Pink tourmaline (rubelite) on Madagascar A quartz (Pebble XL)

Large pebble of pink tourmaline (rubellite) on quartz, approximately 40-60mm
Patterns and colors may vary from stone to stone.

The name tourmaline comes from "turmali" or "turamali" which is actually a Sinhalese name given to this fabulous stone from Sri Lanka by Dutch explorers at the beginning of the 18th century.

In Sri Lanka, a legend tells that tourmaline comes from the sky and, during its descent to earth, passed through a rainbow which gave it its variations in color. This explains the origin of its name, meaning "the stone of a thousand colors".

In fact, tourmaline has been known for millennia. Traces of this stone date back to the 3rd century BC. In Greece, it was Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) who brought this stone back from his expeditions. However, due to its many colors, tourmaline has very often been confused with other minerals.

Thus, very few legends or myths are associated with this stone due to its late identification. However, some tourmalines have piezoelectric properties, meaning they possess an electrical charge, negative at one pole and positive at the other. Tourmaline attracts particles.

When the philosopher Theophrastus (322-288 BC) described a stone with the ability to attract bits of straw or wood, it was understood that he was referring to tourmaline. Later, during the 18th century, Dutch explorers used tourmaline to clean their pipes, as the stone attracted ashes.

As an interesting side note, in the 16th century, a Spanish conquistador discovered a green tourmaline in Brazil, which he mistook for an emerald. This discovery sparked a rush to various regions of Brazil in search of these famous emeralds. The error was corrected in the 19th century, and emeralds were reclassified as tourmalines.

Often mistaken for precious stones, tourmalines are found in many pieces of jewelry, and even in the British Crown Jewels. Examples include the Timur Ruby, a 352-carat jewel believed to be a ruby ​​until 1851, and the Black Prince's Ruby, a 170-carat gem that is actually a tourmaline.

Tourmaline is increasingly popular among connoisseurs and collectors. Empress Dowager Cixi of China (1861-1908) loved this stone so much that she began collecting it. She commissioned sculptures, brooches, watch clasps, rings, and other items. She now rests on a cushion of tourmalines.

Tourmaline comes in a variety of hues. It can also be bicolored or multicolored. There is a wide variety of tourmalines, ranging in color from opaque to transparent, with striated or hexagonal structures. It has a rhombohedral crystal system. It is an igneous and metamorphic rock that can originate from hydrothermal deposits.

Thus, there are several types of tourmalines with varying compositions, including magnesium silicates, sodium silicates, iron silicates, clay silicates, fluorides, and borosilicate silicates. Tourmalines are actually an entire family of stones that share the same internal structure but differ in chemical composition, and therefore in color and appearance.

The main deposits are located in Brazil, Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Russia, Thailand, Burma, Madagascar, India, and the United States.

The tourmaline family has many varieties, identified by a specific name or color. For example, pink tourmaline is also called "rubellite" because of its strong resemblance to rubies. The name rubellite comes from the Latin "rubellus," meaning "reddish." Interestingly, in 17th-century Russia, a crown was adorned with pink tourmalines that were mistaken for rubies.

Belonging to the tourmaline family, pink tourmaline, or rubellite, is composed of complex borosilicate silicates containing iron, alkalis, and magnesium. It also has a high copper and manganese content, which gives it its magnificent pink color. Pink tourmaline can be transparent, translucent, or even opaque. It's worth noting that its color can change depending on the angle at which the stone is viewed.

Sometimes rubellite has a color close to red, which is why it is sometimes confused with ruby. In the pink range, we find dravite (light mahogany) and silerite (lilac pink to blue-violet). Pink tourmaline has a hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. For comparison, diamond has a hardness of 10, the highest on this scale. This hardness is particularly valued by jewelers in the creation of their jewelry.

The main deposits are located in Namibia, etc.

Pink tourmaline is closely linked to feelings of love and tenderness. It emits vibrations that help restore and protect psychological well-being. It promotes introspection and reconnection with one's inner self. Thus, it allows one to identify the nature of buried traumas, often linked to childhood and a lack of love. The individual can then work through these traumas and move forward, enabling them to achieve their goals.

Thus, this stone restores self-esteem and confidence. It provides serenity, harmony, and inner peace. It fosters trust in others and can therefore develop new relationships without mistrust. It demonstrates compassion and empathy. The wearer sincerely seeks to help those in need. Furthermore, this fabulous stone teaches the wearer to love themselves as they are.

Pink tourmaline is known for soothing sorrows and grief. It helps overcome life's difficulties and negative thoughts. It frees its wearer from anxiety, anguish, and debilitating shyness. Furthermore, it allows them to become aware of their strengths. It also provides a sense of security when the wearer feels vulnerable. It encourages the resolution of conflicts of all kinds.