October Birthstone – Green Tourmaline Stone

 

Glimmering Green

October’s green gemstone, also known as chrome tourmaline, is a magnificent stone. Its name is derived from the term “tura mali,” meaning mixed colors because of its variegated nature, radiating with a beautiful harmony of multiple colors all in one crystal. 

The Mohs scale of hardness places its durability in the 7 to 7.5 range, making it an admirably resilient stone, suitable as a gemstone daily-driver of birthstone jewelry.

The gemstone owes its glorious array of colors to its intricate combination of minerals, each with characteristic chemical properties ranging from iron to magnesium and even trace amounts of lithium. 

The wonderful range of hues offered in the October birthstone – Green Tourmaline stone delights with multiple varieties, from passionate pink to delectable watermelon, but one of the most popular colorations — the rich green stones are coveted for the soft blush of its deep, romantic emeraldlike glimmer. 

Since its early popularity in the late 1800s, the magical stone’s crystalline green shimmer often caused its admirers to mistake it for an emerald. This was because of the chemical influence of chrome, which is responsible for the “birth” of the spectacular color saturation of the deep green birthstone.

The beautiful colors of tourmaline can vary greatly depending on where and when it was formed. It may be light or dark green, yellowish-green, blue-green, grayish-blue, brownish-gray, olive-brown, orangey-yellow, pinkish-orange, red-pink, purple-red, violet-purple, blackish-violet, white-white, golden-golden, silver-silver, etc., but always spectacular!

The Birth of Tourmaline

As early as the 16th century in Brazil, Portuguese conquistadores unearthed the gemstone as a fortunate and coincidental find during their quest for gold.

Later tourmaline deposits were discovered worldwide, adding a number of geographies to their treasured histories with origins such as like Australia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Russia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Pakistan, and the United States.

With a history as resilient as the stone itself, tourmaline’s future became threatened when many American mines were forced to close in 1912 when the Asian gem market collapsed, greatly affecting demand, but a new supply of tourmaline spurred its reemergence after new Brazilian deposits contributed to the stone’s yield at the beginning of the 20th century.

Tourmaline deposits from additional mines bolstered production all around the world in the 1950s, and the hearty gemstone was all but assured a place in jewelry collections of millions of admirers.

Often misunderstood in its earliest days, the bright personality of the luxurious green tourmaline gemstone made it a popular in Europe based on its resemblance to another precious stone. in fact, a collection of the 17th Century Russian Crown jewels, originally thought to be rubies, were ultimately determined to be (you guessed it)… tourmalines.

In fact, a collection of the 17th Century Russian Crown jewels, originally thought to be rubies, were ultimately determined to be (you guessed it)… tourmalines.

Tourmaline Accessories

Tourmaline remains a major player in high-end circles and a familiar gemstone of high-profile occasions. The stone has made appearances across the red carpet in beautiful green tourmaline jewelry accents like Piaget’s green tourmaline ear-cuffs worn by Scarlett Johansson for the 2015 Academy Awards.

The colors of tourmaline include a broad spectrum of hues, from those showing a light hint of green, to some so dense that we can only recognize the color upon close examination under bright light

Of all tourmaline’s wondrous colors, the clear favorite of the jewelry industry and the individuals seeking the glamour of the well sought-after gemstone has remained the same over its illustrious years: the green tourmaline gemstone.

Although a  variety of other stones are sometimes called “tourmaline” including aqua topaz, amethyst, citrine, jadeite, kyanite, lapis lazuli, malachite, peridot, quartz, rhodonite, smoky quartz, tanzanite, tangerine quartz, tiger eye, turquoise, uvarovite, zoisite, and others, these terms refer to different minerals rather than specific types of gems.

If you — or someone special to you — was born in October, congratulations are in order, both for the illustrious occasion, but also for your ability to mark the date with beautiful birthstone green tourmaline jewelry.

To celebrate a special October birthday, HerMJ offers beautiful green crystal jewelry birthday alternatives for the October gemstone.