Natural Tourmaline Stone in Pakistan

The kinds people ask for

• Green tourmaline (verdelite) - fresh mint through to deep forest green, and one of the most worn.
• Pink and red tourmaline (rubellite) - from pale pink to strong raspberry red; rubellite is reserved for deep reds that hold their colour in any light.
• Blue tourmaline (indicolite) - scarcer and much sought after.
• Bi-colour and watermelon - two or more colours in one stone, the watermelon kind having a pink core inside a green rim.
• Neon blue-green tourmaline - copper-bearing "Paraiba-type" stones, the rarest and most expensive of the family.

Close to home

Northern Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan, and neighbouring Afghanistan produce attractive tourmaline, alongside Brazil and several African countries. When we know where a stone came from, the listing says so.

Judging one tourmaline against another

Colour does most of the work. Bright, saturated pinks, reds, blues and neon tones fetch the most, while very dark or greyish stones cost less. Tourmaline is strongly pleochroic, meaning it can look darker along the length of the crystal, so a skilled cutter orients it for the best colour face-up. Green and blue stones are expected to be fairly clean, whereas pink and red ones usually carry natural inclusions the market accepts. In bi-colour stones, a sharp, balanced split between the colours adds value, and bigger stones carry a higher per-carat rate. To compare listings, divide price by carat weight.

A little mineralogy

Tourmaline is a family of complex boron silicates, which is why its colours vary so much. At 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale it is a sensible choice for rings. Some stones are heated to lighten or brighten their colour; we note this when known.

Real tourmaline or a stand-in?

Natural tourmaline feels cool and solid, often shows a different shade from the side than from the top, and may have fine natural inclusions. Glass looks the same from every angle and can show bubbles. Pink tourmaline is easily mixed up with kunzite or pink topaz, and green with peridot, so for a valuable stone independent testing is sensible. Our authenticity page explains our own checks.

Belief and tradition

Tourmaline is one of the October birthstones. It is traditionally treated as a protective, balancing stone, with each colour carrying its own meaning: green for growth, pink for love and calm. Some South Asian astrologers connect it with Mercury (Budh). These are beliefs, not guaranteed outcomes.

Care

Clean it in warm soapy water with a soft brush, and keep included stones away from sudden heat and ultrasonic cleaners.

Ordering from Authentic Gems

Each stone is checked and photographed as it is, and orders go out within 1 working day of confirmation by insured, tracked courier for a flat Rs. 500. Karachi usually gets them in 1 to 2 working days, other major cities in 2 to 4 and smaller towns within about 7. Pay Cash on Delivery after you have looked at the stone, and return it unused within 7 days if it is not what you hoped for.