Tourmaline is considered a “rainbow stone”. It has unimaginable variety of colors and tones. An ancient egyptian legend explains it by stating that tourmaline had passed through a rainbow on its long journey out of the Earth’s center. Single-color crystals making up tourmaline are extremely rare.
Europe welcomed tourmaline right away, however, it hasn’t become the favorite stone. On the contrary, tourmaline, having originally arrived from India to Russia, became immensely popular. Ekaterina II was a happy owner of tourmaline jewelry weighing 255 сarat. Furthermore, this mineral was highly evaluated by french rulers and even Julius Caesar. Russian rulers would incrust tourmaline into their crowns so well-crafted that the mineral would be oftenly mistaken for ruby.
The Saint-Petersburg Mining Museum showcases tourmalines from count Lev Perovski, Minister of the Interior, private collection.
Tourmaline in albite from the collection of the Minister of Internal Affairs Count L.A Perovskiy, 1847
Tourmaline a sheaf-like aggregate from the collection of the Minister of Internal Affairs Count L.A Perovskiy, 1847
Tourmaline zonal Madagascar
Tourmaline Sarapulka, the Ural
