TOURMALINE GEMSTONE
Tourmaline is a very colourful stone that acquires various colours due to variation in chemicals that it is made of. Therefore, ranging from green tourmaline to watermelon tourmaline to one having white milky looking core and green boundaries, one can find umpteen varieties in tourmaline, all of which make them special in their own way. This unusual combination of colours, according to folklores, is the result of absorbing of various colours by this stone when it moved up to surface of the earth on starting from core.
A typical variety of tourmaline got the attention especially of German people who found that the stone resembled a cake of their known as Mohrenkopf. The typicality of the cake was the central portion was all white while the boundaries were dark black. This fascinating combination of colours won this sort of tourmaline the name ' Mohrenkopf tourmaline' and it was used as such in making of fancy pendants and rings. This variety was popularly recognized as 'cake on a gemstone' and continued to charm the gemstone collectors for years.
Canary tourmaline is a typical lapidary's delight. A gemstone hardly oozes any smell but this one is just fun to work with as it emits typical lemon-like smell during the process of cutting. Another lovable feature is its yellow colour that puts it under the category of 'yellow gemstones' a typicality in gemstones that is really rare to find. Very few gemstones are yellow in colour and this one owes yellow hue to the presence of magnesium impurities that constitute the chemical structure of this gemstone. So, if you want to please your nose also along with eyes, simply keep this gemstone in your close company.
Tourmaline finders led by the team of a noted gemmologist Heitor Barbosa witnessed a history when they found blue and turquoise hued gemstones after the uninterrupted search of good five years. The story has its irony that Heitor who devoted major portion of his life in searching a masterpiece was not present on the day and at the site of discovery due to poor health and came to know about the discovery much after it became a rage in gemstone's world. On chemical testing, it was found that this tourmaline acquired distinct blue-turquoise blue to the presence of copper which is generally not found in other gemstones.
Watermelon tourmaline is another very interesting variety as it displays unique combination of red centre and green boundary in a single stone. Such is the colourful world of tourmaline that it can attract any gem collector who strives for more colours in his repertoire. This versatility in colours makes this gemstone a jeweller's delight; in fact, various interesting figurines and keepsakes can also be made out of colourful tourmalines that are simply too irresistible.
