October birthstone – Tourmaline

Meaning and history

The name of this stone comes from Sri Lanka. It is said that Tourmaline descended from the sky and that on its way down, it passed through a rainbow that gave it its infinite variations of colour. Hence its name, meaning "the stone of a thousand colours".
Tourmaline is thought to have been known since the 3rd century BC, but because of its wide range of colours, it has often been confused with other minerals. 
When Tourmaline can be identified in old stories, it is because of its pyroelectric properties. In the 18th century, the Dutch mentioned a stone they called "drawers of ash". It was a stone that they used to clean their pipes and which had the property of attracting ashes... 
During the 16th century, a Spanish conquistador discovered a green Tourmaline in Brazil, which he identified as an emerald. This discovery led to a rush to these regions in search of these famous 'emeralds', which were in fact Tourmalines.
It was not until the 19th century that the error was corrected and the Tourmaline identified as such.
It was a Dutch merchant who coined the term, because for the Sri Lankan miners, 'thuramali' referred to all the coloured stones they could find on the island.

Where can I find it? Origin

Tourmalines can be found in many countries, including Burma, Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Russia, Thailand, Angola, Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, India, the United States and Australia.

Hardness & Care

Tourmaline lies between 7 and 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it a particularly suitable stone for jewellery, even for everyday wear.

The ideal metal to go with your Tourmaline

Depending on its colour, your Tourmaline will go equally well with warm or cool colours, white, pink or yellow gold or platinum.

Virtues

Tourmaline has many virtues specific to its varieties and colours, but in general terms we can mention the following properties: it calms the nerves, eliminates ear infections, keeps the digestive system healthy, strengthens teeth and bones and improves blood circulation.

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