Genuine Multi-Colored Tourmalines

Multicolored Tourmalines

Tourmaline is a virtually unique colour miracle. Crystals displaying just one colour are quite rare, usually one and the same crystal does in fact show various shades and colours. Thus the Tourmaline family alone has sufficient members to supply all the whims of man and woman concerning colours: the range is almost unlimited.

Often Nature creates very special Tourmaline crystals which will then be cut into sophisticated multicoloured gemstones. You would like to know how this is possible? Tourmalines are mixed crystals of complex aluminium boro-silicates in various manifestations. It is indeed quite a complex group of minerals. Even small changes in composition will result in completely different colours. Thus it is possible that in one and the same naturally grown crystal there will appear completely different colours, usually arranged in longitudinal columns on top of each other, just as if Nature had put coloured rings on top of each other. The crystal a such may be as small as a knitting needle or as thick as a thigh. Some will show only slightly shaded colour fields, while others display contrasting colours and clear colour zoning. And since Tourmaline crystals are often grown into others, a cross section might even show tightly joined triangles arranged around a core.

What makes a Watermelon a precious object?

Especially coveted are such stones which show two or more strong colours. Depending on shape and colour, these Tourmalines are traded as Multicoloured or Bicoloured specimen. Some have earned quite interesting names, for example, an almost colourless crystal with black end is called a "Maur’s Head” or "Moor’s Head”. If the tip is red, then this used to be called a "Turk’s Head Tourmaline”. Bicoloured Tourmalines with a red core that changes into green around the perimeter is still called "Watermelon Tourmaline”. And if the colour zones are arranged on top of the other, than in Brazil this is called a "Papageios” or a "Rainbow Tourmaline”.

The most important occurrences for Tourmalines are situated in Brazil and in Africa. But also from other gemstone occurrences all over the world – like, for example, from Sri Lanka or Madagascar - Nature’s gifts are brought to us in the form of this beautiful gemstone, which because of its enormous variety of colour will keep on surprising us.

The epitome of individuality

Tourmalines are popular as jewellery stones but also as healing stones. Due to their good energetic conductivity and their wealth of mineral elements they are supposed to have recreational and constructive effects. They are uncomplicated to work with and because of their good hardness are excellently suited for everyday wear. Beautiful multicoloured Tourmalines are best suited for highly individual jewellery designs, since each stone is different from the other. In addition to this: almost each occurrence of this worldwide existing gemstone will display a specific colour variation. However, this fact makes it difficult for cutters to find matching stones in one and the same colour, for even two stones cut from the same rough mother crystal will often show different colours. But it is just this characteristic which makes Tourmalines so attractive, especially the multicoloured ones. Such gemstones are very much in demand at present. The fact that each stone is a unique original inspires goldsmiths and designers, who love to integrate this precious stone into their individual jewellery creations as the attractive centerpiece.

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