Tourmaline is the gemstone world's great chameleon. It comes in more colors than almost any other stone, it becomes electrically charged when you heat it, and a famous "ruby" in the Russian crown jewels turned out to be tourmaline all along. As the modern October birthstone alongside opal, pink tourmaline has become one of the most popular colored gemstones for everyday jewelry. This guide covers everything worth knowing about tourmaline: its meaning, the science behind its extraordinary color range, how it compares to opal for October buyers, its care requirements, and why ancient traders called it the "stone of mixed colors."
What Is Tourmaline?
Tourmaline is a crystalline boron silicate mineral with one of the most complex chemical formulas of any gemstone. That complexity is exactly what gives tourmaline its remarkable range of colors, because small variations in trace elements like iron, manganese, lithium, chromium, and copper produce dramatically different results.
Tourmaline scores 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it harder than quartz (7), opal (5.5 to 6.5), and peridot (6.5 to 7), and suitable for everyday jewelry in all types including rings. It is softer than sapphire (9) and topaz (8), so it benefits from reasonable care and bezel settings for rings that take heavy daily wear.
The name tourmaline comes from the Sinhalese word toramalli, meaning "stone of mixed colors." This name was given by gem traders in Sri Lanka who noticed that tourmaline crystals often contained multiple colors in a single stone, something few other gemstones can do.
Tourmaline Colors: The Rainbow Gemstone
Tourmaline's color range is one of its most defining characteristics. No other common gemstone occurs in as many colors, and some of those colors are found only in tourmaline.
Pink tourmaline is the shade most associated with the October birthstone. Its color comes from manganese and lithium and ranges from soft pastel pink to vivid hot pink. Deeply saturated pink-to-red tourmaline is called rubellite, and fine rubellite can rival ruby in visual intensity at a fraction of the price.
Green tourmaline gets its color from iron and can range from pale mint to deep forest green. Chrome tourmaline, colored by chromium (the same element that colors emerald), shows a particularly vivid, rich green. In the past, green tourmaline was frequently confused with emerald.
Blue tourmaline (indicolite) is one of the rarer varieties and ranges from pale sky blue to deep teal. Fine indicolite is highly valued by collectors.
Paraiba tourmaline is the most valuable variety of tourmaline and one of the most valuable colored gemstones in the world. First discovered in the Brazilian state of Paraiba in the 1980s, it shows a distinctive neon blue-to-green color caused by copper and manganese. Fine Paraiba tourmalines can sell for tens of thousands of dollars per carat.
Watermelon tourmaline shows pink in the center and green on the outside (or vice versa), resembling a cross-section of watermelon. This bicolor effect occurs naturally as the chemical composition of the crystal changes during growth. Watermelon tourmaline is popular in both jewelry and mineral collections.
Black tourmaline (schorl) is actually the most common form of tourmaline in nature, though it is less commonly used in fine jewelry. It is popular in crystal healing as a grounding and protective stone.
The Electric Stone
Tourmaline has a physical property that no other common gemstone shares: it becomes electrically charged when heated or when pressure is applied. These properties are called pyroelectricity (charge from heat) and piezoelectricity (charge from pressure).
This wasn't just a scientific curiosity. Dutch traders in the 1700s discovered that when tourmaline was warmed, it attracted and then repelled ash and small particles. They used heated tourmaline crystals to clean ash from their meerschaum pipes, earning the stone the nickname aschentrekker, or "ash puller." Benjamin Franklin studied tourmaline's electrical properties and included it in his experiments with electricity.
Today, tourmaline's piezoelectric properties are used in pressure gauges and other scientific instruments. It is one of the few gemstones that literally generates electricity.
A Brief History of Tourmaline
Tourmaline has been used as a gemstone for centuries, though it was frequently misidentified as other stones due to its wide color range.
One of the most famous cases of mistaken identity involves a large red stone in the Russian Imperial Crown Jewels, known as "Caesar's Ruby." This stone, which had been part of the collection for centuries, was eventually identified as rubellite tourmaline, not ruby. Similar misidentifications happened throughout European history, where green tourmalines were sold as emeralds and pink tourmalines as rubies.
The last Empress of China, Dowager Empress Cixi, was famously devoted to pink tourmaline. She imported large quantities from mines in San Diego County, California, in the early 1900s. The California tourmaline trade with China was so significant that when the Qing dynasty fell in 1912, the California tourmaline mining industry collapsed along with it.
In Egypt, ancient legend held that tourmaline traveled from the center of the Earth to the surface by passing over a rainbow, which explained how one stone could contain so many colors. While the geology is different, the sentiment captures tourmaline's extraordinary range perfectly.
Tourmaline Meaning and Symbolism
Tourmaline symbolizes love, compassion, emotional healing, creativity, and protection. Its meaning varies somewhat by color: pink tourmaline is most strongly associated with love and emotional healing, green with physical vitality and abundance, black with grounding and protection, and blue with clear communication and inner peace.
In crystal healing traditions, pink tourmaline is connected to the Heart Chakra (4th Chakra), the energy center that governs love, compassion, and emotional balance. It is used to promote self-love, heal emotional wounds, release stress and anxiety, and open the heart to new relationships and experiences. Its gentle, nurturing energy makes it one of the most popular stones for emotional work.
