Tourmaline Jewellery
With its kaleidoscope of colours and captivating properties, tourmaline has become a popular choice for unique, modern jewellery. It is the birthstone of October and traditionally gifted on an 8th wedding anniversary.
Tourmaline Jewellery
What is tourmaline?
Tourmaline is highly versatile and popular gemstone choice for unique, modern jewellery.
Its name, rooted in the Sinhalese word "turamali" or "stone of mixed colors," perfectly captures its diverse and captivating hues. Ranging from deep blacks to vibrant greens, blues, reds, pinks and beyond, tourmaline presents a kaleidoscope of opportunity for custom made jewellery.
One remarkable feature of tourmaline, apart from its rich colour palette, is pleochroism. Some tourmaline crystals exhibit this optical phenomenon, where they display different colors when viewed from various angles.
What colour is tourmaline?
Tourmaline is a gemstone celebrated for its remarkable range of colours, making it highly versatile in the world of jewellery.
Notable colours include:
- Pink & Red (Rubellite Tourmaline): These hues range from light pink to deep red. Rubellite tourmalines are often sought after for their romantic and vibrant appearance.
- Green (Verdelite Tourmaline): These tourmalines exhibit a rich, verdant green color, akin to the lushness of a forest.
- Black (Schorl Tourmaline): This variety is usually opaque and ranges from dark brown to black.
- Watermelon Tourmaline: This unique variety showcases concentric rings of green and pink, resembling the refreshing colors of a watermelon.
How durable is tourmaline?
Tourmaline is a relatively durable gemstone, making it suitable for various types of jewellery. Different varieties of tourmaline can have slightly different hardness levels, typically ranging from 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.
What is Paraiba tourmaline?
Paraíba tourmaline is a rare and highly sought-after variety of tourmaline known for its vivid and electrifying blue or blue-green colour.
It is named after the Brazilian state of Paraíba, where it was first discovered in the 1980s.
The intense colour of Paraíba tourmaline is attributed to the presence of trace amounts of copper and manganese in its crystal structure.
