Rubellite
General
CategoryTourmaline[1]
Identification
ColorRed, pink, pinkish, violet-red

Rubellite is the red or pink variety of tourmaline and is a member of elbaite. Rubellite is also the rarest gem in its family.[2] It is occasionally mistaken for ruby.[3] These gems typically contain inclusions.[4]

Notable countries where rubellite can be mined include Afghanistan, Brazil, Madagascar, Myanmar, Nigeria, Russia, and the United States.[4]

Name

Rubellite is named after the Latin word rubellus, meaning "reddish".[2] The word rubellite was first used in the year 1794.[5]

The gem is also called aphrite, apyrite, rubelite, or rubylite.[1]

History

Rubellite crystals were known in Europe when specimens were imported from the East as early as Roman times, however these rubellite specimens were confused with other red gemstones, such as some garnets and spinels.[6]  

Value

Rubellite is the most expensive and prized gem in the tourmaline group.[7] The most valuable specimens are colored red and lack brown.[3] Those that are of ruby color are the most valuable.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 Rubellite, Mindat.org
  2. 1 2 Oldershaw, Cally (2003). Firefly Guide to Gems. Firefly Books. p. 132. ISBN 978-1-55297-814-6.
  3. 1 2 Grande, Lance; Augustyn, Allison (2009-11-15). Gems and Gemstones: Timeless Natural Beauty of the Mineral World. University of Chicago Press. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-226-30511-0.
  4. 1 2 "Rubellite Tourmaline Value, Price, and Jewelry Information". International Gem Society. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  5. ↑ "rubellite". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-09-17.
  6. ↑ The magical world of minerals & gems Practical guide to discovering and collecting them (in Italian). Novara: De Agostini. 1993–1996.
  7. ↑ Federman, David (2012-12-06). Modern Jeweler's Consumer Guide to Colored Gemstones. Springer Science+Business Media. p. 163. ISBN 978-1-4684-6488-7.
  8. ↑ "Rubellite gemstone information". gemdat.org. Retrieved 2021-10-01.


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