I bought this stone on my last trip to Mogok Burma Hardness: 7

Origin: Bumra

Treatment: None

TOURMALINE BIRTHSTONE FOR OCTOBER.

Tourmaline is a crystal silicate mineral compounded with elements such as aluminium, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, or potassium. Tourmaline gem stones come in a wide variety of colors.Tourmaline has a variety of colors. Usually, iron-rich tourmalines are black to bluish-black to deep brown, while magnesium-rich varieties are brown to yellow, and lithium-rich tourmalines are almost any color: blue, green, red, yellow, pink etc. Rarely, it is colorless. Bi-colored and multicolored crystals are common, reflecting variations of fluid chemistry during crystallisation. Crystals may be green at one end and pink at the other, or green on the outside and pink inside: this type is called watermelon tourmaline. Some forms of tourmaline are dichroic, in that they change color when viewed from different directions.

Type 1 Gemstones

The following gemstones are typically inclusion free, even minor inclusions detract from their value.

Diamond, Amethyst, Beryls(Aquamarine,Morganite), Citrine, Smoky Quartz, topaz, Chrysoberyl, Kunzite, Tanzanite, green Tourmaline, and Blue Zircon

IF Internally flawless under extreme magnification (Very rare)

F Flawless

VVS Minute inclusions under 10x; invisible to the unaided eye

VS Minor inclusions under 10x; usually invisible to the unaided eye

SI1 Noticeable inclusions under 10x; usually visible to the unaided eye

SI2 Noticeable inclusions under 10x; usually quite visible to the unaided eye

I1 prominent- moderate affect on appearance or durability

I2 prominent - severe affect on appearance or durability

I3 prominent- severe affect on beauty, transparency or durability

Type 2 Gemstones

Gemstones that normally have small inclusions that do not detract from value.

Alexandrite, Andalusite, Iolite, Peridot, Rhodolite, Ruby, Sapphire, Spinel, Tourmaline, Garnet, Amethyst, Red Zircon, Tsavorite; Blue, Orange, Purple, Fluorite.Yellow and Parti-colored Tourmaline

F Flawless

VVS Minor inclusions under 10x; usually invisible to the unaided eye

VS Noticeable inclusions under 10x; often invisible to the unaided eye

SI1 Obvious inclusions under 10x; visible to the unaided eye

SI2 Obvious inclusions under 10x; very apparent to the unaided eye

I1 prominent - moderate affect on appearance or durability

I2 prominent - severe affect on appearance or durability

I3 prominent - severe affect on beauty, transparency or durability