The Different Colours of Tourmaline
Read designer Emily's advice and learn what different colours tourmalines come in and how to use it in your jewellery.
Did you know a tourmaline comes in colours other than green? In fact, they have rather a distinct variety to them.
Aside from their well-known vibrant “chrome” green, they can also be bi-colour, watermelon, plums and shades of pastel and blush. These colours aren’t seen in many other gemstones, especially in high street jewellery- which tend to use sapphire, emeralds and rubies, meaning tourmaline can often slip under the radar. But not with us!
When it comes to helping you choose your tourmaline, it’s important to consider personal taste as well as knowing what is available.
Bi-colour is similar to what you may know as an ombré look, where a darker colour gradually blends to a lighter shade. This features in the ‘Watermelon’ with the signature red and green of a watermelon, graduating from one to the other across the gemstone, and is really striking. This can also be in blush and plums, which have such warming tones.
This range in colours then offers a versatility in metal colour choice, where white, yellow and rose metals will give a different feel to the gemstones that are set within it. Depending on whether it is light or warm, the colour compatibility will enable you to see different hues in different lights: you would never tire of the majesty of a tourmaline. Or if you’re feeling particularly adventurous you could create contrast and mixed metal and maximise those unique hues as much as possible.
In terms of shape, as it grows in a column-like structure, tourmaline lends itself well to straight or tapered cuts, such as baguettes, octagon cut and elongated cushions. This offers more opportunity to get the right cut to see the colour range in all its glory. The vibrancy and graduation of colours can stand out more in larger cuts- meaning it’s a marvellous choice for a real statement piece.
Opting for a tourmaline as the central pop of colour and pairing it with a diamond is a fabulous design choice. It allows the diamonds to sparkle with their signature fire and colourlessness, creating different dimensions to the ring.
