The Sunday Times: Issue #32

October is here and that means two things, Halloween and Tourmaline. We've got our jack-o-lanterns out, it's finally cool enough to sit out on the front porch, and it's time to celebrate one of nature's most beautiful creations - the sweet tourmaline. I think of it as a sweet gem because it reminds me so much of candy, which makes it fitting that it's the birthstone of the month most associated with the sweet stuff. In this issue I'll go over why it was my original favorite stone (before I could afford sapphires).

So pour yourself a cup of tea and get comfy.

"As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas and colours enough to paint the beautiful things I see."

- Vincent Van Gogh

MY LONGTIME LOVE

WHY I WAS FIRST DRAWN TO TOURMALINE

Some things just cannot be explained. My initial love for tourmaline, however, can easily be explained. It was the year 2020. I was at the Tucson Gem Show for the first time and I was overwhelmed with sparkle. I was walking down the aisles when I saw a table full of tourmaline and my first thought was "CANDY." It was an array of pastel colored, long bars of crystals just like Jolly Ranchers and I had to have them. I had a very small budget that first year so I was shocked to learn that I could afford to buy some of them. Unlike sapphires or diamonds, tourmalines are relatively affordable. Here is a photo of that first Tucson haul:

If you knew me or my work back then, you might recall my first collection, Primavera. It was inspired by the colors of the Botticelli painting of the same name and the tourmaline from this haul worked perfectly with my inspiration. Here is a photo of that first collection that debuted in April of 2020:

There are a few sunstones and beryls mixed in there but the most featured gem was by far tourmaline. I also did a lot of custom work back then, and tourmaline was my most requested stone from clients. Here are some of my favorite custom projects from the early days of Palm Sunday.

MY LONGTIME LOVE

Photo: MINERAL MIKE

WATERMELON TOURMALINE AND BEYOND

Also like candy, tourmaline crystals can form with multiple colors and create beautiful ombre's - the most common being the popular watermelon tourmaline that features pink, red, green and white bands of tourmaline.

Photo: AZURZ

For me, the colors that draw me closer to tourmaline lately are the teals, blue, and seafoam greens (surprise).

Photo: MINERAL MIKE

By now, you've seen this photo for Paradiso multiple times - a lot of the stones shown above are seafoam tourmaline.

One of the most striking colors of tourmaline (and representing the other end of the spectrum that I'm naturally drawn to) is black. If you're into the power of crystals, you've likely heard of the powerful protective and grounding energy of the black tourmaline.

TOURMALINE SOURCING

TOURMALINE CAN BE RESPONSIBLY SOURCED

Many of the tourmaline that I source come from ANZA gems (credit to them for the above photo). You might remember their spotlight in the Sunday Times Issue 2, but here is a quick recap- founded by Monica Stephenson, ANZA gems creates a transparent and traceable supply chain from East Africa to jewelers. They oversee every step of the journey of the rough to ensure that responsible practices are followed and that everyone involved is compensated, educated, and respected. The tourmaline they source comes from The Democratic Republic of Congo. I also source tourmaline from Ethiopia via Agere Treasures.

TOURMALINE SPOTLIGHT

UPCOMING IN PARADISO II

I want to spotlight this really special ring that is coming up in the next part of Paradiso. The rough came from The Democratic Republic of Congo via ANZA Gems and was cut masterfully by Peter Torraca. The colors and cut of this gem *really* remind me of the water here in St. Petersburg. It makes me feel tranquil every time I gaze on it.

COMING THIS WEEK

I'll hopefully be getting my wax carving back from my casters this week and will be setting the above, incredible, tourmaline. Keep a look out on Instagram for its debut.