The Encyclopedia · Stones & materials
Tourmaline
A gemstone found in more colours than almost any other, from pink and green to blue and bicoloured.
Pink and green tourmalines were much used in the gold jewelry of the 1950s to 1970s, often in large cabochons or step cuts. Some crystals are pink at one end and green at the other, which is called watermelon tourmaline.
What to look for
Colour can change with the direction from which you look at the stone; a well-cut tourmaline shows its best colour from the top. Look for chips at the corners.
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