T is for Tourmaline

The name Tourmaline comes from Sinhalese word “Thoramalli” which is a group of stones found in Sri Lanka.

It is a semi-precious stone that is found in many different colored such as blue, pink, green yellow, and watermelon. There are also Chrome and Paraiba tourmaline.
Prices for tourmaline vary tremendously depending on the variety and quality. The most expensive are the Paraiba Tourmaline which may reach tens of thousands of dollars per carat.

It’s a popular stone because of the beautiful rainbow of colors. Scientifically, it is not a single mineral, but a group of minerals related in the physical and chemically properties. On the hardness scale it is a 7-7.5 a very durable stone.

Tourmaline is generally stable to light and isn’t affected by exposure to climate, but extreme heat can damage it. Extremely high heat can alter the color and could cause fracturing.

Discovered in the late 1600-early 1700’s by Dutch trader off the West Coast of Italy.
The stone can also be found in Afghanistan, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Bolivia, Mozambique, Russia, Brazil and Italy.

Cleaning your tourmaline consists of warm soapy water. Rinsing well and drying.

Do not use ultrasonic or steaming cleaners.