Obsessions 2

Watermelon tourmaline. It looks like one of my other favorite stones, agate.

From Minerals.net: Tourmaline is the most varicolored of all gemstones. Scientifically, tourmaline is not a single mineral, but a group of minerals related in physical and chemical properties. The mineral elbaite is a member of the tourmaline group responsible for almost all the gem varieties. Three other members of the group -- dravite, schorl, and liddicoatite, are seldom used as gems. Dravite is brown in color, and is rarely transparent enough to be used as a gem. However, transparent stones, when found, are often cut as gems. They can be heat-treated to lighten their dark color. Schorl, which is dark gray to black, was once used in mourning jewelry, but does not have any gem use anymore. Liddicoatite is too rare to be used extensively, although its popularity as a gemstone is increasing.

From Crystalcure.com: The watermelon tourmaline is a rare variety that displays three different colors in the same crystal - green (the skin of the watermelon), pink (the sweet fruit) and white (the rind). As in the gem stone ametrine, the colors of the watermelon tourmaline occur 100% naturally. This is a rare occurence in nature.

It's pretty expensive, even on eBay and Etsy. I'm looking to incorporate both stones into some new jewelry so stay tuned!

My friend Seanpatrick has very graciously offered to sell some of my jewelry at a music festival he's going to in September. So if you're headed to moe.down look out for him - he'll be the big friendly guy hawking my wares.