The Stone That Holds the Rainbow: Tourmaline

The Birth of a Legend

In ancient times, a demon lived hidden in the darkness. He was the ugliest creature in the world and raged against everything beautiful. Then one day, the demon saw a brilliant rainbow spread across the sky. Overcome with unbearable rage, it tore the rainbow apart. The fragments fell into the rocks, and later, miners discovered crystals within them that held a brilliant light. They began to call these colorful gems tourmaline.

Tourmaline Revealed by Science

Tourmaline is a gemstone that, true to its name, possesses electrical properties. It has the unique characteristic of generating static electricity when rubbed or heated. Its structure is a silicate crystal, appearing in hundreds of colors depending on various metal ions and natural radiation. Tourmaline is the gemstone with the most diverse colors in the world.

Where It Comes From

Tourmaline is mined on nearly every continent, but the most renowned sources are Brazil, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Maine and California in the United States. The gem's name originates from the ancient Sri Lankan word ‘Toramalli’ (mixed gem). This reflects its longstanding recognition as a gem of confusion, a fragment of the rainbow.

Speaking Through Color

Tourmaline is a rainbow unto itself. Blue ‘indicolite’, red ‘rubellite’, green ‘verdellite’, and pink ‘pink tourmaline’. Sometimes, two or three colors coexist within a single stone, like the ‘watermelon tourmaline’ where green and pink blend together. The rarest ‘Paraiba tourmaline’ boasts a neon blue hue, instantly securing its place among the world's most coveted gems upon discovery.

The Wavelength of Life: Tourmaline's Energy

Tourmaline is said to possess energy that transcends being a mere gemstone. Green tourmaline strengthens the immune system, black tourmaline blocks negative energy, and red tourmaline invigorates the heart and circulatory system. Pink tourmaline is known to foster love and emotional healing, while blue tourmaline aids throat and communication flow.

Though lacking scientific proof, the reason people have kept this stone close for millennia is clear: purification, healing, protection. Tourmaline is the crystal that awakens the colors within us.

The Aesthetics of True Diversity

Tourmaline is both durable and versatile in its forms, making it suitable for any piece of jewelry—from rings to pendants, earrings, and bracelets. Depending on the cut, its transparency and color depth are enhanced, and there exists a special tourmaline that emits a single beam of light like a cat's eye.

Time to Hold a Piece of the Rainbow Again

Tourmaline might be the fragmented rainbow of our lives. This stone, bearing different hues, reflects our varied emotions and daily existence. The legend born from anger has now become a symbol of healing and beauty. Tourmaline is not merely an ornament; it is a mirror reflecting the light and color within you.

*What light does the tourmaline in your hand reveal?