Tourmaline Stone

What Are Tourmaline Gemstones?

Tourmaline can be found in a variety of colors and is a very versatile gemstone. Pink tourmaline and chrome are some of the most popular types of this stone; however, there are many more colors including blue, yellow, black, and multicolored to name just a few. One of the most popular tourmalines is watermelon. This gemstone looks like a sliced watermelon with hues of green, red, and white present. (Read: Uses of Opal)

These gemstones can be cut to display striking colors that range from clear to deep greens and blues. Brazil and Africa have some of the largest deposits of tourmaline; however, this gemstone can be found all over the world in one form or another.

This gemstone is formed by boron, silicate, and aluminum chemically reacting together. Some of tourmaline's most beautiful colors are formed by being influenced by manganese and chrome. This produces some of the most sought after stones. Tourmaline is a very hard stone and ranges between 7 and 7.5 on the Mohs scale. This is hard enough to allow the stone to be used in many settings. These gemstones are often very sturdy; however, basic precaution should be taken as with any stone before exposing it to hazards.

Clear stones are the less valuable stones, but pink tourmaline can be exposed to heat to produce a clear stone. However, given the value difference it would be unwise to do so. The same type of tourmaline can still be very different from one another. Jewelry makers use tourmaline to showcase fantastically different settings for their jewelry. Like a diamond, tourmaline is judged by its quality and clarity. The higher the quality of the stone the higher the assigned value.

Given the beauty of tourmaline, it is still a reasonably priced stone. A premium can be expected for large, high quality carat tourmaline. Even though these gemstones are quite exotic, they are still affordable to the mainstream consumer. (Read: Uses of Garnet)

In addition, since tourmaline can be found in a multitude of colors these stones can often be used in place of higher priced stones. Rubellite is a form of pink or red tourmaline. A true rubellite will still appear red under artificial light, while a pink tourmaline will show shades of brown. Rubellite commands a slightly higher price than its pink tourmaline cousin. To the untrained eye, rubellite resembles a ruby and would make for a great stone in place of the more expensive ruby. (Read: Uses of Emerald)

Types of Tourmaline

Tourmaline gets its name from a Singhalese word 'touramalli' which means "mixed colored stones". This gem is 7 - 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Tourmaline is also of interest to many scientists because when it is heated, it changes its electrical charge. It becomes a polarized crystalline magnet and can attract small light objects. Before science could explain it, this property was noticed long ago and tourmalines were called as "aschentrekkers" in the Netherlands because they attracted ashes and could be used to clean pipes.

Tourmaline is available in a wide variety of colors from dark brown, medium brown, yellow, black to bluish black, lime to dark forest green, blue to neon blue, red and reddish purple, pink and colorless. Multicolored and bi-colored tourmalines may be pink at one end and green at the other, watermelon tourmaline is pink on the inside and green on the outside. Some stones are dichroic meaning that when they are viewed from different angles, they will appear in different color. Pink rubellite, green verdelite and blue indicolite are the most expensive tourmalines. (Read: Uses of Aquamarine Stone)

Indicolite is a dark bluish black stone. The Rubellite is a deep reddish purple stone and Paraiba is a bright neon-blue. Chrome tourmaline is colored by chromium, it is often confused with tsavorite garnet or the emerald because of its beautiful green color. Cat's eye tourmaline exhibits "cat's eye" effect similar to those what you see in tiger's eye cabochons. Schorl is the name given to black tourmaline (the most commonly found tourmalines).

Many "rubies" used in the Russian Crown jewels from 17th Century are in fact tourmalines. The last Empress of the Ch'ing Dynasty loved these gems so much that she bought the stones in enormous quantities when a new mine opened in California. Almost every color of tourmaline can be found in Brazil, in Minas Gerais and Bahia especially. In addition to Brazil, tourmaline is also mined in Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Mozambique, Namibia, and California and Maine in the United States. American National Association of Jewelers adopted tourmaline gemstone as the official birthstone for October in 1912. It is also the lucky stone for the zodiac sign of Leo and the gem chosen for the 8th wedding anniversary.

The Metaphysical Properties of Tourmaline - One of the True Birthstones of Gemini Astrology

By the end of May spring is in full force in the Northern Hemisphere: flowers and trees are in full bloom, gardens have been planted and are already sprouting, the first brood of baby birds has hatched. There is excitement in the air! This is the excitement and energy of the sign of Gemini.

