By Kristen Taylor Young
As summer shines brightly, nothing captures its essence quite like a slice of juicy watermelon. Nature, in its remarkable artistry, has mirrored this vibrant fruit in the stunning hues of watermelon tourmaline. This bi- and tri-color gemstone is predicted to captivate jewelry enthusiasts well beyond the summer months. Notably, tourmaline is October’s second birthstone, after opals. Here’s why watermelon tourmaline is becoming a beloved choice among jewelers and consumers alike.
Demand for the multi-color stone has increased in the last few years, confirms Kimberly Collins, owner of Reno, Nev.-based Kimberly Collins Colored Gems and president of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA). Kimberly noted that bi-color tourmaline skinny stack rings and emerald-cut bi-color chunky rings have become bestsellers. Collins sources watermelon tourmalines from Brazil and Africa. “[The gemstone] forms a cylinder, almost like a tree trunk, and it gets thicker over the course of time,” she explains. “Cutting is very important to get that explosion of colors.”
Just Jules’ owner and designer Julie Bergstein Romanenko has also noticed a shift in sentiment toward watermelon tourmalines. “I’ve always been intrigued with watermelon tourmalines,” she says, noting the multi-color gem was the first stone she ever worked with.
The Scottsdale, Ariz., boutique does extremely well with a watermelon tourmaline charm necklace featuring green-and-pink slices, hung from pave white diamond-encrusted 14k yellow gold bails on a chunky yellow gold chain; a 5.2-carat emerald-cut watermelon tourmaline set in diamonds and a 14k yellow gold shank; and a butterfly pendant called “Time Flies,” whose colorful watermelon tourmaline wings flank the inner workings of a vintage watch. “It’s a powerful, metaphysical stone,” says Romanenko. “It’s a stone that represents the heart chakra. There’s something about a person who connects to that stone.”
To find the watermelon tourmaline of your dreams, visit ags.org/findajeweler.
About the Author
Kristin Taylor Young has been a fashion editor and fine jewelry writer for more than 20
years at national publications such as Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), JCK magazine, and USA Today.
