Pink Tourmaline

History and origin

Tourmalines are a large family of gems that vary in color but have similar properties.

By nature, these are aluminum borosilicates with a very complex formula. The composition of rubellite additionally includes sodium and divalent manganese, which provides reddish-pink shades. Other colors of tourmalines contain iron, lithium, potassium, calcium, chromium, magnesium and fluorine.

Pink tourmaline gemstone

Pink tourmaline had an unusual fate. It became known in Europe and Russia around the end of the 14th century, reaching the West in a roundabout way from Asia. They knew about tourmaline in ancient Greece and Rome, but they could not distinguish it from other stones of similar color - rubellite from ruby, verdelite from emerald, indigolite from sapphire. Even many rubies in the personal jewelry and crowns of the kings of the Czech Republic and the kings of Rus', after testing in the 18th–19th centuries, when science had reached a sufficient level, turned out to be tourmalines.

Among the treasures of the Russian Empress Catherine the Great is a magnificent 255-carat bunch of grapes carved from a red gem.

The Swedish king Gustav III, who gave her this bunch, claimed that it was made of ruby ​​and in ancient times belonged to Julius Caesar himself. In fact, it is made of rubellite.

The study of tourmalines as independent stones began in 1704, when the Dutch brought pink and bicolor red-green crystals from their colony, the island of Ceylon, which were called “turmalli” in Sinhalese (one of the Ceylonese languages). This literally means “precious stone”.

Pink tourmaline pendant

For 90 years, the stone was studied by various scientists, and in 1794, the Irishman Richard Kirwan finally established that it was a completely independent mineral. He also described the physical properties of the stone.

Now rubellite belongs to the second order of the first group of precious stones of jewelry value (according to the Fersman-Bauer classification). It is valued on the same level as noble opal, topaz, aquamarine, uvarovite and zircon and is only slightly inferior in price to sapphire, ruby ​​and emerald. A gold piece with a red or pink tourmaline crystal, depending on the weight of the stone and the gold, can cost several thousand dollars.

Opaque tourmaline is used as an ornamental stone. In Rus', raspberry sherl, like any other pink stone, was called lal or lalik.

Rubellite stone is used not only in the jewelry industry. It is used in radio engineering and some contact healing products of alternative medicine, such as health lumbar belts, knee pads and mattresses, since it is believed that these stones are capable of ionizing the air.

Story

In the east, pink tourmaline has been familiar to people since the beginning of our era. It was used to make jewelry and amulets. The main suppliers were Burma, India and Sri Lanka.

In Rus', for a long time, the stone was considered a type of ruby. They were used to decorate Monomakh's hats and other royal and princely accessories. This mineral was also used to decorate church books and crosses.

Pink tourmaline was first identified as a distinctive rock, rather than a type of ruby, during the reign of Catherine the Great. At the same time, a 255-carat copy of it was discovered.

There are almost 50 shades of the mineral: from pastel pink to scarlet. The intensity of the color is determined by the amount of manganese in the chemical composition of the stone. The cost of jewelry varies and depends on its quality. The average price for one carat is 30-50 dollars. Some rare and unique specimens are valued at hundreds or thousands of dollars.

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Physicochemical characteristics

The physicochemical characteristics of this stone are unique. It has a hardness of up to 7.5 Mohs, a fairly high density, but is also fragile. The degree of transparency varies; Rubellite stone can be transparent or opaque.

Polychrome specimens of tourmaline are quite common.

Part of the stone is painted green, part - pink. Specimens with a red center and green edges are mined, or vice versa - with a green center and a red-pink perimeter.

Transparent pink tourmaline has the same properties as its other counterparts:

• pleochroism - the ability to change color from pink to yellowish depending on the lighting;
• birefringence - a ray passing through a crystal is split into two;
• slight dispersion.

But pink tourmaline, unlike red, does not have luminescence. That is, it does not glow in the dark.

This gem has the ability to become electrified by friction, heat or pressure, with one end of the crystal accumulating a positive charge and the other a negative one.

