Tourmaline

If compressed, tourmaline produces electricity; when rubbed, due electrostatic reasons, it attracts or repels certain powders. Piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity are the names givent to the main electrical phenomena; policromism, pleochroism, dichroism, sometimes chatoyancy, are the names of the main optical phenomena for this stone. But, the undeniable charm of this gem, is its congeniality! A tourmaline, even a very important one, even the most expensive one, will never have the severe looks of some bigger name gems. Perhaps it is for this reason that it is the most used by stone-cutters who want to try their hand at fancier cuts, outside traditional patterns.

“Turamali”. Sri Lanka, the island country so redundant with gems, gave the original name to the tourmaline. Among the island’s gemmiferous gravels, only the brown variety (dravite) can be found, together with many other stones (zircons, chrysoberyls, rhodolites). Taken as  a whole, these are known as “Tourmalins”. In any case, the difficulty of giving an appropriate name to each stone, remains. Acroite, indicolite, rubellite, dravite, schorl, are the names of some varieties of tourmaline. Their constituting chemical formula is complex, and to consider various metals’ isomorphic mixtures of aluminosilicates, borosilicates and fluorosilicates would mean anything and everything. More so, many elements can be exchanged (substituted) with others, making a difference not only in the stones’ apperance and color, but also in their chemical formula.

As a mineral, it is quite common. It is found in granites, gneiss and mica schist. The variety of gemological interest are, of course, rare, and are generally found in pegmatite druses and geodes. In Italy interesting specimens are located on the Island of Elba, and some beautiful dravite crystals in Val d’Ossola. Brazil, Russia, Madagascar, United States, South-West Africa, Sri Lanka, Burma, Kashmir, India, China, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, are countries producers of tourmaline; but such a long list means that this mineral can be found quite anywhere. But each single floor has its unique characteristics.

Although it is a rare stone, it can be found all over the world, and wherever it is found, it is embedded in the socio-cultural and magical-traditional environment with much similar characteristics. Those beautiful elongated crystals, of blending and iridescent colors that, if heated or rubbed, create strange electrical phenomena; on the one hand attracting and on the other repelling certain powders, have always been treated with the respect that is due to all magic things. And it seems to be good magic. Yoga devotees, call “prana” the vital quid which permeates everything, and which tragically disappears with pollution and foul air.

It seems that negative ions promote the reconstitution of the “prana”, and it seems that keeping a tourmaline, amber, quartz and other crystal close to oneself strongly promotes the “electric” formation of negative ions. Often science discovers values that conventional wisdom had known for centuries; this is very nice, but it would be much better not to lose those values in the first place. This stone is strongly dichroic; meaning that it has a different color depending on the angle from which it is observed. So the cutter must examine the crystal well, in order to present the most interesting coloration on the centerpiece. This is true for all precious stones, but for tourmaline in particular.

A separate chapter should be granted to the “Cat’s Eye Tourmaline”. The versatility of this gemstone could not give up this optical phenomenon; not only; its attitude to tease magicians and psychics, certainly could not help but “play” with light, as the best “Cat’s Eye” do. Whom to recommend the tourmaline? We oppose simplistic recipes like “those born under that sign, etc.”.
Tourmaline can get charged with positive and negative electricity on opposite sides of the same crystal, and always in that same crystal can acquire more colors. It’s the stone for those who are open to the most diverse circumstances, while remaining true to themselves. It’s the stone for those who love the colors of life, but without ostentation and presumptions. It’s the stone of those who want to express their personality with joy, their participation in life, and they do not give up that bit of magic that exists in every change. It’s a stone that is to be worn alone, or with another tourmaline; it can be accompanied by at most a few diamonds, but always with rather fanciful frames.