Tourmaline: The October Birthstone
Tourmaline is the modern October birthstone, added to the official list in 1952 to complement the traditional October stone, opal. Pink tourmaline is the color most commonly associated with October birthdays, though any color of tourmaline can represent the month.
Tourmaline is also the traditional gemstone gift for an 8th wedding anniversary. As an October birthstone, it is associated with the zodiac signs Libra (September 23 through October 22) and Scorpio (October 23 through November 21). For Libra, pink tourmaline is thought to promote balance, harmony, and clarity in relationships. For Scorpio, it supports emotional depth, transformation, and honest self-expression.
Explore our October birthstone collection or browse birthstone gifts for every month.
Tourmaline vs. Opal: Choosing Your October Birthstone
October is one of the few months with two very different birthstones, and the choice between them comes down to what you value most in a gemstone.
Choose tourmaline if you: want a more durable stone for everyday wear (Mohs 7 to 7.5 vs. opal's 5.5 to 6.5), prefer consistent solid color over shifting rainbow flashes, love pink gemstone color, or want a stone that needs less careful handling.
Choose opal if you: love the unique play-of-color that no other gemstone can match, want a stone where every piece is truly one of a kind, prefer earrings and necklaces over rings (since opal is softer), or are drawn to the dreamlike, shifting quality opal provides.
There is no wrong answer. Both are officially October birthstones, and they complement each other beautifully in a collection. Some October birthday shoppers choose one of each. At Erin Gallagher Jewelry, we carry both in our October birthstone collection. Learn more about opal meaning and properties or read our complete opal care guide.
Is Tourmaline Natural or Treated?
Tourmaline is rarely treated, which is one of its advantages as a gemstone. Most tourmaline's color is entirely natural, created by trace elements present during the crystal's formation. Occasional heat treatment or irradiation may be used to lighten dark stones or improve color, but this is far less common than with sapphire, ruby, or blue topaz.
At Erin Gallagher Jewelry, we are transparent about all gemstone information and treatments.
How to Care for Tourmaline Jewelry
Cleaning: Warm soapy water (mild dish soap) and a soft brush is the safest method. Gently scrub, rinse, and pat dry with a soft cloth. Avoid steam cleaners and ultrasonic cleaners, as tourmaline can be sensitive to heat and vibration.
Daily wear: Tourmaline (Mohs 7 to 7.5) handles daily wear well in all jewelry types. For rings, bezel settings offer extra protection. Remove before heavy manual work, gardening, or contact with harsh chemicals.
Storage: Store separately from harder gemstones like sapphire, ruby, topaz, and diamond, which can scratch tourmaline. A fabric-lined box or soft pouch works well.
What to avoid: Extreme heat (can change color in some stones), harsh chemicals (bleach, chlorine, ammonia), and ultrasonic cleaners. Tourmaline's electrical properties mean it can attract dust when rubbed, so occasional cleaning keeps it looking its best.
Where Tourmaline Is Found
Brazil is the world's largest producer of tourmaline and the original source of Paraiba tourmaline. Madagascar produces fine pink and green tourmaline. The United States has historically important deposits in California (San Diego County) and Maine, though production has decreased. Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Tanzania are also significant sources. Each location produces tourmaline with characteristic color profiles.
Shop Tourmaline Jewelry
Every tourmaline piece at Erin Gallagher Jewelry is handcrafted in Colorado using 14K gold, gold-fill, or recycled sterling silver. Browse tourmaline necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings, or design your own custom piece through GemBar. Every piece ships gift-ready in our eco-friendly packaging with gift bag, tissue, cleaning cloth, and card. Orders over $150 ship free.
Explore our full tourmaline collection and learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tourmaline the birthstone for October?
Yes. Tourmaline is the modern October birthstone, added to the official list in 1952 alongside opal (the traditional October stone). Pink tourmaline is the color most associated with October birthdays. Tourmaline is also the gemstone for the 8th wedding anniversary.
What is the difference between tourmaline and opal?
Both are October birthstones but very different gemstones. Tourmaline (Mohs 7 to 7.5) is harder and more durable for everyday wear, offering consistent solid color. Opal (Mohs 5.5 to 6.5) is softer but offers a unique play-of-color that no other gemstone can match.
Does tourmaline only come in pink?
No. Tourmaline comes in virtually every color, including pink, green, blue, red (rubellite), black, watermelon (bicolor pink and green), and neon blue-green (Paraiba). It has the widest color range of any common gemstone.
Is tourmaline natural or treated?
Tourmaline is rarely treated. Most tourmaline's color is entirely natural, which is one of its advantages over many other colored gemstones that are routinely treated.
Can you wear tourmaline every day?
Yes. Tourmaline scores 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, suitable for all jewelry types. Bezel settings offer extra protection for rings. Clean with warm soapy water and avoid steam cleaners and extreme heat.
What does tourmaline symbolize?
Tourmaline symbolizes love, compassion, emotional healing, creativity, and protection. Pink tourmaline is connected to the Heart Chakra. The name comes from the Sinhalese word toramalli meaning "stone of mixed colors." It is associated with Libra and Scorpio.
For stone-specific buying guides and care instructions, visit our Birthstone Guides resource.