Favorite of Emperors

Since ancient times, rubellite has enjoyed special love among those in power. It started with the famous Caesar Ruby. Later, pink and scarlet crystals adorned the crowns of Empresses Catherine I, Anna Ioannovna, and Russian Tsars Ivan Alekseevich and Mikhail Romanov.

The church tried to keep up. You can see the monstrance in the Kremlin Armory. It is decorated with pink rubellite weighing 645 carats.

The Legend of Caesar's Ruby

A legend because there is no official confirmation, but the history of the stone is beautiful and worth knowing.

The most famous rubellite in history is... ruby. Not just any ruby, but a Caesar Ruby. It has a long, often confusing, not always documented history.

It is traditionally believed that the huge (weighing more than 250 carats) gem was presented by Cleopatra (Queen of Egypt) to Caesar, her lover. True, there love affairs are mixed up with economics and politics, but that’s not what we’re talking about. Why ruby ​​- the name rubellite arose much later. In those ancient times, red crystals were called rubies; they did not fool themselves with gemology.

Years passed, and on the ruins of the Western Roman Empire, the Frankish Empire arose, led by Charlemagne. It was he who inherited Caesar's Ruby, which was inherited by his son Louis the Pious, and was further passed on through the royal family.

Nobody probably knows how the gem got to the Templars. Maybe the king gave it as a gift, or maybe he paid it for debts... The Templars were the richest knightly and monastic order, and often lent money to kings (as a rule, they were always in need of money).

King Philip the Fair decided that everything was better than a little and on credit. Therefore, the Templars, led by the Supreme Master, burned some alive, some were carved on the wheel, some were mercifully beheaded (they weren’t even tortured).

The treasures of the Templars went to the royal treasury. And again there is a gap in the history of stone.

How the stone got to the Jesuits, instead of remaining in the royal treasury, is unclear.

The legend ends with the fact that the Jesuits gave the gem to Charles IX after the Night of St. Bartholomew. This is where the story begins. It is confirmed by documents, there is no doubt about it.

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The history of the most famous rubellite

After the death of Charles IX, the gem had to travel. The gem passed from hand to hand, from country to country.

List of stone owners:

1. Elizabeth of Austria, widow of Charles IX.
2. Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, brother of Elizabeth, a famous alchemist in his time.
3. In 1648, the Swedes, who were at war with Bohemia at that time, captured Caesar's Ruby. Of course, the magnificent trophy was presented to the Queen of Sweden.
4. Christina, Queen of Sweden; when she died, the stone was taken to Stockholm.
5. And finally, Gustav III, King of Sweden, gives the stone to Catherine II.

It is clear that such gifts are not given “for nothing”. Gustav wanted political rapprochement with Russia, and was glad to marry some niece of Catherine (no matter which one, as long as it was from the imperial family).

The marriage plans did not come true, but the gem was given as a gift - there is no way to return it back.

Now the stone is stored in the Diamond Fund of Russia.

Fersman said - rubellite

Ruby, spinel - the stone was called differently. Until Academician Fersman, having examined the gem, declared authoritatively that it was rubellite. The stone was mined (according to the academician) in Burma and processed by Indian jewelers.

Mining locations

Tourmaline deposits are located in different regions of the globe. The pink variety is mined on the island of Elba (these stones are called elbaites), in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), in Brazil - the states of Bahia and Minas Gerais, in the USA - the state of California. In Russia, it is found in Transbaikalia (Malkhan deposit) and on the Kola Peninsula, in the Voronya tundra area.

Pink tourmaline beads

But in our country, deposits of pure pink tourmaline are rare; it is mostly found together with green.

Rubellite often accompanies zircon, corundum, hematite and spinel in rocks.

Medicinal properties

The healing and magical properties of tourmaline depend on its color.

Lithotherapists, together with esotericists, believe that pink tourmaline affects the heart and sacral chakras. Its “area of ​​responsibility” includes the heart, along with the entire cardiovascular system, the terminal part of the intestine, as well as the thoracic, sacral and coccygeal sections of the spine.

