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October Birthstone Jewelry
The name Tourmaline comes from the Singhalese expression "tura mali," which means the "stone of mixed colors." Tourmalines are also known as the "chameleon stone," because they display a vast array of color that are similar to several other colored stones. For example, Rubelite Tourmaline is named after its ruby red raspberry color.
Some Tourmalines can display two or more colors at the same time, such as watermelon tourmaline--pink on the inside, rimmed with green, exactly like the fruit itself! There are also varieties of Tourmalines that display color change when exposed to different lighting, exhibiting the phenomena chatoyancy. Around 51500 BC, A Spanish conquistador confused a green tourmaline crystal for an Emerald. In 1800, scientists realized that the tourmaline was a different species altogether.