Pink tourmaline is a true gemstone, called rubellite when the color runs toward red. In crystal lore it is the heart stone for joy, romantic love and warmth toward everyone.
Silicate (cyclosilicate, tourmaline group) · Elbaite
Pink Tourmaline
Turmalina rosa
- Palette
- Pink Red
- Mined in
- Brazil, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Pakistan, Australia, United States
- Hardness
- Mohs 7.0–7.5 ?
- See-through
- transparent
- Known since
- 1908
- Named for
- Sinhalese toramalli, a word for carnelian
- Also sold as
- rubellite, pink elbaite
- Intention
- Love
- Looking for
- Love Joy Compassion and empathy Self-love
- Water
- Fine with water and mild soap
- Dye or finish
- Pink tourmaline is often heated or irradiated to improve or deepen the color, and heavily included stones are sometimes oiled; dye is rare.
Not in our pieces now
RUBELLITE
Rubellite, the red-to-pink variety of elbaite tourmaline, takes its name from ruby.
ELBA, 1913
Elbaite, the tourmaline species that includes pink stones, was first found on the island of Elba, Italy, in 1913.
WATERMELON
Watermelon tourmaline is zoned with a pink-red core and a green outer layer that resembles the rind of the fruit.
What it is
A clear, glassy pink gemstone, from soft pink to a deeper raspberry or red, with fine lines of growth inside. Rubellite is the name used when the color runs red to pinkish red. It is a true gem, and cut stones are fairly expensive, so much of what is sold as pink tourmaline on a strand is small, included, or something else.
What gives it its color
Pink tourmaline gets its color from a trace of manganese, and natural radiation over time deepens the pink toward red; stones are also irradiated in the lab to strengthen the color.
Where it comes from
Pink tourmaline comes mainly from Brazil (Minas Gerais), with more from Nigeria, Mozambique, Madagascar, Afghanistan and California's Pala district.
In history
From the late 1800s until 1912, pink and red tourmaline from San Diego County, California, was shipped to China, where Empress Dowager Cixi favored the color and craftsmen carved it into snuff bottles and jewelry. The trade collapsed in 1912 when the Chinese government fell, and the Himalaya mine at Mesa Grande never again produced at that scale.
What's said about it
People wear it as a necklace or bracelet, keep it by the bed, or put it on for a date. A modern guide also pairs it with rose quartz for compassion and self-love.
An old Egyptian legend says tourmaline gathered all its colors passing through a rainbow. In imperial China, red and pink tourmaline ranked first among the stones that marked an official's rank.
Gem-quality stones are fairly costly, so ask whether a pink strand is the real thing.
How people wear or keep it: On a necklace or bracelet, on a bedside table, in the hand, or worn on a date.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, pink tourmaline is paired with the heart chakra, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: on a necklace or bracelet, on a bedside table, in the hand. People reach for it when they want love, joy, compassion and empathy, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraHeart
ZodiacLibra
BirthstoneOctober
Anniversary8th
ElementWater
Also calledrubellite, pink elbaite
Care
- Hard enough for everyday wear, but a sharp knock can still chip or crack a stone with flaws inside.
- Wipe with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, then dry it.
- Ask whether a stone has been heated to lighten its color; it is a common practice with red stones.
- Skip ultrasonic and steam cleaners for stones with visible cracks.
- Store apart from harder gems such as sapphire and diamond.
How to tell what you have
- Tourmaline is hard (Mohs 7 to 7.5) and shows lighter and darker shades of the color as you turn it.
- Pink stones can come from irradiation or heating, and glass or dyed quartz can look similar, so ask the seller.
What sets the price
Price follows how rich and even the pink is, how clean the stone is, and its size; stones filled to hide cracks are worth much less than untouched ones.
Rules and sourcing
Pink tourmaline is often heated or irradiated to deepen the color, and heavily included stones are sometimes oiled. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose it.
Questions people ask at our table
What is pink tourmaline?
It is elbaite, a lithium-bearing member of the tourmaline family, in a pink color. Rubellite is the name for the redder shades.
Is it natural or dyed?
Gem-quality pink tourmaline is natural, and some stones are heated to lighten overly dark red color. Cheap pink strands may be dyed quartz or glass, so ask the seller.
Why is it more expensive than rose quartz?
It is a rarer, clearer gem with a deeper color. Rose quartz is common and usually cloudy.
How is it different from watermelon tourmaline?
Watermelon tourmaline is one crystal with a pink center and a green rim. Pink tourmaline is pink throughout.
Where is it from?
Mainly Brazil, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Tanzania and Nigeria, with older sources in Sri Lanka and California.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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