Black tourmaline is schorl, the iron-rich member of the tourmaline family and the most common tourmaline there is. That is part of why I like it: an unglamorous stone that takes a deep, quiet polish. Every stone here was cut and set by hand in my workshop in Tbilisi, in sterling silver (925).

Tourmaline sits at 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale with only slight brittleness, which makes it one of the easier stones to live with day to day. Clean it with a soft brush, mild soap and warm water. Skip ultrasonic and steam cleaners: most tourmaline carries inclusions, and vibration or heat can make them expand and split the stone.

Tourmaline is a birthstone for October.

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