Why does tourmaline come in so many colours?

Tourmaline's complex chemistry means it can incorporate a wide variety of trace elements during formation, each producing a different colour. Iron creates blues and greens, manganese produces pinks and reds, and copper, in the rare Paraíba variety, produces its extraordinary neon blue-green. No other common gemstone mineral accommodates such a broad range of colouring agents.

What is watermelon tourmaline?

Watermelon tourmaline is a variety that shows pink in the centre and green at the outer edge of the same crystal, resembling the cross-section of a watermelon. It is always cut in slices to display this natural zoning, and it forms when different trace elements were present at different stages of the crystal's growth.

Is black tourmaline the same as the gem used in jewellery?

Black tourmaline, known mineralogically as schorl, is the most common variety of the mineral family and is widely used in wellness and crystal-collecting circles. It appears in jewellery, particularly in beaded and bohemian designs, though the gem-quality coloured varieties, especially Paraíba, pink and bi-colour, are far more prized in fine jewellery.

What is tourmaline?

By Jared James · Last updated 21 May 2026

Definition

Tourmaline is a complex borosilicate mineral group and one of the most colour-diverse gemstones in existence, occurring in virtually every hue including vivid greens, pinks, blues, yellows, reds and black, and sometimes several colours within a single crystal, as in watermelon tourmaline. It is the birthstone for October and the gem associated with the eighth wedding anniversary. Crystal structure always forms in a triangular columnar prism shape. Paraíba tourmaline from Brazil and Nigeria, with its electric neon blue-green colour from copper traces, is among the most valuable gems in the world.

Frequently asked questions

Why does tourmaline come in so many colours?: Tourmaline's complex chemistry means it can incorporate a wide variety of trace elements during formation, each producing a different colour. Iron creates blues and greens, manganese produces pinks and reds, and copper, in the rare Paraíba variety, produces its extraordinary neon blue-green. No other common gemstone mineral accommodates such a broad range of colouring agents.
What is watermelon tourmaline?: Watermelon tourmaline is a variety that shows pink in the centre and green at the outer edge of the same crystal, resembling the cross-section of a watermelon. It is always cut in slices to display this natural zoning, and it forms when different trace elements were present at different stages of the crystal's growth.
Is black tourmaline the same as the gem used in jewellery?: Black tourmaline, known mineralogically as schorl, is the most common variety of the mineral family and is widely used in wellness and crystal-collecting circles. It appears in jewellery, particularly in beaded and bohemian designs, though the gem-quality coloured varieties, especially Paraíba, pink and bi-colour, are far more prized in fine jewellery.

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