Tourmaline jewelry
Make someone’s life a little more colorful.
Tourmaline comes in more colors than any other stone. It’s been mistaken for
emeralds and confused with rubies, but it’s always been given credit for making
love and friendship last. If you’ve ever received a gift of tourmaline jewelry,
you know that must be true!
Not only does tourmaline come in a variety of colors, from red to green and
blue to yellow, but sometimes an individual stone can have several colors within
it, changing as it moves in the light. This makes tourmaline an especially
captivating, intriguing stone – especially when jewelers are able to showcase
these shifting colors with a skillful cut.
Color and pedigree
Tourmaline comes in dozens of colors, but green and pink are the most
popular. Some colors have practically no inclusions, others have more. Many
tourmalines are heat–treated to enhance their color. Red and pink tourmalines
are often heated and (safely) irradiated, and may have small fractures that are
filled with oil or resin.
Tourmaline comes from many places all over the world, including California
and Maine here in the United States.
Taking it home
Take care when wearing your beautiful tourmaline jewelry, because it’s only
moderately resistant to scratches, rating 7 to 7 1/2 on the Mohs Hardness Scale
(10 is diamond–hard). Its resistance to chipping and breaking can be anywhere
from good to low, depending on the individual gem.
If your tourmaline jewelry has fracture fillings or noticeable inclusions,
liquid and ultrasonic cleaners could damage it. Your safest choice is to use
mild soapy detergent and water, and avoid hard scrubbing.
When to choose tourmaline
Tourmaline jewelry offers you such a wide range of color choices, there’s a
piece of tourmaline jewelry out there for everyone. Multicolor tourmaline is
perfect for someone who likes the idea of wearing a stone that’s beautiful but a
little unusual. And it’s easy to find a piece that will go beautifully with the
fine gemstone jewelry she already owns. |
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Pink tourmaline jewelry is perfect for someone who wears lots of pastel colors.
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