Tourmaline is found around the world.  It is plentiful in black and browns, but these variety have little gemstone value.  Luckily it readily combines into other varieties which allow high quality crystals to display a wide color range.  Of all the crystals and minerals, Tourmaline has the most diverse colorations.

Tourmaline has unique infrared and ionic properties and carries the nickname “electric stone.”  Because of these attributes, this precious gem is often used in hair styling tools because it is a natural source of negative ions.  With a hardness of 7.0, this stone is solid enough for daily wear.

In the United States, blue-green, green and pink are most common, yet found in places that do not usually come to mind when considering exotic gems - such as the state of Maine.  Brazil and Africa have long been known for their Tourmaline deposits.

Unique Crystals

Unusual crystal shapes are another exciting feature of Tourmaline.  Crystal formations resemble long, narrow bars and gem cutters will attempt to retain as much of the original weight as possible. The crystals have slightly rounded sides and a triangular cross section, which are qualities that make the gem perfect for baguettes, emerald cuts, Trillions, and longer bars.

Sometimes the optical properties of the stone work against the quest for the brightest color.  This is a property we refer to as Pleochroism, different colors appearing in the crystal depending on the direction from which it is viewed.  If the desired color appears on the long axis of the stone, it often is too saturated and will appear dark.  If this is the case, the faceters have to decide between accepting the less desirable color that will be present if they orient the gem another way, or cutting the naturally long crystal into smaller pieces that can be fashioned to display their best colors.

The Plumbago Mining Corp in Newry, Maine, is home to a unique type of the crystal known as Watermelon Tourmaline.  This term is very descriptive.  The crystals appear to be very tiny watermelons having an outer wrap of green covering a deep red-pink center.

Watermelon Tourmaline is the star of the multi-colored world, but bi- and tri-colors also appear in a different way.  Subtle changes occur in chemical make-up and structure during the crystals formation and this causes the crystal to change colors along its length.  They display color at one end that is different from color at the opposite end, whereas Watermelon Tourmaline changes color from the outside skin of the crystal to the center.

It is not easy to find this crystal as a perfect gemstone visibly free of defects and inclusions.  Most Tourmalines are reasonably priced, but larger, clearer, or notable colors will carry a high price tag.

Trendy Colors

Today, green is quite popular, possibly reflecting the environmental movement.  The unique green color found in Maine is currently outselling pink tourmaline jewelry.  "Paraiba" is a sizzling word in the Tourmaline business.  This region of Brazil produces colors of astonishing neon brightness at hefty prices, but recently similar stones have been discovered  in other locations and the battle is on as to what to call them and how to price them.  One thing is for sure, they are all pretty.