All about Tourmaline

Tourmaline is an unsurpassable stone. It comes in a wide variety of colors, all with a lovely fire. In fact, a single bead may have layers and layers of colors - hues and shades of such subtle intensity - that if you are receptive, it will cast a spell of beauty, magic, and fantasy on you. If not multi-colored, a single stone is at least dichroic (showing two colors).

The colors of tourmaline are as natural as life itself. This is because color has an immediate impact on our emotions. Tourmaline shows the greatest color range of any gemstone, almost any shade is possible, right from jet-black to the colorless. Its multiple shades embrace the entire universe in all its hues, and the many subtleties of color make it an immensely enjoyable gemstone, both for the creative designer and the avid connoisseur. The name justifies its nature, which comes from an ancient Sri Lankan word, turmali, which means "of various colors."

It is very versatile, and brings a positive influence to all those who come in contact with it. This is due to its clarity, because of which it does not hold or absorb negativity. Indeed it is a sensitive stone for sensitive people; gentle, yet powerful.

A unique property of tourmaline is observed in relation to electricity. Not only is it a good conductor, but also a good generator of electricity, i.e. it has the capability to produce electric charges when it is heated or cooled. It is a proven fact that because of this tremendous electric nature, tourmaline influences the nervous system, which needs vital electric energy generated within the body to sustain its rhythms.

Tourmaline's nearly universal popularity is based on two very important considerations: first, it is a bright and beautiful gemstone that can be found in just about any color; and second, it is affordable to all designers and collectors.