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Leanne Sheaver
4th December 2009 16:38

Green Tourmaline

 

Since working here at HK Tourmalines have become one of my favorite stones as they come in some of the most fantastic colours that I have ever seen. Green is my favorite colour and I am a big lover of emeralds but, due to their fragility and my heavy hands (thank you dad) they would not last longer than an afternoon on one of my fingers and so, I have always felt a little sad that I would never have a ring that had a green stone in it in the exact shade that I wanted. Then, one day I happened upon a ring that was designed by Rebecca Howarth which she wrote a blog about a while ago, it was when I saw this ring that I realized, all is not lost!

Green Tourmaline engagement ring

I did not know a lot about tourmalines nor had a seen any with such a colour as this before but, this particular stone had me transfixed for ages! The cut of the stone, which is called a chequerboard cut, displays some fabulous facets that made the colour more and more intense and so it has now lead me to hunt for the perfect tourmaline for my future ring (fingers crossed anyway). We have a couple of ready to wear rings that I can't help but admire and test upon my hand every now and again to remind myself that the stone that I really want is out there.

Tourmaline engagement ring

The picture above shows a brilliant rainbow of the kinds of colours that can be found in tourmalines.

Tourmalines are a semi precious stone made up from a mixture of elements like iron, aluminum, magnesium, a dash of lithium and a dab of potassium. The word 'Tourmaline' comes from the Singhalese words 'tura mali' meaning stone of mixed colours. The vast spectrum of colour found in them is simply beautiful making each one individual with their own powerful hue, drawing you in for a closer look. In legends their vibrancy has links to health and healing and some believe that it will bring love together, forever maintaining a constant flow of strength between two people. Looking at the picture above again, I still cannot believe the colour is so strong. I used to think that you could only get tourmalines in pinks, purples and reddish colours but then our designers have proved to me with their fabulous ring designs, that tourmalines are not a stone to be underestimated. In the same way that our rings here at HKJD are all unique, you can also say the same for each tourmaline stone that is found at any location over the world. They can be found in deposits from Sri Lanka to Brazil, from Madagascar to California and each one varies in quality and boldness of colour, making their price range quite varied too.

Palladium engagement ring

Here again is another example of a magnificent green tourmaline. The ring below is one of our new ready to wear rings designed by Antoinette Corbishley.

Antoinette was inspired by the ocean for this design and has added little subtle hints to the shank of the ring to illustrate this. To me the sweeping curve of the shoulders conveys the crest of a wave, the invisibly set diamonds resemble the bubbles in the foam that are carried along with the tide and the colour of the tourmaline depicts a tone from what I would like to imagine as the colour of the crystal clear water from a sandy tropical beach. I love taking a more detailed glance at the rings that come across my path here at work; I find it amazing how each design can paint a story in your head whether or not it is from the same clear line as the designer or the commissioner. It is the fascination of a design or an art form in something new and different that keep’s my attention fuelled and I have certainly found the amazing colours of tourmalines jaw dropping and eye catching. Art in whatever form it might come, may it be a mural on the wall, an album by a quality musician or a set of shiny rings on that third finger along from the left, it has only its viewer to decide it’s worth and if it is loved and admired, it is cherished and rarely forgotten, just like these stones will be for me.

Palladium engagement ring

Leanne

Leanne Sheaver
 

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  • Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design, North Barn, Fairclough Hall Farm, Halls Green, Weston, Hertfordshire, SG4 7DP, England
    Phone: +44 (0)1462 790565 Fax: +44 (0)1462 790140 enquiries@hkjewellery.co.uk
  • Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design, 6/7 Green Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 3JU, England.
    Phone: +44 (0)1223 461333 Fax: +44 (0)1223 365269 cambridge@hkjewellery.co.uk

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