Tourmaline, the ‘Sleeper Hit’ of Green Engagement Rings

In recent years, a number of coloured engagement rings have been popping up and acquiring a certain degree of popularity amongst engaged and newlywed couples. While most of these stones have been around for centuries and liberally used in other items of jewellery, the two-century-long hegemony the diamond has held over the engagement jewellery market has not made it possible for blue engagement rings, red engagement rings or green engagement rings to be noticed before the past few decades. The truth is, however, these alternatives were always there, each offering a range of different stones for lovers to choose from. Blue, for example, offered sapphires but also certain emeralds; red embraced topazes as well as rubies, and green offered both emeralds and tourmalines. And while each of these categories ended up dominated by a specific stone, the ‘understudies’ of each colour bracket are no less attractive and can represent great options for couples looking for a less ordinary stone.

Take tourmaline, for example. While nowhere near as widely known in the field of green engagement rings as the emerald, this is a no less attractive stone and can offer a ring an air of uniqueness and exclusivity so many couples crave.

Structurally, tourmaline is a prismatic crystal, made unique by the fact that it is the only mineral of its kind to have a three-sided shape. It is most commonly mined in the United States, Brazil, Afghanistan, Africa and Sri Lanka, and comes in a variety of colours, depending on which mineral constitutes its base. Iron-rich tourmalines are typically black or dark brown, while the type found in green engagement rings is usually lithium-based, and magnesium-rich varieties tend to be brown or yellow. Some forms of tourmaline can also have two colours, one at each end, while others may change colour depending on the angle and the light in which they are viewed.

Each of these types of tourmalines is also known by a specific denomination. Iron-rich tourmalines are typically known as ‘schorls’, after the German town where, in the 1400s, dark tourmalines could be found. Schorls are the most common types of tourmaline and account for 95% of all stones of this type found in nature.

Rather more uncommon, and therefore more valuable as jewellery gems, are the other types of tourmaline. The brownish-yellow, magnesium-based ones are known as ‘dravites’, after the Carinthian district of Drave, while the lithium-based variety is known as ‘elbaite’ (after the town of Elba, in Italy). Similarly, each of the sub-colours of the elbaite range has its own specific denomination, with the ones usually seen in green engagement rings, for instance, being known as ‘verdelites’ or Brazilian emeralds.

As an engagement ring gemstone, tourmaline is a nicely unassuming and visually original option. Its relative hardness (typically 7-7.5 on the Mohrs scale) can also make it a very attractive option for couples looking for a different type of stone for their engagement rings.

Frank L Orman is the founder of the F&L Designer Guides, compiled and written to help consumers choose a unique engagement ring design. From green engagement rings to princess cuts and engraved bands, we have ideas and opinions covering all the options. Offering advice, tips and suggestions on how to choose that perfect ring, F&L will accompany you on every stage of your search to find the right designer.