In general, tourmaline gemstones are found in igneous and metamorphic rocks, and in hydrothermal replacement deposits and it can be found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Russia, Italy, Mozambique and Nigeria in South Africa, and Maine and California in USA. Tourmaline is insoluble in acids which makes it resistant to any acidic chemical reactions unlike silver and it has pyroelectric properties, which means that a tourmaline crystal can be electrically charged for it has a positive charge on one end and a negative charge on the other. Toumalines range in different colors, from red to pink tourmaline, yellow to brown, blue, green, and even watermelon tourmalines. What makes tourmalines equally as engaging as any other precious gemstones for jewelry aficionados and artisans is its unique characteristics.
The following below are some of the notable characteristics of tourmalines that you may want to know:
- Tourmalines are referred to as “the gemstone of the rainbow” for its variety of colors available. The word tourmaline is a combination of Sinhalese words “tura” and “mali” which means “stone of many colors”.
- Some tourmalines, like yellow and brown tourmalines changes color when the light changes from daylight to artificial light. Thus, different shades and hues of the same color is possible within the day. Some have the quality as that of a cat’s eye, which means that they may glow in the dark.
- No two tourmalines are exactly alike which make a single tourmaline different from the other. It is as unique and distinctive as snowflakes and fingerprints.
- Because of the variety of colors, old people use to feel that tourmalines exude different mood and atmosphere, one for each type of person. Magical powers in the form of amulets are sometimes associated with it.
- An interesting characteristic of tourmalines is dichroism – a tourmaline is a semi precious stone that cause visible light to split up into distinct beams of different wavelengths and colors. This means that a single tourmaline gem has a different shade or intensity in color depending on the angle from where it is viewed.
- In Moh’s scale, a typical tourmaline has 7 to 7.5 hardness. It is harder than garnet, onyx, opal, and pearl while it is softer than topaz, ruby, sapphire or diamond. To give you another example, a fingernail has a hardness of 2, a window glass has 5.5 scale and a steel file has 6.5.
- Tourmaline stones with 2 colors are called bicolored tourmalines; those that have more than two colors are called multicolored tourmalines.
- Tourmalines have a pyroelectric characteristic, which means that they can be electrically charged when they are heated and allowed to cool. The other end has a positive charge, while the other has the negative one.
- It is the birthstone of the month of October. A pink tourmaline ring set would make a great gift for someone in your life.
- Tourmaline is also associated with emotional and spiritual love; it is the gemstone of the long lasting love and friendship.