Some gemstones shine brilliantly in a single color while fading in others, but that’s not the case with these two gems. October’s birthstones, Opal and Tourmaline, are special in the sense that they come in a variety of equally beautiful colors and patterns. These adaptable gemstones are adaptable, but not always affordable.
When Two Colors Are Better Than One
Paraiba Tourmaline is a very expensive gemstone, but it also offers qualities not seen in Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires or any of the major stones. Paraiba Tourmaline is mainly a Brazilian gemstone found in very small quantities. It doesn’t accumulate and mines are fairly spread out, leading to difficulty extracting the precious gemstone.
It’s definitely worth the trouble though. While Paraiba Tourmaline can come in a variety of colors, it’s light blue/teal color is what it’s known for. In fact, there’s a lot of jewelry that offers red/green or yellow/red Tourmaline. Unlike imperfections in other gemstones, the colors in Tourmaline typically stay even, so the split between colors is fairly straight and the colors remain bold.
Bi-Color Tourmaline
When… Three Colors Are Better Than One?
In some cases, Tourmaline can have 3 or more colors. This is called Tri-Color Tourmaline. As with the bi-color, the colors stay very vibrant and have clear borders, a quality that only Tourmaline possesses.
Tri-Color Tourmaline
The Queen of All Gems
Of course, we haven’t forgotten about Opal either. This gemstone is well-deserved as an official birthstone because every single Opal is unique. Although that allows for more imperfections and blemishes, it also makes Opal Jewelry a bit more special knowing that yours will have it’s own look and feel.
Opal is a multi-colored gemstone, but in a different way than Tourmaline. Unlike having clean borders between the colors, Opal has ‘paint splashes’ of color. This allows for different designs and patterns. Even the stone’s main color (or “backdrop”) comes in a variety of colors, from black and blue to a pearl-like cloudy color.
Examples of Opals
Want to make your custom jewelry using one of October’s Birthstones? Call us at (720) 560-3548 or setup an appointment!