Tourmaline

The tourmaline family is found in many different locations around the world including Brazil, Nigeria, Mozambique, USA (California, Maine), Congo, Tanzania, and has one of the widest color ranges found in gemstones.

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Tourmalines are part of a family of closely related mineral species with the same crystal structure but with different chemical and physical properties.

Tourmalines are found in many different locations around the world including Brazil, Nigeria, Mozambique, USA (California, Maine), Congo, Tanzania, and they have one of the widest color ranges found in gemstones.

Species of Tourmaline include elbaite, dravite, uvite, schorl and liddicoatite. Some of the trade names used for Tourmalines include:

Rubellite for red to pinkish-red or purplish-red Tourmalines;

Indicolite for blue to greenish-blue Tourmalines;

Chrome Tourmaline for a type of vivid green tourmaline that is colored by vanadium and chromium;

Bi-Color, Tri-Color, Multi-Color or Watermelon for Tourmalines with 2 or more colors.

Paraiba for a violet-blue, blue to bluish-green variety that is Copper bearing

Since tourmaline grows in long crystals referred to as “pencils” they are frequently cut as elongated emerald cuts that are perfect for pendants, earrings and even some rings.

Tourmaline is one of the birthstones for October and celebrates the 8th Anniversary.

Lots of choice in colors for October birthdays!

We have many more colors, shapes and sizes available in Tourmaline – please contact us if you don’t find what you are looking for in our online inventory.

Here is a link to GIA’s Buyer’s Guide on Tourmalines:
https://www.gia.edu/tourmaline

click here to see a selection of Tourmaline for sale