Tourmaline
Tourmaline is one of the more scientifically interesting minerals and, as a gemstone, surpasses all others with its range of colour. Tourmaline can occur in any colour and in a greater range than any other gemstone. Parti-coloured stones are also fairly common.
The derivation of the name Tourmaline is obscure, but it is generally believed to have originated from the Sinhalese ‘turmali,’ a name applied by the local jewellers to the Yellow Zircon. The use of this name for Tourmaline was said to have come about due to a parcel of Tourmaline being mistakenly sent under this name to stone dealers in Amsterdam in 1703, and the name may well have stuck. The red to pink colours of Tourmaline are sometimes known as Rubellite.
Chatoyancy is displayed by stones containing many parallel fibres of channels.
Tourmaline can be found in Brazil, East Africa, the Malagasy Republic, Namibia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, USA and the former USSR.
- Tourmaline is the birthstone for October
- Tourmaline is often given to mark an 8th Wedding Anniversary
View Tourmaline Jewellery at Astley Clarke