy = Very high; sparkly appearance. Clarity = Eye clean to heavily included (influences the price strongly) Hardness = 7 to 7 ½ Toughness = Fair. Cleavage = None. CLEANING METHODS: Ultrasonic and Steamer = Risky. Caution: never put an included Paraiba Tourmaline into an ultrasonic cleaner. Warm soapy water: Safe. STABILITY: Reaction to heat = Strong heat may alter color and sudden temperature changes may cause fracturing. Reaction to chemicals = None. ENHANCEMENTS: Mainly heated. Suother/rface reaching fractures may be filled with oil. The FTC requires complete disclosure of these treatments. IMITATIONS: Various assembled stones (doublets and triplets), blue Apatite and irradiated blue Topaz. MOST RESEMBLING GEMSTONES: Emerald for green color and Apatite for blue color.
