A natural stone, tourmalines are some of the most common stones in the crystal healing community. However, among the different colors of tourmaline, there’s the watermelon tourmaline. It is an all-natural,bi-color stone of the tourmaline family.
All crystals in the tourmaline family are mixed crystals of aluminum boron silicate. They also contain particular elements like potassium, lithium, sodium, manganese, and iron. Although tourmaline was first discovered in Brazil, it was initially confused with emeralds. It was not until the 19th century that this gem was classified as tourmaline.
In the modern world, geologists have divided tourmalines into 11 different species, depending on their chemical composition and properties. Elbaite is the name given to the most colorful members of the tourmaline family. This is where the multi-colored watermelon tourmaline falls.
The term tourmaline is from the Singhalese phrase “tura mali”. It means “stone mixed with vibrant colors”. The prefix “watermelon” refers to the unique color combination of these crystals.
With a dark to light green outer ring and pinkish to red core, separated with a light pink or white color, it resembles the fruit of the same name. The watermelon tourmaline is a relatively durable stone for jewelry pieces while its eye-catching and distinctive colors mark it out as a favorite with designers.
Meaning
Featuring 3 different colors, the watermelon tourmaline is sometimes referred to as “the gateway to inner self” or the “master heart crystal”.
Watermelon tourmaline encourages compassion for others and for yourself while enhancing innate healing abilities. It also helps in removing any blockages. This process helps relieve stress and increase self-confidence, sympathy, and empathy. Any insecurities and overactive emotions melt away. Then, it provides a clear purpose and meaning to one’s life.
Watermelon tourmaline is regarded as a strongly protective stone. It provides a combination of both male and female energies that bring balance and harmony to the chakras. Not only that but this stone is also believed to put the heart chakra in touch with physical and spiritual vibrations. This helps inspire creativity and practicality.
Watermelon tourmaline leads to love. If you are single and looking for “the one”, then this crystal wits colorful combination helps attract love or even helps you find your soulmate. It clears your aura so that more positive love energies can flow into your life. This also clears whatever negative feelings or thoughts that prevent love energies to flow freely.
Watermelon tourmaline also brings resolution to issues within existing relationships. Especially if these problems are related to your and your partner’s peace and happiness. It allows you to be more understanding, forgiving, and patient, instilling your love life with divine joy and love. It encourages you to look beyond the material and superficial things and helps you focus on the things that really matter.
It provides motivation and inspiration to work on your goals. Just like the vibrant colors in the watermelon tourmaline, it provides a vibrant light to help you with all issues of abundance and prosperity. So, you can achieve your dreams in terms of wealth and money.
The colorful energies of this crystal also motivate creativity. With its bright hues, apprehensions and fears have no place in your life, that help you stay confident and boost your wealth and luck. It will help you move on with your art or any work projects that require creative thinking while removing any kind of unhealthy distractions.
With its natural form, this crystal helps you speak the truth with compassion, clarity, truth, and kindness. It prevents you from misjudging or spreading malice against others. Also, it allows you to accept your real self and the true nature of others. It inspires you to have beautiful hearts that forgive and honor love always.
Tourmaline is also a shaman stone. It brings protective energies during rituals. This very stone can be used for scrying and is traditionally used to point the way ahead.
Watermelon tourmaline is not only beneficial for humans. It also has a strong affinity with divine energies and is highly beneficial for plants and gardens. This colorful crystal acts as a natural insecticide that you can place near windows and doors. It also helps encourage the growth and good health of all plants if buried in the garden.
Properties
Physical Properties
Watermelon tourmaline is a rare and unique kind of tourmaline. It displays pink/red, green, and white colors naturally within the same crystal. This brings to mind the watermelon fruit.
The crystal is a variety of quartz which belongs to the mineral class of silicates. It exhibits a trigonal crystal system with a Moh’s scale hardness of 7 – 7.5.
Watermelon tourmaline belongs to the Elbaite class which features beautifully varied colors. It is translucent to transparent and is highly prized as gemstones and mineral specimens. And like any crystals in the elbaite group, it is a sodium lithium aluminum borosilicate hydroxide mineral.
The most desirable Watermelon tourmaline displays intact rings in 2 shades of green that surround that hot pink core. This kind of gemstone is usually called “true” watermelon tourmaline.
However, watermelon tourmaline can also be found in other combinations of color. For instance, a reverse watermelon with pink outer rings and a green core or tones of rare blue tourmalines. Also, tourmalines usually feature several inclusions that some people may confuse as cracks or flaws.
Watermelon tourmaline is typically found in smaller sizes, weighing a maximum of 3 carats. Genuine stones in bigger sizes of over 4 carats are rarely found and are extremely valuable.
Watermelon tourmalines, like any other crystals in the tourmaline family, are considered pleochroic. This means that the crystal looks darker in color when viewed down on its long axis than when looking at it from the side.
This property goes beyond the idea that the gem is just thicker in the direction. Even the equally dimensioned watermelon tourmalines will demonstrate this trait.
