Buy Watermelon Tourmaline NEW!

Looking for a fun summertime gem? Watermelon tourmaline adds a pop of color that's perfect for a playful summer look. Learn about the quality factors for this gem in our watermelon tourmaline buying guide.

buy watermelon tourmaline

Tourmaline was first discovered in Brazil in the 16th century, although they were initially confused for emeralds. It took three centuries to finally classify the gemstones as tourmaline in the 19th century.

Gemologists can now divide tourmalines into 11 different species depending on the properties and chemical composition of the stone. Elbaite are the most colorful members of the tourmaline family. The red or pink tourmalines are called rubellites, blue tourmalines are called indicolite, and the rarest of all, the Paraiba Tourmaline, are all known as elbaites, as is the multi-colored Watermelon Tourmaline.

The majority of tourmaline deposits are found in veins running through rocks, created by molten magma from volcanos. As the magma cools, large cracks form in the rocks, which are then filled with a mixture of water and minerals such as iron, lithium, or manganese. Over time these minerals are turned into crystals of tourmaline and other stones. It is these trace elements that give tourmalines their huge range of vivid colors, which range from red, green, and blue to yellow and orange.

It is not uncommon for several different types of crystal to be formed in the same rock pocket, and the chemistry can also change over time. This change can be cause by depletion through crystal growth or as new minerals are introduced via water sources such as rain. Because of this, many tourmaline mines produce a range of gemstone colors, depending on what trace elements make up the stone. For example, iron-rich tourmalines are dark blue or black, while high levels of manganese will result in red, pink, brown, or yellow crystals. The green tourmalines once confused as emeralds are caused by chromium. Lithium can produce a rainbow of colors from blue or green to red, yellow, or pink.

The crystal of watermelon tourmaline is exposed to different minerals such as manganese and lithium as it grows, and these cause the gem to change color from a pink center all the way through a pale zone to the green color of the rind.

Brazil, besides being famous for other gemstones, is also famous for high-quality watermelon tourmalines, with clear and vibrant colors. Many experts consider Brazil as the most abundant source of classic red/green watermelon tourmalines.

The clue is in the name, watermelon tourmaline displays banded colors in the same way a rioe slice of watermelon looks. The stone has a red or pink center, surrounded by a rim of green which is often separated from the center by a line of pale pink or white. These vivid color zones can also happen at either end of the stone, although there is a debate regarding these stones and if they should be classified as watermelon or bi-colored tourmalines.

Watermelon tourmaline crystals often form with a characteristic rounded triangular shape. Gemstones with vivid and clearly separated colors are extremely rare, thus they command the highest price on the market. You can find stones valued at $500-$600 per carat.

Jewelers will often cut the stone into slices rather faceting the rough stone to enhance the appearance of a real watermelon. They have a complex structure, and this makes tourmalines a difficult to cut stone. A cutter will need a high level of skill to identify areas of tension within the stone, as not doing this properly can cause the stone to crack and break during the cutting process.

Use warm soapy water to clean your watermelon tourmaline. Due to their hardness, they are suitable for daily wear, but avoid contact with harsh chemicals. Ultrasonic cleaning can cause cracks and damage to the stone, so is best avoided.

Usually cut into slices to demonstrate the natural color variation of the gem, Watermelon Tourmaline slices display a pink core surrounded by a pale green ring and then a darker green ring, making this rare gem appear similar to a slice of watermelon.

Did You Known: Hot red chrome Tourmaline can be electrified, by rubbing a tourmaline crystal will become electrically charged. It will then attract small pieces of paper as well as dust particles.

Watermelon tourmaline is a powerful chakra stone for the heart chakra. Located right over your breastbone, this energy point is the center of the chakral body and is associated with relationships, love, self-acceptance, and spirituality.

A closed heart chakra manifests in feelings of jealousy, anger, shame, or hatred towards yourself and others. Watermelon tourmaline balances this chakra, inspiring joy, compassion for yourself and others, and deeper spiritual awareness.

Almost all watermelon tourmalines have eye-visible inclusions (such as apatite, mica, or zircon) that can easily be confused for flaws within the gem. This has also become a mark of authenticity when distinguishing them among synthetics.

