Tourmalines
One of the widest color ranges of any gem: from the red of manganese to the blue of iron and the neon of copper in Paraíba tourmaline.
Each gem in four tones: the hue it is named by, its light part, its deepest part and the sparkle where light bounces off the facets. The colors are our own approximations, not laboratory standards.
Rubellite
Tourmaline colored by manganese
A trade name for pink, red, purplish red, orangy red or brownish red tourmaline, though some in the trade say it should not apply to pink. Manganese produces reds and pinks.
Some pink and yellow tourmalines owe their hue to color centers caused by radiation, natural or laboratory-made. According to CIBJO, it is rarely found untreated.
Rubellite · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Rubellite, faceted, hue
RGB(208, 48, 94)
Rubellite · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Rubellite, faceted, light
RGB(229, 101, 138)
Rubellite · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Rubellite, faceted, deep
RGB(148, 26, 64)
Rubellite · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Rubellite, faceted, sparkle
RGB(242, 160, 184)
Indicolite
Tourmaline colored by iron
Dark violetish blue, blue or greenish blue tourmaline. Iron, and possibly titanium, induce tourmaline's greens and blues.
Tourmaline has one of the widest color ranges of any gem. According to CIBJO, indicolite is commonly heated.
Indicolite · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Indicolite, faceted, hue
RGB(46, 94, 158)
Indicolite · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Indicolite, faceted, light
RGB(90, 134, 194)
Indicolite · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Indicolite, faceted, deep
RGB(24, 62, 112)
Indicolite · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Indicolite, faceted, sparkle
RGB(146, 180, 224)
Verdelite
Green tourmaline
Green tourmaline, also called verdelite. Iron, and possibly titanium, give its green.
According to CIBJO, it is commonly heated.
Verdelite · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Verdelite, faceted, hue
RGB(62, 138, 78)
Verdelite · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Verdelite, faceted, light
RGB(106, 174, 118)
Verdelite · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Verdelite, faceted, deep
RGB(34, 96, 46)
Verdelite · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Verdelite, faceted, sparkle
RGB(162, 210, 170)
Chrome tourmaline
Tourmaline colored by vanadium
An intense green tourmaline.
In spite of its name, it is colored mostly by vanadium, the same element that colors many Brazilian and African emeralds.
Chrome tourmaline · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Chrome tourmaline, faceted, hue
RGB(30, 138, 74)
Chrome tourmaline · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Chrome tourmaline, faceted, light
RGB(76, 176, 112)
Chrome tourmaline · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Chrome tourmaline, faceted, deep
RGB(14, 94, 46)
Chrome tourmaline · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Chrome tourmaline, faceted, sparkle
RGB(134, 210, 160)
Paraíba tourmaline
Tourmaline colored by copper and manganese
For the laboratories of the LMHC: a blue (electric, neon or violet blue), bluish green to greenish blue, green or yellowish green tourmaline of medium-light to high saturation and tone, mainly due to copper and manganese, of any geographical origin.
The name comes from the Brazilian state of Paraíba, where it was first mined; today it comes from several places. It is commonly heated.
Paraíba tourmaline · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Paraíba tourmaline, faceted, hue
RGB(25, 196, 200)
Paraíba tourmaline · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Paraíba tourmaline, faceted, light
RGB(90, 220, 221)
Paraíba tourmaline · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Paraíba tourmaline, faceted, deep
RGB(14, 142, 154)
Paraíba tourmaline · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Paraíba tourmaline, faceted, sparkle
RGB(160, 238, 240)
Watermelon tourmaline
Parti-colored tourmaline
Pink in the center and green around the outside; the crystals are usually cut in slices to show it. Green and pink is one of the most common combinations of parti-colored tourmaline.
Here its pink is the hue and the light part, and its green the deep part and the sparkle.
Watermelon tourmaline · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Watermelon tourmaline, faceted, hue
RGB(232, 112, 143)
Watermelon tourmaline · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Watermelon tourmaline, faceted, light
RGB(244, 168, 188)
Watermelon tourmaline · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Watermelon tourmaline, faceted, deep
RGB(62, 138, 78)
Watermelon tourmaline · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Watermelon tourmaline, faceted, sparkle
RGB(140, 203, 150)
Pigmentoria is an independent color atlas. Gem, variety, place and trade names (for example «pigeon's blood» or «Paraíba») are used descriptively only and do not indicate the origin, quality, treatment or certification of any stone. The colors are our own digital approximations, not official standards of any laboratory. GIA, CIBJO, LMHC, SSEF, Gübelin and the other organisations cited belong to their owners; Pigmentoria is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.