A Guide to Tourmaline

Tourmaline’s unique color, sparkle, and beauty makes it the perfect addition to Enchanted Disney’s Fine Jewelry collections. This captivating gemstone shines in several collections to radiate elegance, beauty, and power of various Disney characters, including Tinker Bell, Princess Aurora, and Princess Cinderella. It’s striking color is reminiscent of the fresh greens that are seen across many Princess inspired gemstone jewelry collections.

What Is Tourmaline?

Tourmaline has one of the widest color ranges of any gem species coming in various shades of virtually every hue. Bright, pure tones of pink, red, blue, and green are generally the most valued colors of tourmaline. This Aurora Tiara Ring featuring a beautiful pink tourmaline is a fine example of how vibrant this gem looks, especially when set against rose gold metal.

The electric vivid green to blue shades of copper-bearing tourmaline are so rare that they are in a class by themselves. Some unique tourmalines have more than one color in the same stone. If you happen to love green tourmalines, then this beautiful ring inspired by the feisty fairy, Tinker Bell, is sure to win your heart. The sparkling diamonds further create a stunning contrast that is both eye-catching and stunning.

The gemstone’s chemical composition directly influences its physical properties and is responsible for its color. Tourmalines make up a group of closely related mineral species that share the same crystal structure but have different chemical and physical properties.

This spectacular stone is mined all over the world, including U.S., Brazil, Africa, and Pakistan. In the U.S., there are mines in California, Maine and New Hampshire that produce this semi-precious stone.

Tourmaline Quality

Like many gemstones, you’ll use the 4Cs to evaluate tourmaline’s quality:

• Color – tourmaline comes in many different hues–nearly every color in the rainbow. Evaluate each stone’s color in terms of saturation and look out for any black spots.
• Carat – It’s rarer in larger sizes, so tourmalines in larger sizes dramatically increase in per-carat price. In addition, not all colors are available in all sizes.
• Clarity – these stones often grow in an environment surrounded by liquids, and some of those liquids get captured as inclusions during crystal growth. Common inclusions resemble thread-like cavities parallel to the length of the crystal.
• Cut – the cut of this stone is unique from other gemstones. Instead of referring to the stone’s shape, which doesn’t affect quality, it’s referring to how it’s actually cut. Rather than cutting tourmaline lengthwise, many cutters select the cut based on its depth of color. To darken pale rough, they align a gem’s table perpendicular to the crystal’s length. To lighten dark rough, they align a gem’s table parallel to the crystal’s length.

Like most gemstones, some tourmaline stones get treated but these stones are stable under “normal” wearing conditions and completely safe. Heat treatments are used in some instances, while irradiation is used in others. Irradiation is a process where the gemstone is artificially irradiated in order to enhance its optical properties.

Tourmaline looks amazing set in all types of metals. Yellow gold metal enhances hues of black, brown, and blue tourmaline, while green looks great set in yellow gold and sterling silver. Rose gold draws out the luminous shimmers of pink tourmaline.

Shopping Tips

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind as you browse for gemstones:

• Every stone is different and unique, so evaluate each stone separately. Look for its sparkle, hue, and saturation of color.
• Evaluate its cut–a well-cut stone sparkles evenly across the entire gemstone without any dull, washed out, or lifeless areas.
• Look for a tourmaline with a nice symmetrical cut, nicely placed facets, and good light return. Try to avoid stones with bulged pavilions and asymmetrical shapes.
• Tourmalines come in so many amazon colors, so if you want it in your favorite color, it’s out there!
• Tourmaline is one of October’s birthstones, so a piece featuring this stone would make a great birthday gift!

Caring for Tourmaline

Tourmaline’s color is stable, but it’s best to avoid exposure to high heat and chemicals. Store your gemstone jewelry pieces separately, especially when traveling, to keep gems and metal from scratching each other. Use mild dish soap and a soft brush to clean your pieces.

Enchanted Disney’s collections include several tourmaline pieces, including tourmaline rings, tourmaline pendants, tourmaline necklaces, and tourmaline stud earrings. This stunning gemstone is an essential part of several Disney collections, especially pieces inspired by well-known Disney characters and princesses like Tinker Bell, Princess Aurora and Princess Cinderella.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tourmaline a rare gemstone?
Larger tourmaline stones are rare, and some colors like blue-shaded are more rare as well.

Which is the best Tourmaline color?
Bright, pure tones of red, blue, and green are generally the most valued colors of tourmaline. The electric vivid green to blue shades of copper-bearing tourmaline are so rare that they are in a class by themselves.

Which metal best suits a Tourmaline?
Tourmaline looks amazing set in all types of metals. Yellow gold metal enhances hues of black, brown, and blue tourmaline, while green looks great set in yellow gold and sterling silver. Rose gold draws out the luminous shimmers of pink tourmaline.

Is Tourmaline a durable gemstone?
Tourmaline has a 7 to 7.5 hardness on the Mohs Hardness Scale, so it is a fairly durable gemstone. Tourmaline’s color is stable, but it’s best to avoid exposure to high heat and chemicals.