The most important are: rubellite ? red; indicolite ? blue; verdelite or simply tourmaline ? when green prevails. Brazil is the main source of this popular and beautiful gemstone. Designers enjoy creating unique jewelry with its array of colors.
Color: all colors. Green is the most popular; red and blue are rarer.
Tone: variable. Very dark tones are less valuable.
Transparency: greens and blues usually have no visible inclusions and the red variety usually has some inclusions.
Price structure: the beauty of each cut tourmaline will define its price. Commercial colors can cost less than US$100 per carat. Top commercial greens of 2 to 6 carats are quoted from US$100 to US$300 per carat. Very fine reds and blues can cost more than US$500 per carat. The rare neon blue Paraiba variety is priceless for its rarity.
