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| Color |
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Seafoam Tourmaline is
a member of the tourmaline family. The colors range
from soft greens to moderate blues, like the fringes
of ocean waves, or the depths of a still lagoon.
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| Gem Family |
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This rare bluish green
tourmaline is mined high in the peaks of the Himalayas.
The uncut crystals are often long and thin: the
miners call them pencils. |
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| Source |
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Mostly Afghanistan, and
some from Zambia and Namibia |
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| Clarity |
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All Seafoam Tourmalines
are free of eye-visible inclusions. |
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| Size Range |
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0.25 carat to 3 carats.
Rare large sizes are occasionally found up to 30
carats. |
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| Shapes Available |
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Ovals, cushions, checkerboards,
round brilliants, trillions, princess cuts, barion
cuts, emerald cuts, and opposed bars. |
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| Enhancement |
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Seafoam Tourmaline is
the exact color of the rough uncovered in the earth.
It is not enhanced in any way. |
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| Lore & History |
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Tourmaline's name comes
from the Sinhalese word turmali, which means
"mixed." Tourmaline is the most colorful gem variety.
Perhaps this is why ancient mystics believed tourmaline
could encourage artistic intuition: it has the palette
to express every mood. Seafoam Tourmaline has a
chameleon-like ability to complement almost every
other color, including sorbet shades, earth tones,
and vivid brights. |
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| Toughness &
Hardness |
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Tourmaline has a Mohs
hardness of 7 to 7.5 and is durable and suitable
for everyday wear. |
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| Care & Cleaning |
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Clean with mild dish
soap: use a toothbrush to scrub behind the stone
where dust can collect. |
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| Price Range |
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$75 to $400 per carat.
Rare large gems can be $1,000 per carat. |
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| Special Characteristics |
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Tourmaline has unusual
electrical properties: crystals acquire a polarized
electrical charge when heated or compressed. This
property has also made tourmaline the latest miracle
ingredient in cleansing lotions: manufacturers say
the gem can increase a product's ability to pull
pollutants from the pores. |
