![]() For more than a century, they have sporadically yielded large quantities of tourmaline. In the United States, both Southern California and Maine host several pegmatite districts. Old tunnel entrance at the Tourmaline King mine. These and other cases of mistaken identity continued for centuries until scientists recognized tourmaline as a distinct mineral species in the 1800s. A Spanish conquistador found green tourmaline crystals in Brazil in the 1500s and confused the stones with emerald. Among the most popular are the pink and red rubellites, the emerald green “chrome” tourmalines, and the neon green and blue-to-violet “paraíba” tourmalines.īecause of its vast range of colors, tourmaline was often mistaken for other gemstones One of the “rubies” in the Russian crown jewels, the “Caesar’s Ruby” pendant, is actually red (rubellite) tourmaline. Perhaps this is why ancient mystics believed this October birthstone could inspire artistic expression – it has a color palette for every mood. Very few gems match tourmaline’s dazzling array of colors. The name comes from the Sinhalese word toramalli, which means “stone with mixed colors,” because it often has multiple colors in one crystal. Tourmaline is the newer October birthstone. ![]() The mines are a tourist destination, and getting to them requires taking a dirt road through dense forests of pine and oak, past scrubby plateaus of cacti and shrubs, and up winding mountain roads. ![]() Querétero, a state in Mexico, is known for producing fire opal in yellow, orange and reddish orange to red, some with good play-of-color. Its treasures are buried in steep cliffs that tower over the landscape. Another mine, in Ethiopia’s Shewa Province, yields the coveted black opal, as well as orange, white and crystal opal. Gems unearthed here range in body color from white, yellow, orange and brownish red to “chocolate” brown. ![]() Travel 340 miles (about 550 kilometers) north of the capital Addis Ababa and up 8,000 feet (2,400 meters), where miners pry opal from shafts dug into the side of a plateau. In Ethiopia, the October birthstone is found near the village of Wegel Tena, in Wollo Province. Two pieces of boulder opal that is found only in Queensland. Comprehensive CAD/CAM For Jewelry Certificate ![]()
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