Jewelry with pink tourmaline is useful to wear for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases - hypo- or hypertension, coronary disease, including those who have had a heart attack.

The precious gem promotes active saturation of the blood with oxygen, which improves the general condition of the body and stimulates thought processes. It is suitable for those who suffer from problems with the musculoskeletal system, pain in the thoracic and sacral spine, for example, with hernias. For this purpose, there are special mattresses and corsets in which tourmaline crystals are arranged in an optimal manner for treatment.

Rubellite treats diseases of the rectum, such as hemorrhoids, as well as prostatitis in men.

Emotionally, pink tourmaline has a liberating effect.

It relieves a person from unnecessary complexes and embarrassment, helps to openly express his feelings, including in the intimate sphere.

Ring with pink tourmaline

This stone has projective yang energy, that is, it is a specific “male” mineral.

For representatives of the fair sex, tourmaline will add sexuality and self-confidence, but they should wear it with caution - it can lead natural passion to nymphomania and sexual intemperance.

This stone “loves” naturally strong natures, emotional and bright, but at the same time strong-willed and self-confident. But it is better for the lazy and weak-willed to avoid it - rubellite will give them a thirst for activity, but will not be able to overcome their natural laziness. As a result, a person can easily develop a neurotic or psychotic illness.

How to care

To cleanse from negative energy, you need to place the mineral in silver water. It is enough to put a silver item, for example, a ring or chain, in purified water for a day. Some people place jewelry in holy water to cleanse other people's energy.

To fill the mineral with energy, it should be placed in a lighted place. It will absorb the energy of the sun, which will soon be transferred to the bearer of the mineral.

To sum up, we can safely say that pink tourmaline, also known as rubellite, is a precious jewelry stone that has 50 shades of pink and red, and has remarkable magical and healing properties. It will save you from depression, protect you from failures and give you faith, hope and love.

Magic properties

The magical properties of pink tourmaline lie in its ability to give inspiration and creative strength to artists, sculptors, musicians and writers - in a word, any creative people.

At the right moment, it gives them confidence and courage, and also attracts monetary luck, since talent needs to be nourished. At the same time, the stone attracts love, but you need to be careful here, since it casts a love spell by increasing the sexual charisma of its wearer. In some cases this may be unnecessary.

Zodiac compatibility

Which zodiac signs is Elbaite suitable for? First of all, these are Libra - strong-willed, quite strong, but sometimes feeling the need to feed their self-esteem from the outside.

Earrings with pink tourmaline

Since pink or red tourmaline, unlike its counterparts, is associated with Fire, the magic of the stone will help the fire signs of the zodiac - Aries, Leo, but not Sagittarius, who needs indigolite.

Representatives of Water signs, except Scorpio, should not wear rubellites.

(“+++” – fits perfectly, “+” – can be worn, “-” – is strictly contraindicated)

What is rubellite

The name rubellite means “red” in Latin. This same property is responsible for the stone’s other name – pink or red tourmaline. May also be known by the names:

• gives;
• siberite;
• apirit.

The gem belongs to class 2 precious stones. Minerals with defects and a cloudy color are considered semi-precious and are used as ornamental stones.

In nature, gems are most often found singly or in clusters - druses. They are oblong crystals with rounded corners.

Manganese is found in rubellite. The shade of the stone depends on its concentration. In this regard, red tourmaline has fifty color varieties. Most Popular:

• apirite – scarlet, blood-red mineral;
• sibirite – lilac, violet hue;
• daurite – a mineral in a rich crimson tone;
• Raspberry schorl is a ruby-colored gem.

Compatibility with other stones

The meaning of the stone in this regard is Fire, but due to some properties it is not compatible with the fire garnet - except for its green subspecies.

Earrings with pink tourmaline and ruby

Rubellite goes well with:

• with ruby;
• diamond;
• coral;
• heliodor;
• grossular;
• amber;
• spinel.