In addition, watermelon tourmalines are also piezoelectric. This means that when it is heated or compressed, a different electrical charge will form at opposite ends. On the other hand, if an electrical potential is applied to it, it will result in static electricity effects. You can get the same effect when rubbing the crystal.
Metaphysical Healing Properties
Physical Healing
Watermelon tourmaline is a great addition to your medicine kit or bag. It is believed to help and alleviate several symptoms of mental or physical ailments.
Watermelon tourmaline is known to help boost immune system functioning as well as treat symptoms of hyperactivity. It is also beneficial in treating cardiovascular disorders. Also, it ensures the proper functioning of the endocrine system as well as the good health of your body.
Watermelon tourmaline also boosts your metabolism for faster weight loss and helps in alleviating pains. It is said that when this stone is placed upon the ailing or injured part of the body, it slowly relieves the pain and accelerates the recovery process.
This bright crystal is also used to eliminate any tension in the body, and remove blockages. This helps boost your overall physical energy so you can do more throughout the day.
Its healing energy even helps with easing the symptoms of paranoia and hysteria. All kinds of tourmalines are believed to balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain as well as the female and male energy within the body. This helps in a good spinal adjustment, improves eye and hand coordination and possibly helps treat dyslexia.
This colorful crystal is also believed to help in the fast regeneration of the nerves and muscles. This helps alleviate the symptoms of arthritis as well as sclerosis. It even helps strengthen the brain, heart, lungs, and intestine.
Since all tourmalines are piezoelectric, the watermelon tourmaline helps shield you from the negative effects of electromagnetic radiation caused by cellphones, computers, and other electronic devices.
For those who frequently experience nightmares or even sleepwalking, a watermelon tourmaline placed under your pillow can be beneficial, Since all tourmalines contain traces of iron, this colorful crystal fight nightmares and allow you to have more peaceful and restful sleep.
Also, it transmutes negative energy to positive ones, improving the overall vibration of the air. This helps you sleep better so you wake up more refreshed.
Heals and Balances Your Chakras
Also, like any other tourmaline crystal, a watermelon tourmaline allows you to balance your chakras. With this tone in hand, you’re able to relieve any symptoms of ADD or ADHD. It helps reduce the desire to be overly possessive, craving for manipulative behavior, or continual excitement.
Watermelon tourmaline is considered to be a great activator of the heart chakras as well as higher heart chakras. Its pink and green colors represent the colors of the heart. If the heart chakra is out of balance, it causes sudden bursts of jealousy, anger, or blaming others for any issues that may arise in your life. This will lead to constant confirmation of self-worth, lack of compassion for others or feeling unloved.
With a watermelon tourmaline in hand, it brings color to your life and allows you to connect the lower chakras with the higher chakras and achieve homeostasis.
Watermelon Tourmaline In Jewelry Uses
Watermelon tourmaline is a particularly beautiful and durable crystal that offers great versatility in designer jewelry. You can use it for casual wear or pair it with your most formal dress or clothing.
It can be used in rings, bracelets, and earrings. However, since it is believed to work on your heart chakras, most jewelers embed watermelon tourmaline in necklaces or pendants. These pieces of jewelry allow you to place the crystal close to your heart so you can benefit from its healing properties.
Watermelon Tourmaline is usually cut into beads to fit bracelets and earrings or cabochons, and a flat back with a rounded dome to fit in pendants and rings.
In addition, watermelon tourmaline is also sometimes cut into a unique butterfly wing shape. This is an unusual cut that few gems are cut into. However, this cut is mostly used as pendants and necklaces.
If you are searching for a piece of jewelry with Watermelon tourmaline, then it is important that you know what to look for.
A piece of jewelry embedded with watermelon tourmaline may look stunning when on display in stores or photographed. However, this is because the crystal allows light to pass through and highlights the color variation.
But, when worn, the jewelry with watermelon tourmaline can block the ability of light to pass through. This makes the jewelry piece look plain and boring.
For instance, when set into rings, a watermelon tourmaline looks best and shiny when set in a raised setting that allows light to pass behind the crystal.
Thus, it is crucial that you get watermelon tourmaline jewelry from a provider who often works with this rare crystal in their design and knows how the crystal should be set to showcase its color properly.
Also, when buying watermelon tourmaline jewelry, you need to look for gems with obvious cracks. Tourmalines are crystals with several natural inclusions, so it can be difficult to differentiate between a crack and inclusions. It is best to feel the surface of the gem for any flaws, looking at it under strong lighting.
A piece of jewelry with watermelon tourmaline can provide an excellent investment piece that you can pass down through generations. It is a great talking piece that attracts interest from both crystal lovers and jewelers alike.
Where Does Watermelon Tourmaline Come From?
This special kind of Tourmaline was first discovered in a mine in Newry, Maine. Now, it can also be found in Brazil, Australia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Madagascar, and Nigeria.
By far, Brazil is known to have the finest watermelon tourmalines, specifically around the Minas Gerais region. It is where a large pocket of high-grade watermelon tourmaline was found in the 1970s.
How Much Is Watermelon Tourmaline Worth?
Unlike other tourmaline boasting solid colors like black or blue, bi-color tourmalines like watermelon tourmaline have higher price tags.
