am Tourmaline. I am every color of the rainbow. Sometimes I am serene and pastel. Sometimes I feel like celebrating, and I display bold, brilliant colors. Sometimes I am festive, and I combine more than one color. The people of ancient Ceylon called me "turmali," the Sinhalese word for "more colors."

     For centuries I have adorned the jewels of royalty. The Empress Dowager Tz'u Hsi, the last empress of China, valued my rich pink colors above all other gemstones.
     Vivid reds, hot pinks, verdant greens and blues abound in this marvelous gem variety. Earth tones as varied as a prairie sunset are readily available. Not only does Tourmaline occur in a spectacular range of colors, but it also combines those colors in a single gemstone called "bi-color" or "parti-color" Tourmaline. One color combination with a pink center and a green outer rim called "watermelon" Tourmaline, is cut in thin slices similar to its namesake.
     Tourmalines are available in faceted or cabochon cuts and a range of sizes and shapes. They are mined in many parts of the world including Brazil, Afghanistan, East Africa and the United States. They share birthstone status with Opal for the month of October.