Slice Pendant Appraisal

Watermelon Tourmaline Slice Pendant and Graduated Multi-Color Tourmaline Bead Necklace

This piece is a contemporary artisan necklace featuring a significant polished slice of 'watermelon' tourmaline as its focal pendant. The pendant showcases a rich pink-to-magenta core rimmed by a thin exterior layer of green, characteristic of this Elbaite variety. The pendant is suspended from a sterling silver jump ring and bail, attached to a strand of multi-colored tourmaline beads. The beads are a mixture of geometric shapes including tubes, cylinders, and small spacers. The color palette of the strand ranges from deep forest green and schorl black to soft lavender, pale olive, and delicate pink, reflecting the wide pleochroic range of the gemstone family. The construction utilizes a graduated design where larger cylinders frame the lower portion of the necklace. The beads exhibit natural internal inclusions and striations typical of raw tourmaline crystals. The sterling silver components appear to be in good condition with minor surface tarnish consistent with use. Overall, the piece demonstrates high-quality natural mineral specimens chosen for their color saturation and organic shapes. The estimated age is modern/contemporary, likely handcrafted within the last 10-15 years. The pendant slice shows minor natural surface fissures that are diagnostic of the crystal's growth pattern rather than damage.