Did you know that tourmaline is also known as the rainbow gemstone?
As the name suggests, it comes in wide variety of colours.
Let's take a look at some fun facts about these wonderful gems:
The word Tourmaline derives from ‘Tourmali’, which translates to ‘precious mixed-color gem’ from Sinhalese (Sri Lanka)
Ancient Egyptians believed that tourmaline's variety of colours came from the gems breaking through a rainbow while pushing their way up to the Earth
Green Tourmaline is often confused with emerald, tsavorite garnet and peridot
As the majority of tourmaline comes from Brazil, some call green tourmaline "Brazilian" emerald
Source
The majority of tourmaline comes from Brazil, Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Tanzania and Kenya.
Availability
Green and Pink Tourmaline are considered plentiful and relatively inexpensive.
They are available in a large variety of shapes and sizes making it perfect for large statement pieces such as cocktail rings as well as smaller jewellery items.
Tourmaline is considerably less expensive than diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, aquamarine and alexandrite.
Many of my clients are pleasantly surprised by how affordable this gorgeous coloured stone really is.
Tourmaline grows in narrow, elongated crystals, which are generally cut into elongated shapes like emerald cut, pear shapes and ovals in order to save as much material as possible.
Cutting tourmaline into round shape causes too much material loss, but round shapes are available in sizes less than 1 carat.
If you are looking for a stone larger than 1 carat, I highly recommend concentrating your search on an oval or an emerald cut.
Unique Tourmaline Colours
Watermelon tourmaline - a unique colour combination of green and pink.
Rubellite - dark pink, "hot pink" or red tourmaline. More rare and expensive than the more common, pink tourmaline (but still less expensive than pink sapphires and rubies).
Indicolite tourmaline - dark blue-green colour. A great alternative to a more expensive blue-green sapphire, especially if you are looking for a larger stone.
Paraíba tourmaline - neon, electric blue. Most rare and expensive tourmaline variety.
Cat's eye tourmaline - shows a cat's eye effect, typically cut into cabochons.
Tourmaline Birthstone
Tourmaline is also known for the following traits:
helps calm one's emotions in times of distress
can give you energy and encourage positivity
soothing and nourishing stone that helps restore a sense of wholeness
can help overcome your fears about love and relationships
An alternative birthstone for October is Opal, you can find out more about this unique gem in my previous blog post, Uncover the Mystery Behind Opal
Do you know what powers and qualities your birthstone holds?
Visit my previous post titled Beauty and Power to find out!
Durability
In terms of hardness, tourmaline scores a 7 to 7.5 out of 10 on Moh's scale.
With sapphires and rubies at 9 and diamonds at 10, these can scratch your tourmaline if not stored properly or if they rub against each other.
As Tourmaline is considered to be a bit on the soft side, I wouldn't recommend it for an engagement ring. But it makes a great option for "occasional wear" rings and other jewellery such as pendants and earrings.
Pro Tip: don't shy away from adding this gorgeous gemstone to your collection, just be careful while wearing it.
Shopping for an engagement ring?
Check out these previous blog posts to help you choose the perfect one!
Is tourmaline on your wishlist?
I would be delighted to hear about it!
To discuss your options, schedule a complementary, 30 minute connection call with me here
Visit Tsarina Gems Instagram page for more stunning jewellery ideas and styling tips
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