Although tourmaline itself is relatively abundant, genuine, quality watermelon tourmaline is rare and valuable. Imitations of watermelon tourmaline can be sold for less, appealing to a broader market.

Authentic watermelon tourmalines will have an ombre-like fade between color variations, whereas imitations usually have a sharper line separating hues. Often, genuine watermelon tourmaline also has inclusions. So a stone without inclusions and too-perfect clarity is likely a fake.

The North American state of Maine (where watermelon tourmaline was first discovered) is renowned for its stunning specimens. However, Brazil is also famous for its gem-quality watermelon tourmalines, featuring amazingly clear and vibrant colors.

Rough watermelon tourmaline averages between $3 and $8 per carat. However, you can find lower-quality specimens for as low as $1.70 per carat. Some higher-quality specimens can fetch as much as $17 per carat.

In terms of affordability, faceted watermelon tourmaline tends to garner the highest prices. Faceted gems usually range between $20 to $55 per carat. You can find lower-end faceted specimens for around $10 per carat, while some higher-end gems cost around $80 per carat.

Tourmaline is mined in many countries around the world. Watermelon tourmalines have so far only been found in a few places in Brazil, Madagascar and the USA. The mined tourmalines are not always of gem quality. Thanks to the wide variety of materials, their price fluctuates almost as much as the color.

If you have a watermelon tourmaline in the IGNEOUS gemstone shop you can have it processed into an individual piece of jewelry. These stones are particularly popular for followers. However, examples repeatedly show that this gemstone also looks good on rings. For this, it can be set in silver, white or yellow gold, depending on your preference.

Watermelon tourmaline is often sliced. These are then processed into pieces of jewelry. The shape in this case depends on the rough stone, mostly it resembles a triangle. Alternatively, tourmalines are cut into narrow octagonal stones that are red on one side and green on the other. Free shapes without straight lines are also possible.

While Opal is a popular and traditional birthstone for October, Pink Tourmaline is also considered an October Birthstone alongside Opal. As noted by this guide to gems and birthstones from the UNL School of Natural Resources, Jewelry Industry Council recommended that pink tourmaline be considered an alternate October birthstone to opal in 1952. While the birthstone designation originally specified pink tourmaline, many now accept any color of tourmaline for October's birthstone.

Tourmaline is the name of a large group of boron silicate minerals. These minerals share a common crystal structure and similar physical properties but vary tremendously in chemical composition. The wide range of compositions and color zoning within crystals causes tourmaline to occur in more colors and color combinations than any other mineral group. Tourmaline is characterized by elongated crystals. Tourmaline has a Mohs Scale hardness of 7 to 7.5, slightly harder than quartz (diamonds are a 10).

Brazil has been the world's leading source of tourmaline for nearly 500 years. In the 1500s Portuguese explorers obtained green and blue tourmaline from indigenous people and from panning streams in search of gold. Beginning in the late 1800s, a steady stream of tourmaline discoveries have been made in the Minas Gerais, Brazil, produced in a wide range of colors, including much bicolor material. This diverse stream of tourmaline from Brazil has been the most important source for the worldwide gem and jewelry market.

Over the past 200 years, significant amounts of pink and green tourmaline have been produced from dozens of Maine localities, and in the late 1800s in southern California, especially pink and minty green tourmaline.

Today, discoveries of tourmaline of various kinds are made in Afghanistan, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, the United States and other countries. These provide the market with a constantly changing supply of gem tourmaline and mineral specimens.

Gem and specimen tourmaline is mined chiefly in Brazil (every color) and many parts of Africa, including Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, and Namibia. It is also mined in Asia, notably in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Indonesia as well as in Sri Lanka and India.

Tourmalines are readily available, with small tourmalines (under 5 carats) not hard to find at reasonable prices. Larger sizes, unusual colors and fine specimens can range up to a few hundred dollars per carat.

With a green outer layer than resembles a watermelon rind and a pink centre, the stone is aptly named after the fruit. Of course, something as unique as this has plenty of meaning attached to it and forms in the most interesting way.

The more rare or true the stone is, the more expensive it will be. Watermelon tourmaline with lighter hues or imperfect colouring and rings is a lot more affordable than the true colours of the stone. However, almost all watermelon tourmaline stones have inclusions, and this has become a mark of authenticity. A stone without inclusions is likely to be a fake one. 041b061a72