The Most Wondeful Mineral on Earth - Tourmaline

The only Sinhalese word the whole world knows is the name of tourmaline: toramalli – that means various or colorful stone, so we can imagine the abundance of the mineral is found on the island.

Many say that tourmaline is superior to all other gems. It displays a greater range of colors than any other gemstone. In fact, it comes in every color of the spectrum. At one point in time, there was a different name for each color of tourmaline, and each believed to have different curing effects, unlike garnet. Even today: pink tourmaline is referred to as rubellite, green is Verdelite, brown is Dravite, multicolored stones are called elbait and there are, of course, the watermelon Tourmalines. However, it is also accepted to use the color as a prefix before tourmaline. Even hardness of tourmaline shows rather great differences from that of quartz to the emerald’s hardness, and lasts for thousands of years. The reason of the gem’s diversity is due to the fact that it is chemically one of the most complicated groups of silicate minerals. Its composition varies widely because of isomorphous replacement.

Yet, the most amazing and surprising fact about tourmaline has quite a different nature: it produces week electricity, emits infrared rays and increases the quantity of negative ions in the humidity of the air. Unlike artificially produced negative ions these are completely safe with no side effects. On the contrary: there are many benefits ascribed to these negative ions.

Just to have an idea: In the fresh country air there is usually 4000 negative ion per cubic centimeter (that is more or less the size of a sugar cube.) Close to a waterfall or after a bigger rain it can go up to 1000 per cc., whereas in big cities in the rush hour it can go under 100, which can cause stress, irritability and headache.

Positive ions are produced through electronic devices, computers, air-condition, or cigarette smoke.

Tourmaline acquires an electric charge when heated. This property is known as “pyro electricity”. The first record of scientific proof of this property is found in the work of 18th century Swedish botanist Carl Von Linne who called tourmaline “the electric stone.” But the Curie brothers discovered piezo-electricity – tourmaline and some other minerals’ crystals when being rubbed change electricity as well. The heat of your little finger, or rubbing your stone gently is enough to create electric charge in your stone.

Japanese researches reinforced that tourmaline has a week but constant 0, 06 mA electricity. The source of electrons flowing through tourmaline is the Sun, and so it is inexhaustible.

Tourmaline was first brought to Europe by Dutch traders in the 1700s who gave it the name, Aschentrekker, or “ash puller,” for its alternating powers of attracting, then repelling, hot ashes from burning coals when the stone was laid near the coals for any length of time.

Tourmaline charms people who have reached a high level of understanding, tolerance and adaptation, being as colorful as the gem itself. It radiates a gentle balance, promoting sensitivity and intuition. Tourmaline is called the stone of Muses.

The different colors obviously have different effects which we discuss at the relevant jewels, however, all tourmaline stimulates bio-, and electromagnetic processes, purify and filter energy and balances the chakras. Using its aids can bring upsurges.

We can’t guarantee the energetic effects of tourmaline on you, however, as for Serendib jewels we are sure of success!

Note!

As tourmaline attracts dust and particles it often needs to be cleaned. To clean tourmaline jewelry, use a lukewarm solution of water and mild dish washing or soap to six parts water. Gently brush the Tourmaline with a small bristle brush, especially underneath the stones where dirt collects. Rinse and dry.

Generally, tourmaline is stable to light, so we can refill its energies, especially in the early morning sun. But it should not be stored in direct sunlight. Long-term ultraviolet radiation can affect the properties of tourmaline and result in color loss and fading.