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OCTOBER BIRTHSTONE: TOURMALINE
Tourmaline envelops you with courage and unveils your truth within.
Happy-go-lucky in the best of ways, tourmaline stokes that spark of creativity just beneath the surface.
Ancient Egyptians believed tourmalines were found in every color. Legend has it surfing the crest of a rainbow, breathing in all its colors along the way. It’s not hard to believe, since tourmalines come in an array of colors!
For centuries, tourmalines have peered into the secret lives of ancient noblemen, sneaking into people’s hearts when they’re not looking. They’ve dotted the crowns of French and Russian kings for centuries. A Spanish conquistador even thought he was holding a precious emerald once upon a time! Tourmalines are tricksters flamenco-ing through even the tightest guarded castles of the Renaissance era.
FUN FACT
The Sinhalese turmali, meaning ‘a mixed color precious stone’, or turamali,
meaning ‘something small from the earth’
Tourmaline’s feisty and fiery nature is easily explained by its inception. Starting as liquid fire from Mother Earth’s core, it literally worked its way up. Confidently striding through each layer of the earth’s core. Absorbing all that grounding, earthly energy as it slowly transformed into dense rock, and eventually into shining crystals.
Tourmalines are powerful crystals and the only gemstone that can hold electrical charge (it’s pyroelectric). Back then it was used to repel dust and ashes, but hey, we also believe that it’s a natural bad vibes repeller!
TOURMALINE VIBES
Birthstone for: October
Tourmaline zodiac sign: Libra (23 September-22 October)
Tourmaline chakra:
The first chakra - the Root or Muladhara chakra.
A balanced root chakra helps you reconnect with where you are in life. It cures your ache to travel and helps you to feel grateful so that you can stay rooted, and in return, grow to your fullest self.
The seventh chakra - the Crown chakra or the Sahasrāra chakra.
Since tourmaline can hold electrical charge (where one side will be positively charged and the other will be negatively charged), it’s no wonder that tourmaline can activate both the first chakra and the last! A balanced crown chakra will direct the bad energies out and away. Use it whenever you feel agitated about not moving in life (literally and figuratively) and to embrace the joy of taking it slow.
How tourmaline fits into your life:
Birthstone for October
Your loved one on your 8th anniversary
Someone going through the 12 steps
Leapers of faith
Your favorite local artist
Vibes:
Inspiration
Happiness
Confidence
Fearlessness
Aligning yin and yang
Inner strength
Creativity
Healing
Use for:
Inducing sleep by wrapping in silk and placing against your cheek.
Becoming one with the universe.
Becoming ambidextrous in life and love.
Writing a sonnet for your baby.
Letting go.
Kissing fear goodbye.
Waking up from negative illusions that cramp your style.
Doing the yin yang dance.
TOURMALINE ORIGIN
So where is tourmaline found? Tourmaline is mined around the world, from California to Brazil, Pakistan to Sri Lanka. It’s a gemstone that’s generous with its colorful gifts and presence
Our tourmalines are sourced from:
Brazil, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, USA
TOURMALINE's DURABILITY
Tough Love level:
7-7.5 Mohs scale of hardness with ‘fair’ toughness. Best as a special occasion ring, earrings, or necklace. Choose a bezel or low-cut setting for extra protection if you'll wear the ring every day.
Common treatments:
Occasionally heat treatment and irradiation to improve color. These treatments are rarely disclosed, and there are no techniques to distinguish them from untreated tourmalines. Tourmaline may occasionally be oiled to hide cracks and inclusions.
Cleaning, care, and caution:
Irradiated and treated tourmalines are generally stable and no special care is needed. If you need to clean your tourmaline, use warm, soapy water, preferably made from natural ingredients, like our lerak jewelry wash! Avoid ultrasonic cleaners and harsh chemicals.
TOURMALINE colors
Tourmaline colors come with their own names. Check out what your faves stand for:
Schorl (aka black tourmaline)
Schorl is said to be the most abundant kind of tourmaline. It’s rich in iron, making it look a solid, almost opaque black. Schorl is a gem of power and integrity, representing the root chakra.
Indicolite (aka deep blue tourmaline)
Indicolite is an ocean blue tourmaline, a sacred healing stone to wash away murky thoughts. It’s the color of silence and deep focus.
Paraiba (aka neon blue tourmaline)
Paraiba tourmaline contains high amounts of copper and manganese and is one of the rarest colors of tourmaline. It ranges from a neon blue to a greenish blue with a glassy luster. It’s the color of daydreaming and floating on the midsummer sea.
Siberite (aka purple tourmaline)
Siberite often comes in shades of purple: the color of divine wisdom and deft artistry. It’s the stone that lets you live out loud and encourages you to let your hair down.
Rubellite (aka pink tourmaline)
Rubellite is often mistaken for a ruby! It can be a gentle shade of pink to a deep rose blush. It’s the color of the heart chakra.
Watermelon
Watermelon tourmalines are unbelievably fun, showcasing the stone’s fluid chemistry in two opposite colors that just work. Kind of like how you just vibe with some people even if it shouldn’t have worked out on paper.
Verdelite (aka green tourmaline)
Green tourmaline or verdalite is the color of nature, your reminder of abundance, a belly-deep call to recenter and restart. It comes in varying shades, from velvety moss to a freshly picked leafy green.
Cat’s Eye
Cat’s eye tourmaline often comes in a translucent base, showing a much distinct slit of white reflection. Not only are they showstoppers - you can use them to boost your confidence too!
NOW ASK YOURSELF...