Geminis at their best and worst illustrate the full complexity of the human personality. You will be readily drawn to a Gemini-but getting at their true essence and dealing with their energy may not be easy and you will need to be on your toes!

Gemini rules the 3rd House-Communication and Excursions.

Mercurial Geminis

Gemini's ruling planet (Mercury) and symbol (twins) sum up the traits of this sign. Mercury (Greek: Hermes or Apollo) was the Roman god of commerce, eloquence, travel, and-beware!-cunning, and theft. With wings on his sandals and helmet, Mercury swiftly communicated messages among the gods. We now use the word mercurial to mean a person who is eloquent, ingenious, unpredictable, changeable, and tending toward a negative sort of cunning-all qualities of Geminis.

The planet Mercury, being closest to the sun and having the smallest orbit, appears to move the fastest around the sun-it's year is just 88 days long. In astrology Mercury is associated with our mind (intellect, curiosity), all forms of communication, information, science, youthfulness, and travel. Geminis are highly intelligent and they apply their intellect and curiosity to all that attracts their interest. They have a huge thirst for knowledge. They excel in speaking and writing.

Gemini is a masculine air sign, meaning that people born under this sign are, again, highly intelligent, flexible, versatile, and curious. But like water they are not easily contained-they need to always be moving from place to place and easily become bored and restless unless they have constant stimulation.

It is not difficult at all to be drawn to Geminis. They are charming, talkative, lively, funny, and quick witted. But look underneath that likable exterior and you will find another side to consider.

The Two-Sided Gemini Twins

The dual nature of Gemini derives from the twin stars (Castor and Pollux) of the constellation, representing the twin brothers of Helen of Troy. Gemini people are a complex mix of opposite traits-positives strongly counterbalanced by negatives. For example, their versatile interest in a great many things can become flightiness as they flit like a butterfly from one thing to the next. They may pursue a project with great initial enthusiasm-and then leave it unfinished. They seek the stimulation of new endeavors, but are not fond of the work and discipline needed to achieve goals.

It can be hard to get a clear sense of who Geminis are and to know what to expect from them because of their tendency to be "two faced" and changeable. They have difficulty making decisions and committing themselves to a specific course of action, further complicated by their ability to see both sides of any question.

The challenge for Geminis is to apply their many strong characteristics, while working to develop deeper internal qualities like self-discipline, sustained focus, a work ethic, empathy, and reliability.

Professional Outlook for Geminis

Geminis do very well in the communication professions-author, teacher, lawyer, and so on. They need a high degree of stimulation and a minimum of routine in their work. Their keen intellect makes them highly capable in the sciences. They are creative people who do well in the arts. They are good at handling several projects at the same time-but may need for others to finish them.

How Gemstones Can Enhance Your Gemini Experience

Geminis will be well served by developing a more mindful approach to life. That will help them develop a personal ethical code, focus their energies, and link their actions to greater awareness of their purpose in life and their relation to others.

Gemstones are the perfect way to increase mindfulness and balance. They have both physical and metaphysical qualities that can enhance all aspects of your well-being. The perfectly aligned crystal structure of gemstones creates an energy field that interacts with our own when you hold it or wear it on your body. In this way, the gemstone can be used to calm you, bring you mental clarity, increase your energy, enhance your creativity, and much more.

Astrology and Gemstones

Astrological principles manifest at all levels of creation, from the largest bodies in the cosmos to the tiniest particles of atoms-all are part of the same network of universal energy. Based on the hermetic principle "As above, so below," those universal principles allow us to read relations among the planets and extrapolate those principles to things here on Earth, to events in our lives, as well as to our natural environment. The universal principles that govern the planets are also seen on the much smaller level of gemstones, crystals, and metals.

The Signature of Gemstones

Each gemstone is associated with specific planets. You are already aware that each planet has its own personality in astrology. And each gemstone has a personal "signature"-specific metaphysical qualities, different for each stone, that arise from the stone's association with its planets.

How to Make Gemstones Work for You

By considering the individual signature of gemstones, you can select the right gems for very specific purposes, according to their astrological qualities.

Gemstones can be used in three different ways:

1. They are precious objects of beauty that may hold a special meaning for us. We enjoy their beauty by giving them a special place on a shelf, desk, or altar.

2. They can be used in meditation by tuning into their frequency for the purpose of balancing our energy field.

3. They can be made into jewelry pieces for our pleasure, enhancing our individual expression of beauty and sense of empowerment.

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