In particular, watermelon tourmalines which feature vivid and clearly separated colors are rare and command a higher price tag. Clean stones with good crystals in the 4 – 7-carat range, with a good and even distribution of each color, can fetch between $500 and $00 per carat.
In addition, watermelon tourmaline crystals can be opaque or transparent. The latter commands the highest prices. However, opaque ones with perfectly intact rings and features a bright pink core also fetch just as high, regardless of how opaque it is.
Furthermore, watermelon tourmaline that is cut into a butterfly wing shape is particularly hard to find. This is because tourmalines are particularly difficult to cut and a butterfly wing cut is an unusual and hard cut. This makes butterfly wing-shaped watermelon tourmaline highly valuable.
Lastly, the value of genuine watermelon tourmaline crystals has increased significantly in the past few years. This is because mines have become depleted and these beautiful rare gems become harder to find.
Where to Buy Watermelon Tourmaline?
Usually Etsy or Amazon is a good idea. Etsy is the leading online global marketplace of handmade, vintage, and creative goods. Amazon is one of the largest global online marketplaces. Both of them are reliable and easy to find your favorite items there.
How to Identify Watermelon Tourmaline?
As its name implies, a watermelon tourmaline features banded colors that resemble a ripe slice of watermelon. The pink or reddish center is surrounded by a rim of green color, usually separated by a sliver of white or pale pink. The brightly colored areas can also occur at either end of the stone.
In addition, watermelon tourmalines tend to form with distinctive triangular shapes. They also have highly polished back and front with rougher edges. Water tourmalines are not color-enhanced or even dyed. They are found in such intense natural colors.
Also, their complex structures make watermelon tourmalines very difficult to cut. A great deal of expertise is needed in order to identify the areas of tension within the stone. Otherwise, it could crack during the cutting process
How to Use Watermelon Tourmaline?
Watermelon tourmaline can be worn as jewelry in order to keep its supportive and loving energies close to your personal auric field. You can wear it in form of rings, earrings, and bracelets. However, wearing it as a necklace close to your heart is the most effective way to benefit from its healing properties.
In addition, watermelon tourmaline can be kept around your workplace or home. Its healing ions can help protect you from the negative effects of electromagnetic radiation caused by cell phones, computers, and other electronic devices.
It is also great to keep a piece of this stone in your work area where you can come up with new work and ideas for your projects.
You can also use this stone when meditating. Watermelon tourmaline offers strong stabilizing and grounding energies that keep your mind light and clear. You can even place it on your night table or under your pillow in order to promote relaxation and deep sleep. This should keep all nightmares away and encourage lucid dreaming.
How to Cleanse Watermelon Tourmaline?
There are several ways to cleanse a watermelon tourmaline to bring back its shine and strengthen its healing properties.
The most common way is to bury it completely in a concentrated form of salt. Leave it overnight or just a few hours. Or you can soak it in salt water overnight. Just make sure that the crystal is not vulnerable to water damage.
A dull watermelon tourmaline can also be revived by placing it in a glass bowl full of spring water and a few drops of Crap Apple Bach remedy. You should allow it to sit for a day or sage the stone to cleanse the crystal and remove all negative energy.
To recharge a watermelon tourmaline, you can place it under the light of a Full Moon or in direct sunlight on a clear, sunny day. The stone’s vibrational energy should be recharged and activated again. so you can start benefitting from its excellent energy again.
The Best Combination to Use With Watermelon Tourmaline
Watermelon Tourmaline can be combined with various crystals and stones in order to enhance its powers and benefits.
All kinds of tourmaline crystals harmonize really well with Labradorite, Smoky Quartz, Sodalite, Hiddenite, and Obsidian.
You can use it with Phantom Quartz, Rainbow Quartz, Botswana Agate, Rutilated Quartz, or Howlite in order to increase your creativity.
If you want to let go of emotional trauma and issues, you can pair it with Lithio Laser Crystal, Black Diopside, Rose Quartz, Petalite, Dioptase, and Bridge Crystal.
It is an open stone so it is ready and can work well with other stones that you might already have in your collection. So, do not feel limited to just the crystal we’ve mentioned here.
A gentle but direct approach to see if it is compatible with a specific crystal is to hold it in one hand and stretch it towards the stone you want. If the stone in your hand warms up or gives a tingling sensation, then there is a good chance that the stones are compatible.
Final Words
Watermelon tourmaline is a very interesting bi-colored elbaite variety of the tourmaline family. Usually, they are fashioned and shaped in thin polished slices in order to exhibit the crystal’s vivid and bright color rings.
Unlike other plain crystals subjected to different processes in order to be stunning, the colors are 100 percent natural. It is a rare occurrence in nature that makes it highly sought after and collected by avid jewelers and gem collectors.
Other than its breathtaking natural form, watermelon tourmaline also provides metaphysical healing and spiritual properties, particularly with any issues with the heart and emotions.
It helps in balancing your heart chakras, finding and promoting inner self-awareness, releasing negative emotions, and allowing you to live a wonderful life based on compassion, forgiveness, and love.
All of this makes the watermelon tourmaline a must-have for the crystal healing community.
