The name tourmaline comes from the Singhalese words 'tura mali'. In translation, this means something like 'stone with mixed colours', referring to the colour spectrum of this gemstone, which outdoes that of all other precious stones. This gemstone has excellent wearing qualities and is easy to look after, for all tourmalines have a good hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.
Tourmalines are found almost all over the world. There are major deposits in Brazil, Sri Lanka and South and south-west Africa. Other finds have been made in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Tourmalines are also found in the USA, mainly in California and Maine. Although there are plenty of gemstone deposits which contain tourmalines, good qualities and fine colours are not often discovered among them. For this reason, the price spectrum of the tourmaline is almost as broad as that of its colour.
Tourmaline is available in a wide variety of colors from black to bluish-black, dark brown, yellow, medium brown, blue to neon blue, lime to dark forrest green, red and reddish purple, yellow, pink, and colourless.
The most expensive tourmalines are the blue indicolite, green verdelite and pink rubellite.
Bi-colored and multicoloured tourmalines may be green at one end and pink at the other, watermelon tourmalines are green on the outside and pink on the inside. Some stones are dichroic meaning they appear to change color when viewed from different angles.
Cat's Eye Tourmaline exhibits a "cat;s eye" effect similar to what is commonly seen in tiger's eye cabochons. Chrome Tourmaline is colored by chromium resulting in a beautiful green stone that is often confused with emerald or the tsavorite garnet. Indicolite is a dark blueish black stone. The Paraiba tourmaline is a bright neon-blue and Rubellite is a deep reddish purple stone. Schorl is the name given to black tourmalines which are the most commonly found tourmalines.
Tourmalines are gems with an incomparable variety of colours. The reason, according to an old Egyptian legend, is that the tourmaline, on its long journey up from the centre of the Earth, passed over a rainbow. In doing so, it assumed all the colours of the rainbow. And that is why it is still referred to as the 'gemstone of the rainbow' today.
In rituals performed in ancient eastern Indian culture, tourmaline was used to provide direction toward that which would bring "good", recognized as a 'teller' stone, providing insight during times of trouble and "telling" who or what is causing trouble.
Tourmalines have also been used among the African, Native American and aboriginal shamen to promote awakening from the "dream of illusion" and experience of the self as a part of the universal whole.
The Enegry of tourmaline relates to each of the chakras. It acts to clear, maintain and stimulate each of the enrgy centers of the body. It further acts to enhance left and right brain cooperation efforts in the areas of creativity and healing.
Astrological Signs of Libra - Elemental
Vibrates to the number 2
| Black (Schorl) |
Repels and protects against negativity |
| Blue (Indicolite) |
Strengthens psychic awareness |
| Browne (Dravide) |
Clears and stimulates auric body |
| Colorless |
Aligns all energy centers and activates crown chakra |
| Green ( Verdelite ) |
Allows seeing with the heart & connection with the plant kingdom |
| Pink (Elbaite) |
Allows trust in the power of Love |
| Red (Rubelite) |
Strengthens the will to understand Love; also helps to direct and intensify devotional activities |
| Watermelon |
Super Activator of the Heart Chakra |
| Yellow (Tsilasite) |
Solar Plexas Chakra enhancing personal power |
| Black (Schorl) |
Stilumates reflex points in teh lower back and balancing the adrenal glands |
| Blue (Indicolite) |
Treats disorders of the lungs, throat, larynx, esophagus, thyroid & thymus. |
| Browne (Dravide) |
Treats intestinal tract |
| Colorless |
Asists all other tourmalines |
| Green ( Verdelite ) |
Treats eyes and immune system |
| Pink (Elbaite) |
Holistic medicament, bringing whole body into order |
| Red (Rubelite) |
Brings balance to the structure of blood vessels and veins, treats digestive sidorders |
| Watermelon |
Treats nervousness and emotional disorders |
| Yellow (Tsilasite) |
Treats liver, kidney, spleen, gall bladder and stomach |
