identified this stone yet
Pink Tourmaline
| Hardness | 7-7.5 |
| Specific gravity | 3.06 |
| Refractive index | 1.620-1.640 |
| Crystal system | 六方晶系（三方晶系） |
Pale petal pink through cherry-blossom, vivid bubblegum, raspberry, and slightly violet pinks. Saturated, slightly bluish-pink stones are the most desirable.
- nclusions)
- nclusions
- Stress fractures along the c-axis
- Doubly refractive with clearly visible at 10×
- Strong dichroism: pink and pale pink
- 01Visible at 10× plus capillary tubes is the tourmaline signature
- 02No UV rules out pink sapphire
- 03Crack-prone interior is normal for the species
- Avoid thermal shock — internal fractures can propagate
- Skip ultrasonic and steam; use lukewarm soapy water
- Cosmetics, perfume and perspiration can dull the surface over time
Roughly $50–$300 per carat for commercial pale material, $500–$2,000 per carat for vivid clean pinks, and rubellite-class reds reaching $3,000+ per carat.
Note: Heat treatment is common and accepted; irradiation is also used to deepen pale stones. Both are stable. Clean, crack-free stones over 3 carats are increasingly scarce. The line between 'pink tourmaline' and 'rubellite' is set by saturation and is judged by eye — the same stone may be called either by different dealers.
Pink tourmaline is elbaite (Na(Li,Al)₃Al₆(BO₃)₃Si₆O₁₈(OH)₄) tinted pink to red by manganese. The color continuum runs from pale baby pink through cherry, raspberry and into the darker reds called rubellite. Brazil's Minas Gerais has been the historical heartland; Nigeria, Mozambique, Madagascar, Afghanistan and California (USA) all produce commercial quantities today.
Origins
Brazil's Minas Gerais state — particularly the Cruzeiro, Jonas and Itatiaia mines — has been the historical heart of pink tourmaline supply. California's Himalaya Mine (San Diego County) drove a 19th-century boom when Empress Cixi of China imported large quantities. Nigeria, Mozambique, Madagascar (Ambatofinandrahana) and Afghanistan (Nuristan) round out today's market.
History
Empress Cixi of the late Qing dynasty fell in love with California Himalaya Mine tourmaline in the 1890s and bought it by the ton — California's first export market in colored stones. Her death in 1908 and the fall of the Qing in 1912 collapsed the market overnight; the Himalaya Mine closed. Pink tourmaline only returned to popular jewelry in the late 20th century, this time as a birthstone and engagement stone.
Lore & symbolism
October's birthstone alongside opal. Pink tourmaline has come to symbolise compassion, self-love, and emotional healing — themes that fit well into modern gift-giving and Valentine's collections.
Tools to confirm this stone
Tools that help confirm Pink Tourmaline. Tap any item to jump to the matching section on the gem tools page.
- 最終確認日
- 2026年4月28日
- 参 考 文 献
- Gem Encyclopedia／ GIA (Gemological Institute of America)
- 宝石鑑別基準／ 中央宝石研究所 (CGL)
- Mineral & Gem Database／ Mindat.org / Gemdat.org
- 宝石学入門／ 全国宝石学協会
本ページの物性値（屈折率・比重・硬度・結晶系等）は、上記の権威ある一次資料を相互参照して編集しています。最新の鑑別研究の進展により値が更新される場合があります。