Tourmaline – The magic of nature in your everyday life.
Tourmaline is an incredibly fascinating mineral that captivates with its variety of colors and unique properties. It belongs to the silicate group and occurs in a wide range of colors, from deep black to intense pink and blue. Its name comes from the Sinhalese word “turmali”, which means “multicolored”.
Tourmaline Color Palette
Tourmaline is a true chameleon of the mineral world. What makes it stand out the most is its extraordinary palette of colors. Various trace elements are responsible for this extraordinary color diversity, which are built into the structure of the mineral during the crystallization process. Each of these elements gives tourmaline a characteristic shade.
The most popular varieties of tourmaline:
- Schörl: The most common variety, usually black or dark brown in color.
- Rubellite: Known for its intense pink or red color, Rubellite is often compared to a ruby.
- Indigolite: A beautiful blue tourmaline, often confused with sapphire.
- Verdelite: A tourmaline with a green color that can range from light green to a deep emerald shade.
- Paraíba: The most desirable and rare variety of tourmaline, characterized by its intense blue or blue-green color. It was discovered in the 1970s in the Brazilian state of Paraíba, hence its name.
- Watermelon Tourmaline: An unusual variety of tourmaline that combines a green exterior and pink interior color, resembling the cross-section of a watermelon.
All varieties of tourmaline are characterized by high hardness (Mohs Hardness: 7-7.5), which makes them scratch resistant. In addition, many varieties exhibit pleochroism, or a change in color depending on the viewing angle.
Tourmalines are primarily used in jewelry. Due to their color variety and beauty, they are often chosen to create rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. In addition, tourmaline is credited with many healing and magical properties.
Interesting facts
The history of tourmaline is extremely interesting and goes back a long way. Before this beautiful gemstone gained its current name and found its use in jewelry, it was valued primarily for its extraordinary electrical properties. It was known as the “ash-attracting stone.”
Why? It’s all because of its electrical properties. Some varieties of tourmaline exhibit piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity, meaning they generate an electrical charge when pressure or temperature changes. This allowed tourmaline to attract tiny ash particles, making it a useful cleaning tool.
