Tourmaline

Tourmaline holds the record as the most colorful gemstone family in the world — it appears in pink, green, blue, black, and even in multiple colors within the same crystal.

It’s a borosilicate that forms in pegmatites.

As it grows, its chemical composition shifts, “painting” the crystal in layers of different colors.

Its name comes from Sinhala and literally means “stone with mixed colors.”

It also has an electric trick: when heated or pressed, it becomes electrically charged and attracts dust — 18th-century Dutch traders used it to pull ash from their pipes.

China’s Empress Cixi was so enamored with California pink tourmaline that she practically emptied the mines there; in 1908 she was buried with a pink tourmaline beneath her head.

The “watermelon” variety (green on the outside, pink inside) is so spectacular it looks artificially colored—though it’s entirely natural.

The most prized specimens come from Brazil, Africa, and Afghanistan.

Associated with balance, protection, and positive energy (especially the black variety), tourmaline is one of October’s birthstones.

With a hardness of 7–7,5 it’s fairly durable, but can develop fissures under strong impact.

It benefits from careful cleaning and storage, protected from shocks.

Clean gently with a soft cloth. This chromatic richness is beautifully highlighted in 925 silver and gold.