Tourmaline
Buyer’s Guide

Colour

Colour is the most important determinant of value in tourmaline. Stones with bright, vivid and evenly distributed colour command the highest prices.

High-quality tourmaline typically displays:

• Intense, vivid colour
• Even saturation without visible zoning
• Strong brightness and transparency
• Absence of brown or grey overtones

Rare varieties like Paraiba tourmaline or bi-colour watermelon tourmaline are particularly prized for their unique and striking colour patterns.

Clarity

Tourmaline generally exhibits good clarity. High-value stones should be:

• Eye-clean or nearly eye-clean
• Free of fractures that compromise durability
• Transparent with strong light transmission

Inclusions are more tolerated in certain colours, especially rare or highly saturated stones, but overly included material reduces value.

Cut

Cut affects brilliance, colour display, and overall aesthetics. Important considerations include:

• Symmetry and precise facet alignment
• Correct depth for optimal light return
• Smooth, even polish
• Shape that complements colour (emerald, oval, cushion, round)

Bi-colour and Paraiba tourmalines require careful cutting to highlight colour zoning and vibrancy.

Carat Weight

Larger tourmaline stones are rarer, particularly in vivid, high-quality colours. Price increases with size if colour and clarity are maintained.
When comparing stones:

• A smaller, intensely coloured stone may be more valuable than a larger, pale one
• Large, even-coloured tourmalines are scarce and highly sought after