Red tourmaline is rubellite, the deep pinkish-red end of the tourmaline family. We do not carry it. Cheap red strands are often dyed quartz or glass, and some real stones are heated.
Tourmaline (elbaite) · Elbaite
Red Tourmaline
Turmalina roja
- Palette
- Red Pink
- Mined in
- Brazil, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Madagascar, Kenya, Namibia, Malawi, Afghanistan, 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, red elbaite
- Intention
- Love
- Looking for
- Love Joy Compassion and empathy
- Water
- Fine with water and mild soap
- Dye or finish
- Red tourmaline is often heated or irradiated to improve or deepen the color, and heavily included stones are sometimes oiled or filled; dye is rare.
Not in our pieces now
376.85 CARATS
A 376.85-carat tourmaline carved by O. Hansen is the largest carved tourmaline on record and is held by the Smithsonian.
CEYLONESE MAGNET
Tourmaline was once nicknamed the 'Ceylonese Magnet' because a warmed crystal could pull in hot ashes and then push them away.
TŌRAMALLI
The word tourmaline comes from the Sinhalese tōramalli, a name used for carnelian stones.
What it is
Red tourmaline, called rubellite, is the pinkish-red to raspberry variety of elbaite, clear to translucent and often full of fine lines. Gem-quality rubellite is costly, so cheap red strands are often dyed quartz, glass or a darker pink tourmaline.
What gives it its color
Red tourmaline (rubellite) gets its color from manganese, which natural radiation deepens from pink toward red; red and pink stones are also commonly irradiated in the lab.
Where it comes from
Red tourmaline comes from Brazil (Minas Gerais, including the Jonas Lima mine), Madagascar, Mogok in Myanmar, Kenya, Zambia and Maine.
In history
Red and pink tourmaline from San Diego County, California, was shipped to China from the late 1800s to 1912, where Empress Dowager Cixi favored the color and carvers made it into snuff bottles and jewelry. Fine red tourmaline from Madagascar and Afghanistan came on the market from the 1950s onward.
What's said about it
Crystal lore has no separate entry for red. Its pink cousin is thought of as a stone for joy, love and warmth toward others.
In imperial China, red tourmaline and ruby marked the highest rank among officials' stones.
People wear it as a ring, pendant or bracelet.
How people wear or keep it: On the wrist, or as a ring or pendant.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, red tourmaline is paired with the root and heart chakras, 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 the wrist, as a ring or pendant. 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.
ChakraRoot, Heart
ZodiacLibra
BirthstoneOctober
Anniversary8th
ElementFire
Also calledrubellite, red elbaite
Care
- Hard enough for everyday wear, though it can chip on a hard knock.
- Clean with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, then dry.
- Avoid ultrasonic cleaners and long soaks, since heavily included stones are sometimes clarity-filled.
- Keep it out of strong heat, which can change the color.
How to tell what you have
- Red tourmaline (rubellite) is hard (Mohs 7 to 7.5) and shows lighter and darker red as you turn it.
- Heavily included stones are sometimes filled, and glass or dyed material can look similar, so check the drill hole and ask the seller.
What sets the price
Red tourmaline (rubellite) is priced by how rich and saturated the red is and how clean the stone is, since red stones are almost always included, plus size; stones filled to hide cracks are worth much less.
Rules and sourcing
Red tourmaline is often heated or irradiated to deepen the color, and included stones are sometimes oiled or filled. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose it.
Questions people ask at our table
What is red tourmaline?
It is rubellite, the red to pinkish-red variety of elbaite tourmaline. The color comes from manganese, deepened by long natural irradiation.
How is it different from pink tourmaline?
They are the same mineral, and the line between them is a matter of color depth. Rubellite is the deeper, redder end.
Is red tourmaline natural, heated or dyed?
Gem rubellite is often heated, and cracked stones may be clarity-filled. Cheap red strands are frequently dyed quartz or glass, so ask the seller what the material is.
Is it hard enough for a bracelet?
Yes, at 7 to 7.5 it is fine for wear, though it can chip on a hard knock.
Do you carry it?
We do not carry red tourmaline. We carry watermelon tourmaline, red network and garnet for a related red look.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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