Its properties will be enhanced by the company of the Air mineral - green demantoid and uvarovite garnets, various quartz - from rock crystal to amethyst, other types of tourmaline, except blue indigolite, as well as chrysolite and chrysoprase.

A combination with Earth - any opaque stones, primarily malachite, azurite, chrysocolla, turquoise and jasper - will be neutral, not good, but not bad either.

Gold ring with pink tourmaline and malachite

It is unacceptable to wear pink tourmaline simultaneously with Water stones, as well as minerals of the “double element” - Water and Earth, Water and Air.

Among them:

• emerald;
• sapphire;
• alexandrite;
• indigolite;
• aventurine;
• zircon;
• melanitis.

Jewelry with pink tourmaline

Jewelry with bright and delicate rubellites is in fashion and in high esteem today. Due to their charming color, romantic appearance and some energetic properties, minerals are considered more feminine.

However, some stones with more restrained, noble colors are also used in men's jewelry lines.

In addition, modern fashion only encourages men to create extravagant and memorable images using jewelry with bright stones.

The pleochroism inherent in this stone (that is, the ability to play different colors depending on the viewing angle) gives the jewelry a kind of magic, making them mesmerizing and “alive.”

More often, pink tourmalines are framed in gold, but they also look no less presentable in silver.

The stone lends itself well to processing - in addition to diamond and step cuts, it is often given exquisite fantasy shapes. Opaque varieties are usually made into cabochons or beads.

Pink tourmalines are considered “daytime” stones because their color and brilliance look better in natural daylight than in artificial light.

Application area

Pink tourmaline is used in the jewelry industry to make jewelry.

It is used to make earrings, beads, rings, rings, and less commonly, tiaras and necklaces. There are different types of cuts - from cabochon to diamond. The greatest demand is for specimens weighing 2 carats and above, but only defect-free stones are valued.

Elbaites are set in white and yellow gold, as well as in silver.

Gold pendant with tourmaline

How to spot a fake

Tourmalines are often counterfeited by making imitations from glass or less valuable minerals.

There is a technique of “ennobling” - high-temperature treatment, during which the stone changes color. Thus, pink tourmaline can be obtained from less valuable red-brown.

If the price tag says “refined,” the price of the stone should be lower. If it says “natural rubellite”, then if it is annealed it is a fake.

It is impossible to independently check whether the stone was annealed or not. This is done only in a gemological laboratory. But you can distinguish it from glass or other mineral. Heat the stone with a lighter and hold it near small pieces of paper or sawdust - if the stone is real, they will move. This occurs due to the phenomenon of pyroelectrification.

Who is it suitable for?

Due to the variety of colors, tourmalines are not a traditional birthstone for any particular month. But some believe that pink to red crystals are suitable for those born between October 22 and November 20. It will bring them vitality, courage, passion and love.

According to the zodiac sign, it is the stone of Libra from September 23 to October 22. During this month, days and nights are of equal length. The Earth and the Sun are in balance.

Libras are very strong-willed, artistic, empathetic and respectful. They understand and treat other people well.

As a talisman it is suitable for scientists, adventurers, hunters, travelers, researchers, students.

Tourmaline is a powerful conductor of energy. Focuses and enhances universal vitality and energy to achieve your goals. Helps us get what we are looking for and want to get. Improves our lives, protects.

How to wear and care

For the magical properties of the stone to work, it is worn either in a gold pendant around the neck, or in a gold or silver ring - on the index finger of the right or middle finger of the left hand.

Silver ring with pink tourmaline

Due to its fragility, it must be protected from mechanical stress.

Store in a separate section of the stone box and wash with a mild soap solution.

From time to time the stone needs to be cleansed of accumulated negative energy and recharged. To do this, first immerse it in water for 2-3 hours, where the silver product will be located at the same time, and then put it in the sunlight to dry.

Tourmaline and the signs of the Zodiac

Astrologers advise choosing stones according to the zodiac sign.
Representatives of different signs differ in natural temperament and many other subconscious factors. All the minerals proposed below can be worn on the body in the form of a pendant, bracelet, or ring. Change