Tourmaline history

Tourmaline history

Did you know that a Dutch merchant gave this multicolored gemstone the name tourmaline?

Centuries ago, the first tourmaline was discovered somewhere in Brazil. Immediately, a flurry of reactions arose — had they found an emerald? Or was it something else? It's almost unimaginable, but this confusion lasted for several centuries. Thanks to developments in mineralogy, scientists learned more about tourmaline.

Colorful pebbles, similar to the green tourmaline from Brazil, were found in the riverbeds of Sri Lanka. A Dutch merchant who saw the colorful pebbles immediately associated them with the words 'mixed gems' or 'Toramalli' in Sinhalese — and from that moment on, these special gemstones have been called Tourmaline.

Tourmaline comes in vibrant colors such as red, pink, green, yellow, black, and blue. Some also have a trade name in addition to tourmaline: pink tourmaline is also called rubellite, blue is indicolite, green is verdelite, black is schorl, and green with pink tourmaline is called watermelon tourmaline.

Tourmaline meaning

Tourmaline clarifies and strengthens the mind and works against balance disorders.

• Pink tourmaline strengthens you if you feel weak, but don't use it for angry people
• Blue tourmaline has a calming effect
• Black tourmaline has a beneficial effect on residual tension from devices and negative influences

Tourmaline spiritual

Tourmaline belongs to the zodiac signs Libra, Scorpio, and Capricorn. Tourmaline is the birthstone of October.