IT is not very often that a discovery of a new type of gemstone makes the industry jump to attention. Most ‘new’ gems are first found in such small quantities or in colours not obviously attractive that they become specimen stones for the most devout gemologists only. Yet, when the Brazilian Paraíba tourmaline was first discovered in the 1980s, the market was thrown into a complete frenzy.
This is one of my favourite stones, because it comes in so many colours: rich reds, pastel pinks, peach colours, intense emerald greens, deep blues and vivid yellows, even a bi-coloured combination of pink and green in a single crystal, known as a watermelon tourmaline. The stone is only slightly rivalled by sapphire for its variety of colours.
Tourmaline covers a group of closely related minerals, including elbaite, schorl and dravite. It has a complex borosilicate composition and a hardness of 7½, so the stones have a good durability for setting into rings. The crystals are found in many parts of the world, including Russia, Madagascar, the US, Brazil, Myanmar and east Africa.
Tourmalines tempted the Spanish conquistadors in Brazil in the 1500s, but they likely thought the green tourmaline was emerald, which is unsurprising as they were stealing all the emeralds they could find from Colombia at the time. Although Brazilian stone cutters would have recognised the different crystal shapes of tourmaline and emerald, the Spanish would not have truly known what they were holding until the scientific classification of minerals in the 1800s.
Denne historien er fra October 13, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra October 13, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
