Black Onyx and Tourmaline Gemstone Jewelry Crystal Fidget Pendant

Reference id: Y9YqU31TAXg 11920

Pendant of a polished black onyx stone over a rough black tourmaline schorl crystal in a 925 silver plated setting with spinning fidget beads and a tube bail.

Measures 2 3/8 inches long and 1.5 inch wide.

Tourmaline History

Tourmaline holds a special place in the hearts of jewelry designers and gemstone enthusiasts. All possible color combinations imaginable are embodied in this gemstone. It is believed that tourmaline is found in all these colors because it traveled along a rainbow and shone in all the rainbows colors.

Tourmaline was known for centuries by the name schrol, but the name tourmaline comes from the Sinhalese (Sri Lanka) words tura mali meaning "unknown gemstones of mixed colors." Colored tourmaline crystals would be grouped together in tura mali parcels in Sri Lanka and exported to Europe in the beginning of the 18th century.

Tourmaline displays a greater range of colors than almost any other known gemstone. The most common color available is black, but every color of the rainbow can be found. There is a tourmaline color that can mimic almost any other gemstone. This is why it is one of the most interesting gems to gemologists and jewelry designers. At one time, red tourmalines were thought to be other gemstones! Many stones in the Russian Crown jewels from the 17th century--once thought to be rubies--are actually tourmalines.

Tourmaline is renowned as the gem of sensitive poets and creative artists. (Shakespeare even had a small collection of tourmaline jewelry to help him overcome writers block.) Tourmaline is believed to inspire creativity and was used extensively as a talisman by artists and writers from the Renaissance through the Victorian Age.

The rarest member of the tourmaline family is the pink tourmaline. In fact, it is even rarer than a ruby! The Empress Dowager Tzu-hsi (tzoo-she), the last Empress of China, adored and avidly collected pink tourmaline. During her lifetime, she bought nearly a ton of it from the Himalaya Mine in California, USA. When she died, she was laid to rest among all her jewels, and her head was set upon a prized pillow of carved pink tourmaline.

When heated or rubbed, tourmaline acquires an electric charge and attracts small objects like dust, ashes and other lightweight objects, much like amber. This phenomenon is called piezoelectricity (pay-zoh-electricity), and it is considered a unique property. The first documented record of piezoelectricity is in the early 18th century.

In addition to its use in jewelry, tourmaline has been employed in pressure devices because of its piezoelectric properties. It has been used in sonar apparatus and other devices that detect and measure variables of pressure, too.

Because of its electric charge capabilities, the demand for tourmaline increased during WWII for the production of pressure sensitive gauges for submarine sonar instrumentation as well as other war equipment that became significant.

Metaphysical Properties

Black Tourmaline repels negative energy. It is suggested to carry this stone when you feel surrounded by negativity, and it is great for use in times of crisis or extreme stress. It will protect the wearer until they are strong enough in on their own power by breaking through old patterns and fears and cultivating inner wisdom, courage, stability and patience.

Geological Properties

Though tourmaline has been found in parts of Africa and Europe, the most prominent mine locations are established in North and South America.

Tourmaline comes in a wide family of varieties. The red colors are called rubellite and blue colors are indicolite. Other colored tourmaline names are verdite for greens, dravite for browns, achroite for the rare colorless tourmalines, schorl for the most common blacks and paraiba for a particularly rare vivid green variety.

Different colors of tourmaline are often confused with different gemstones. A few of these gemstones are iolite, topaz, citrine, amethyst, spinel, ruby, emerald, smoky quartz, aquamarine and tsavorite garnet.

**Please note that all metaphysical or healing properties listed are collected from various sources. This information is offered as a service and not meant to treat medical conditions.