Rubellite Gemstone
Introduction:
The striking Rubellite gemstone belongs to the colourful family of tourmalines. Its evocative colour ranges from deep purplish pink to purplish red and is well known for managing its colours under multiple lighting. We cannot call every red tourmaline a rubellite gem, only the most saturated ones with vivid colours are given this name. The value and prices of Rubellite stone vary from the size and quality of the gemstone. Colour is one of the essential elements of value, along with the more saturated and redder colours being the most valuable. Most rubellite stones are significantly included, eye clean gemstones are preferably valuable.
Origin and Supply
Mostly Rubellite gemstone are mined from multiple locations around the globe, mainly from Madagascar, Brazil, Afghanistan, Russia, The United States of America, Nigeria, Myanmar, Pakistan and Mozambique.
Despite sourcing it from various sites across the globe, rubellite gemstones are overall still quite rare and are more expensive than ruby. Recently many African deposits have yielded neater rubellite rough.
The name rubellite comes from the Latin word rubellus, meaning reddish. It is also a variation of the term ruby since it displays a similar fiery red colour. As a form of rubellite, it is a crystal boron silicate mineral, classified as a semi-precious stone. Since tourmalines come in such a wide range of colours, each variety does not usually tend to have its own name.
Optical Features |
Name | Rubellite |
Is a variety of | Tourmaline |
Crystallography | Hexagonal |
Refractive Index | 1.619-1.655 |
Colours | Pink to Red Range, Often Strongly Purplish, Orangish Or Brownish |
Lustre | Vitreous |
Polish Lustre | Vitreous |
Fracture Lustre | Vitreous |
Hardness | 7-7.5 |
Wearabilty | Very Good |
Fracture | Conchoidal, Uneven |
Specific Gravity | 3.01-3.06 |
Briefringence | 0.014-0.040 |
Cleavage | None |
Dispersion | 0.017 |
Luminescence | Pink, Inert to Very Weak red to Violet |
Luminescence Present | Yes |
Luminescence Type | Fluorescent |
Enhancements | Radiation And Heating |
Transparency | Transparent to Opaque |
Absorption Spectrum | Red and Pink, Broad Band in Green, Lines at 458 and 451 NM |
Phenomena | Chatoyanya, Colour Shift To Peach in Incandescent Light |
While there is a wealth of different coloured gems in the tourmaline family, rubellite is arguably one of the most exquisite stones of this group. Its colour ranges from vivid, shocking pink through a captivating violet- This gives the jewel its vibrant hues of red and means that no two stones have the exact same shade.
Rubellite Gemstone Buyers’ Tips
The hardness level of rubellite is 7-7.5 on the Mohs scale, so it is a durable stone which is harder than many other types of gemstones. Nevertheless, inferior varieties can be weaker in strength as they tend to have many inclusions which degrade their structure.
While specimens with a few fine inclusions are considered acceptable and valuable, try not to choose one that has many visible inclusions.
Rubellite stone which appears completely free of inclusions (to the naked eye) is extremely rare, so if you see such a jewel, it is more likely to be a radiated pink tourmaline or a rhodolite garnet.
Facts about Rubellite Gemstone:
- Rubellite is a very rare gemstone, unlike rubies and is justly adored for its purity and clarity. Rubellite, the name is seen to be derived from the Latin word for red, rubelles.
- 100,000 carats of rubellite stones are mined from multiple parts of the world every year.
- Rubellite gemstone is a colourful pink-red gemstone which belongs to the family of tourmaline. These gemstones are created under intense pressure depicted through the variety of colours they exhibit, ranging from shocking pink to ruby red.
- Rubellites are rarely found in Asia except for Pakistan, Afghanistan and Kirghizstan. The top producers of rubellite stone are Brazil, Madagascar and Nigeria. The rarity quotient of this gemstone drives the price tag in the market.
- Rubellite stone is a pyro-electric gemstone. It can generate an electric potential when it is heated up or cooled down. The crystalline structure is polarized when exposed to a different temperature, resulting in the generation of a voltage. Rubellite gemstone shares its property of pyro-electricity with mellite quartz, leucophanite and elbaite.
- Rubellite stones in the market are referred to as a tourmaline gemstone with glitzy pink colour. However, other shades of the gem do exist, but they are known by different names. For example, blue rubellite is called indicolite and the green ones are called verdelite. Ruby colour is the most valuable aspect of this gemstone, and that is the strongest reason why it is competing for attention with the aforementioned gems. It is also known as red tourmaline but rubellite makes it sound all the way more catchy.
- Rubellite gemstone, owing to its pyro-electric properties, greatly helps in preventing body shocks. It fairly neutralizes the adverse effect of a microwave, UV rays and visible radiations from the electronic gadgets. Nuclear scientists are advised to use rubellite gemstone bracelets in order to distance themselves from the exposure to radiation. Irradiation is the most common enhancement treatment performed on rubellite gemstones.
Healings and Astrological Benefits
Rubellite gemstone is one of the most popular gems available in the market today. This beautiful stone is believed to impart confidence strength and high self-esteem in an individual. It is most probably ruled by the sun because it is red in colour. The person wearing rubellite gemstone indeed shines like a bright sun. Wearing this gemstone can make an individual successful in both personal and professional lives. Rubellite gemstone is believed to boost the self- confidence and increases the self-esteem of an individual. The red colour of the gemstone is believed to bring new hope in the wearer's life.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is rubellite gemstone the same as pink tourmaline?
Rubellite can be termed as a variety of pink tourmaline, but it has its own name on the basis of various factors.
2. What is the significant difference between ruby and rubellite?
Ruby is a precious stone whereas rubellite is a rare semi-precious gemstone.
3. What is the hardness of rubellite gemstone?
The hardness of rubellite gemstone is measured at 7-7.5 on the Mohs scale.
4. Does rubellite gemstone belong to the family of ruby?
No, rubellite gemstone is not a part of the Ruby family.