tourmaline
October Birthstones
People who are born in October get to choose between two luscious gemstones as birthstones – Precious Opal and Tourmaline. Opal and Tourmaline are two of the most beautiful gemstones. Traditionally represented as pink, tourmaline comes in many colors of the rainbow and a range of shades for each color. Opal is available…
Read MoreGEMSTONES I LOVE – SOME FACTS ABOUT TOURMALINE
Facts about Tourmaline: Tourmaline is a crystalline boron-silicate mineral with additional elements such as aluminium, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, or potassium. Tourmaline is classified as a semi-precious stone and the gemstone occurs in a wide variety of colors. Tourmaline is actually a group of related varieties rather than a single species. The mineral Elbaite is…
Read MoreHealing Stones for Us and for Our Furry Friends
Healing Stones for Us and for Our Furry Friends – I love gemstones and crystals and I’m always interested in learning more ways to have beneficial stones around me to bolster me and also my environment. This interest has inspired me to work on designs for PetsAmulets – healing and protective stones for our furry friends.…
Read MoreI’m Trapped Inside!
Inclusions in Gemstones An inclusion is any material that has been trapped inside a gemstone during its formation. Inclusions can be animal (insects), vegetable (a leaf), or mineral (the needles in tiger eye). It should be noted that according to Walter Schumann’s “Gemstones of the World”, amber is the only incidence of organic…
Read MoreMore of My Favorite Gems
Gems are described by chemical composition, crystal structure, and where they are found. Gems are further classified based on properties like refractive index (how they bend light), luster, hardness, etc. Perfection in appearance is of primary importance in the finished gemstone. Many gemstones have long and complex histories. Some specific gems have a lot of…
Read MoreMy Favorite Gemstones Part 4 – Tourmaline
Another of my favorite gems is Tourmaline. Since I love green and pink, I am particularly fond of the multicolor and watermelon varieties. The tourmaline family aluminum and borosilicate minerals includes several separate minerals, one of which is called elabite. Elabite is the mineral in most gem tourmaline. Tourmaline has a Mohs scale hardness of…
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