A tourmaline is a kind of gem which comes in a huge variety of colors and color combinations. According to Egyptian legend, every tourmaline passes over the rainbow as it travels up from the center of the Earth. It is here that it acquires its wide array of colors.
Ancient cultures attributed magical powers to the tourmaline, most notably the power to strengthen and lengthen relationships.
Of course, the real reason for this great variety of hues are slight variations in mineral composition between different tourmaline gems.
Gem facts brought to you by gemstone.org.
Hidden Gems of Grinnell 