Tourmaline’s name is derived from ‘Tourmali’ which means stone of mixed color in Sinhalese ( Sri Lanka). Tourmaline comes in an array of colors and it has a unique pleochroic characteristic that sets it apart from other stones; the stone’s color appears different when viewed from different angles. Mixed or color-zoned tourmaline is remarkable in that it contains a mix of colors that traverse the body of the gem, often step cut to enhance this characteristic and show off the color display.
Another feature of tourmaline is that its crystals are electrically polarized, resulting in electric fields that give it the ability to attract and repel hot ashes. In fact, tourmaline was once used to clean dust out of pipes. Of course, if you wear this beautiful birthstone, you’ll be keeping your stone clean, not using it to clean!
Loose Mixed Tourmaline Gemstones
Birthstone: October
Wedding anniversary: 8th
Mohs hardness: 7 – 7.5 / 10
You will also like: pink sapphire, garnets
Looks great in: yellow gold /white gold / platinum / silver
