Key Characteristics of Indicolite Tourmaline:

• Color: Ranges from light teal to deep blue and blue-green, often compared to aquamarine or sapphire. The most valuable stones have vivid, saturated blue with minimal green or gray undertones.

• Transparency: Typically transparent to translucent, with higher clarity stones being more valuable.

• Luster: Vitreous (glass-like).

• Hardness: 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, making it durable for everyday jewelry.

• Crystal System: Trigonal, often forming elongated prismatic crystals with vertical striations.

• Pleochroism: Strong — can display different colors when viewed from different angles (commonly blue and greenish-blue).

Origin and Rarity:

Indicolite is one of the rarer colors in the tourmaline family. It is mined in locations such as:

• Brazil (especially Paraíba and Minas Gerais)

• Afghanistan

• Madagascar

• Nigeria

• Mozambique

Metaphysical and Healing Properties (belief-based):

• Associated with the Throat and Third Eye chakras, encouraging clear communication and intuition.

• Thought to promote serenity, reduce stress, and foster deep emotional healing.

Uses:

• Popular in high-end jewelry: rings, earrings, pendants.

• Collector’s gemstone due to rarity and striking color.

• Sometimes cut into cabochons or beads for artisanal pieces.

Buying Tips:

• Look for vivid, saturated color with good clarity.

• Natural Indicolite is rarer than treated or irradiated stones — always request certification if buying high-end gems.

• Due to its rarity, larger stones (over 5 carats) can be extremely valuable.