Tourmaline gemstones, history and buying guide

Legend has it that on the long way from the Earth's heart up towards the sun, Tourmaline traveled along a rainbow. And on its way it collected all the colors of the rainbow.
It is easy to see why ancient people would think this. No gem family is more diverse than tourmaline.Tourmaline is am amazing gemstone that comes in any color you can imagine.  It even comes in Black and White!  Due to its versatility Tourmaline has been a favorite of gem lovers for hundreds of years.

Green Tourmaline

Tourmaline is not really just one gemstone. Tourmaline is actually several different, but closely related minerals, members of what is called The Tourmaline Group. These gems come in rich and vivid colors and are often a mixture of more then one color. Black opaque tourmalines can Sparkle nicely and produce sharp crystal forms. Tourmalines can be cut as precious gems, carved into figurines, cut as cabochons, sliced into cross-sections and natural specimens are enthusiastically added to many a rock hound's collection.

Members of The Tourmaline Group are:

• Buergerite (Sodium Iron Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide Fluoride)
• Chromdravite (Sodium Magnesium Chromium Iron Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide Fluoride)
• Dravite (Sodium Magnesium Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide) 
• Elbaite (Sodium Lithium Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide)
• Feruvite (Calcium Iron Magnesium Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide)
• Foitite (Iron Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide) 
• Liddicoatite (Sodium Lithium Aluminum Boro-silicate Oxide Hydroxidem Fluoride) 
• Olenite (Sodium Aluminum Boro-silicate Oxide Hydroxide) 
• Povondravite (Sodium Iron Boro-silicate Hydroxide Oxide) 
• Schorl (Sodium Iron Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide) 
• Uvite (Calcium Sodium Magnesium Iron Aluminum Boro-silicate Hydroxide Fluoride)

Multi-color Tourmaline

Tourmalines have many unique properties not found in other gems.
First, they are piezoelectric. This means that when a crystal is heated, compressed or vibrated a different electrical charge will form at opposite ends of the crystal one end being positive and the other being negative. Tourmaline crystals will also vibrate when an electrical currant is applied.
Secondly Tourmalines are pleochroic. This means that the crystal will look darker in color when viewed down the long axis of the crystal than when viewed from the side. Gem cutter will often use this to their advantage cutting gems to enhance this quality.

Specific color group names for Tourmaline:

• Dravite subgroup: Brown - dravite (from the Drave district of Carinthia)
• Schorl subgroup:  Black - schorl
• Elbaite subgroup: named after the island of Elba, Italy
  o Rose or pink - rubellite (from ruby)
  o Dark blue - indicolite (from indigo)
  o Light blue - Brazilian sapphire
  o Green - verdelite or Brazilian emerald
  o Colorless - achroite (from the Greek for "colorless")

Bi-color Watermelon Tourmaline

Tourmaline also come in Bi-color and multi color gems. These gems are highly sought after and truly lovely to behold. 

Other popular colors 

Watermelon: Tourmalines with red heart and green border

Paraiba: Once found only in the Mina da Bathalha mine in the Brasilian state of Paraiba.  These gems are small rare and very valuable.  They display a  vivid turquoise blue to green color. 

In 2001 a new vine of Paraiba Tourmaline was discovered in Nigeria.  These are a little lighter and a little less expensive then the Tourmaline found in Brazil.

Paraiba Tourmaline

Rubellites: Are the most expensive of all Tourmalines and can run into the thousands of dolars for a gem weighing only a few carats.  This exceptionally beautiful gemstone shows a decisive characteristic, its steady color in daylight and artificial light. A true  Rubellite never changes color, it shines as brilliantly and clearly in daylight as in artificial light.  The name Tourmaline is derived from the Latin term "rubellus" which means "reddish".

Rubellite Tourmaline

When shopping for Tourmaline look for bright vibrant colors. Bi-color Tourmaline should show an obvious distingue color variation from one end of the gem to the other.  Nearly all natural Tourmaline should show some inclusions under a loupe.  Red, pink and watermelon color Tourmalines are always include sometimes heavily.  Inclusions in these stones are expected and do not harm the value of the gem every much. However you will pay a premium for relatively clean stones.

Tourmaline is found all over the world. Some very nice Tourmaline is mined in both California and Maine. Because Tourmaline is so plentiful the location a gem is mined from is not as important as it is with other gems.  With the exception of Rubellite and Paraiba most Tourmaline are very affordable and with so many colors to chose from you can let your imagination run wild.  Jewelers have created some really amazing jewelry using Tourmaline.

Stunning necklace by Shuusei

Earrings by Jegem

Bracelet by Heavenly Treasures

Healing prooerties
Beautiful tourmaline comes in a variety of colors. It has been used as a stone of protection, healing, balance between logic, emotion and creativity. Green tourmaline connects you with the plant kingdom. Pink tourmaline helps you love yourself and get rid of self-defeating habits and attitudes. Black tourmaline repels negativity.

Tourmaline Properties.

• Name:  Tourmaline
• Chemical composition:  (Li,Na,Ca)(Fe,Mg,Mn,Al)3(Al,Fe)6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH,F)4 AluminumBoroSilicate (wide variety of substitutions)
• Crystal:  Hexagonal (long prismatic, striated, with a rounded triangular cross section)
• Color:  black(schorl), brown(dravite), blue(indicolite), pink(rubellite),green, yellow, orange, multicolor, clear (rare)
• Refractive Index:  1.616 - 1.652  Birefraction:  0.040
• Hardness:  7 - 7.5  Spec. Grav.:  3.0 - 3.3
• Fracture:  uneven  Cleavage:  none
• Environment:  Found in igneous and metamorphic rocks, in shists, pegmatites, and hydrothermal replacement deposits
• Association:  lepidolite, microcline, spodumene, andalusite, biotite, quartz, cassiterite, molybdenite 
• Locals:  | Brazil | Calif., Maine, USA | Sri Lanka | Italy | USSR |
• Miscellaneous:  The name apparently comes from the Sinhalese word "Turamali" which was given to mixtures of unidentified gem gravels in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Insoluble in acids. Strong pyroelectric, and piezoelectric properties. This pressure/electric relationship is used in some high pressure gauges.

Black Tourmaline Beads