Tourmaline

Tourmalines are another gemstone which is available in a very wide variety of vivid colors. Tourmalines have the widest color range of any gem species.

Rubellite is a name for pink, red, purplish red, orangy red, or brownish red tourmaline, although some in the trade argue that the term shouldn’t apply to pink tourmaline.
Indicolite is dark violetish blue, blue, or greenish blue tourmaline.
Paraíba is an intense violetish blue, greenish blue, or blue tourmaline from the state of Paraíba, Brazil.
Chrome tourmaline is intense green. In spite of its name, it’s colored mostly by vanadium, the same element that colors many Brazilian and African emeralds.
Parti-colored tourmaline displays more than one color. One of the most common combinations is green and pink, but many others are possible.
Watermelon tourmaline is pink in the center and green around the outside. Crystals of this material are typically cut in slices to display this special arrangement.

Paraiba tourmalines (vivid blue to green tourmalines colored by copper) have become very popular in the recent years and it is only found in one region of Brazil, hence it commands a very high price.

Tourmalines are found all over the world, however the most important deposits are in Brazil, Sri Lanka and Russia. Deposits are also found in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Mohs Hardness: 7- 7.5

Birthstone for October