Dravite Tourmaline Faceting Information
Covering general and detailed information on Dravite Faceting. This article will help build your knowledge on tips and guides for faceting Dravite stones.
Dravite Tourmaline Faceting Information
Dravite Tourmaline
Color: Brown, yellow-brown, orange-brown and reddish-brown
Moh's Hardness: 7-7.5
Refractive Index: 1.616-1.652
Critical Angle: 38.23°
Specific Gravity: 3.02-3.26
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Uneven, small conchoidal.
Dispersion: .017
Heat Sensitivity: Not usually a problem
Dichroic: Strong (many color variations)
Birefringence (double refraction): Medium (.014-.024)
Crystal structure: Hexagonal
Treatments: Generally there is no treatments with this kind of rough…
What I prefer to polishing with: Alumina oxide with a tin lap (scored).
Jeff's Comments: Cuts and polishes like any other Tourmaline, usually no problems… Orientation is important, go for the best color. Often there is a yellow/brown and a brown/darker brown direction. Orientate the darker color like you would a closed "c" axis…
Design Notes: About any Tourmaline design will work well, although I generally prefer a shallow checkerboard on darker rough.
Design Links: Signature #4 - This is good for about any rough
Easy Emerald - This is a classic and works well on poor "c" axis colored stones
Smith Bar - This is a classic and works well on poor "c" axis colored stones
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