Rubellite Tourmaline

Color: Red/Purple/Pink
Moh’s Hardness: 7-7.5
Refractive Index: 1.616-1.652
Critical Angle: 38.23°
Specific Gravity: 3.02-3.26
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Uneven, small conchoidal.
Dispersion: Medium (.017)
Heat Sensitivity: Not usually a problem
Dichroic: Strong (many color variations)
Birefringence (double refraction): Medium (.014-.024)
Crystal structure: Hexagonal

Treatments: Heat is sometimes used to lighten rough and get rid of undesirable color... Radiation is used on cut stones to improve color, but it is not commonly used on rough (usually stones are cut first and then irradiate).

What I prefer to polishing with: Alumina oxide with a tin lap (scored).

Jeff's Comments: Cuts and polishes like any other Tourmaline, usually no problems... Orientation is important, go for the best color. Be careful about over saturation, stones can be dark sometimes.

Design Notes: About any Tourmaline design will work well, although I generally prefer a shallow checkerboard on darker rough. Pick a design with the correct depth for the rough you have. Light rough deep design, dark rough shallower design.

Design Links:
Signature #4 - This is good for about any rough
Easy Emerald - This is a classic and works well on poor "c" axis colored stones
Smith Bar - This is a classic and works well on poor "c" axis colored stones

Rough Links:
Tourmaline - Index of Tourmaline Rough
Parcels - Parcels of various types of Tourmaline
Parcels 2 - Parcels of various types of Tourmaline
Parcels 3 - Parcels of various types of Tourmaline
Parcels 4 - Parcels of various types of Tourmaline

Collector Tourmaline - Indicolite, bi colors, unusual & rare colors
Collector Tourmaline 2 - Indicolite, bi colors, unusual & rare colors
Special Tourmaline - Rare and unusual pieces
Huge Tourmaline - Top quality individual pieces

Chrome Tourmaline - Chrome Tourmaline
Indicolite Tourmaline - Blue, blue/green African, Brazilian
Multi & Bi Color Tourmaline - Nigerian, African, pink/green, blue/green

Tourmaline - Nigerian, various colors
Tourmaline 2 - Nigerian Tourmaline, African nodules
Tourmaline 3 - Kelly green, crystal green, Africa
Tourmaline 4 - Zambian nodules
Tourmaline 5 - Brazilian, various colors
Tourmaline 6 - Dravite, Mozambique
Tourmaline 7 - Sunset Tourmaline
Tourmaline 8 - Afghanistan Tourmaline
Tourmaline 9 - Afghanistan Tourmaline
Tourmaline10 - Schorl Tourmaline

Bargain Links:
Tourmaline Bargains
Indicolite Tourmaline Bargains

Return to Tourmaline Information Index

E-mail to inquire or order: jeff@faceters.com