Vintage Sterling Silver Tourmaline necklace with 252 Bi-Colour Tourmalines

I came across this stunning necklace and fell in love with the colours. Little did I know, those weren't just plastic beads. The 'beads' (stones would be more appropriate) are Tourmaline. The history of tourmaline is actually quite interesting...

Tourmaline is classified as a semi-precious gemstone, like aquamarine or onyx. However, the properties of tourmaline make it fairly unique and useful, especially when it was first brought over to Europe, in the early 1600s by the Dutch East India Trading Company. In 1604, an English expedition was sent to explore the southern Indian regions, including Java and Sri Lanka. This was the first 'discovery' of brightly-coloured tourmalines and fed a great demand for exotic stones throughout Europe. They come in a multitude of colours and shades and were hugely successful.
This isn't, however, what makes the gems so interesting. The crystal was once called the 'Sri Lankan Magnet' due to its pyroelectric properties. Although slightly complicated to explain, suffice it to say that the gems actually hold an electric charge. They could gain or lose a temporary charge when heated or cooled. The Dutch used this process to remove debris from their Meerschaum pipes because ash and dust would stick to it. In the 19th century, chemists and later, physicists would use tourmaline crystals to polarize light (basically, it means the light vibrates on a single plane to make the behaviour more predictable).
There is even some anecdotal evidence that the charge held by these crystals promotes mental health. The Romans used these stones for their relaxing properties of inducing tranquil sleep, calming the mind and relaxing the body. They have an immense history of use by shamans in Africa, Native American and Aboriginal tribes as well as extensive South American use. Even today, they are said to reduce anxiety and stress. It's a beautiful and very interesting gemstone.

The pendant (measuring 5.5 cm x 5.5 cm) and all metallic parts are sterling silver. Although the back of the pendant is stamped '925,' I tested the metal pieces, myself, to confirm. They are beautifully intricate. It has a toggle clasp with 3 sizes. The necklace is divided into 4 strands, in between large silver 'beads.' There are 2 such sections on each side and the necklace. Each group of 4 strands of tourmaline is divided with tiny silver dividers to make colour groupings... I wish I could explain it more clearly. It's just stunningly made.
There are 252 tourmalines, all of which are hand-carved and shaped. Each one is ever-so-slightly different and impeccably done. The pictures don't do the colours justice. The detail on the pendant is superb. Although I don't have a history of this particular piece, I would hazard an educated guess at a South American origin. Brazil is one of the world's leading miners and suppliers of brightly-coloured tourmaline, so it seems appropriate that the piece would originate from near there. A little digging into the history of the original owner showed some extensive South American travel during the 60s and 70s, so we can assume this piece hails from then.

Measuring 49 cm in length, it is a simply stunning piece of jewelry with the added benefit of a calm mind. Who wouldn't want to look AND feel good?

As always, should you have any questions or comments, I'm happy to return messages by end of day, at the latest.

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