Digging Up Rubellite

Thanks a lot Dutch. Seriously, thank the Dutch East India Company for trekking back to the Netherlands with boatloads of Sri Lankan gemstones as 17th century souvenirs. Europe fell for all colors of tourmaline, and especially the rosy pink toned variety we call Rubellite.

The stone is not that easy to recover either. Tourmalines like to grow in tough deposits of igneous rocks, and pegamite. Think marble and granite to get a better sense of the durable terrain that harbors the pretty looking tourmaline. Elongated crystals of this material are consistent with its growing environment. Pegmatite veins--or long running tubular regions underground are the perfect climate to allow mineral rich fluids to develop into the sought after colored gemstones we covet.

Thankfully, rough and tumble brawny chaps like to dig deep in the dirt and harvest these gems, while creative jewelry designers like to transform them into guilty pleasures for jewelry lovers everywhere.

Spied earlier this week at the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas was award winning singer Hillary Scott looking right at home in Sutra's divine rubellite and gold tear drop pendant earrings. Sutra deftly weaves precious rubellite gems into artfully crafted designs that appear to made in another time yet wear effortlessly on the modern woman.

18K yellow gold and rubellite tourmaline earrings by Sutra. Courtesy: D'Orazzio & Associates