Tourmaline Meaning: Black, Pink and Green Tourmaline Properties and Benefits

If tourmaline were a person, it would be the friend who turns up in a different outfit every time you see them and somehow pulls off every one. Tourmaline comes in more colours than any other gemstone: inky black, candyfloss pink, forest green, ocean blue, and sometimes several at once in a single crystal. Each colour has its own personality, but they all share tourmaline's steady, protective heart.

In this guide we explore what tourmaline means, the meaning of black, pink, green and watermelon tourmaline, its properties and benefits, its chakras and zodiac signs, and how to wear and care for it.

Colour	Every colour: black, pink, green, blue, red, yellow and multicoloured
Mineral	Boron silicate
Hardness	7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale
Chakras	Root (black), heart (pink and green), throat (blue)
Zodiac	Libra and Scorpio
Birthstone	October
Element	Earth
Keywords	Protection, balance, compassion, courage

What Is Tourmaline?

Tourmaline is a family of boron silicate minerals that grow in long, striped, pencil-like crystals. Its name comes from the Sinhalese word turmali, which gem traders in Sri Lanka used for mixed parcels of colourful stones. For centuries nobody quite knew what it was, and plenty of pink tourmalines sat in royal treasuries labelled as rubies.

Tourmaline also has a party trick. Warm it or rub it and it picks up a small electric charge, enough to attract dust and ash. Dutch traders are said to have used it to clean their pipes, giving it the nickname aschentrekker, or ash puller. Today it's found in Brazil, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Nigeria and the USA, and it's the modern birthstone for October.

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Tourmaline Meaning

Tourmaline is a stone of protection, balance and compassion. It's said to sort energy as neatly as it sorts dust, drawing away what you don't need and keeping you steady and centred. Where some crystals feel dreamy, tourmaline feels like a calm, sensible guardian who stands at the door so you can get on with your day. Because it comes in so many colours, it's also a stone of variety and inspiration, a reminder that you're allowed to be more than one thing.

Tourmaline Spiritual Meaning

Spiritually, tourmaline is a bridge between the earth and the heart. Darker stones are linked with grounding and shielding your energy; pink and green stones with love, kindness and an open heart. Many people use tourmaline in meditation to feel rooted and safe, and to clear away other people's moods after a busy day. It's also a lovely companion when you're trying something new and need a little courage.

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Black Tourmaline Meaning

Black tourmaline, also called schorl, is the most popular protection crystal of all. It's associated with grounding, shielding and turning heavy energy into something lighter. People keep it by the front door, on their desk or in a pocket as a little bodyguard, and it's linked with the root chakra, which helps you feel safe and steady. It sits at the top of our guide to crystals for protection.

Our black tourmaline bead bracelet is an easy way to wear it every day, and you'll find more pieces in our black tourmaline jewellery.

In short, black tourmaline stands for protection, grounding, purification, vitality, strength, balance, clarity and self-confidence.

Pink Tourmaline Meaning

Pink tourmaline is the soft-hearted one. It's a heart chakra stone of love, gentleness and kindness, especially kindness towards yourself. It's said to encourage forgiveness, self-acceptance and a warm, open heart, and it's the shade most often chosen as the October birthstone. China's Empress Dowager Cixi adored it so much that she bought huge quantities from California in the late 1800s.

Our beaded sterling silver necklaces pair a pink tourmaline pendant with complementary stones: try the pink tourmaline and clear quartz necklace or the pink tourmaline and moonstone necklace.

Green Tourmaline Meaning

Green tourmaline, sometimes called verdelite, is linked with growth, vitality and a love of nature. It's another heart chakra stone, associated with patience, fresh starts and seeing the good in people. It's a favourite with gardeners, walkers and anyone who feels most like themselves among trees.

Watermelon Tourmaline Meaning

Watermelon tourmaline is pink in the middle and green round the edge, exactly like a slice of watermelon. It brings together the love of pink tourmaline and the growth of green, and it's associated with joy, playfulness and balance between giving and receiving. Slices of it look like tiny stained-glass windows.

Other Tourmaline Colours

• Blue tourmaline (indicolite): linked with the throat chakra, for calm and honest communication.
• Red tourmaline (rubellite): a deep pink-red, linked with passion, courage and vitality.
• Yellow and brown tourmaline: linked with the solar plexus, for confidence and willpower.
• Multi tourmaline: several colours in one strand or crystal, for balance across all the chakras.

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Tourmaline Properties and Benefits

• Protection: the classic shielding stone, especially black tourmaline.
• Grounding: associated with feeling steady, safe and present.
• Compassion and self-love: pink and green tourmaline are linked with kindness to others and to yourself. See our guide to gemstones for love.
• Courage and confidence: a good companion for new starts and big days. See our guide to crystals for confidence.
• Balance: said to bring the head and heart into step with each other.

Tourmaline Chakras and Zodiac Signs

Tourmaline's chakra depends on its colour: black for the root, pink and green for the heart, and blue for the throat. It's most closely linked with Libra, a sign that loves balance, and with Scorpio, who suits black tourmaline's protective depth. As the October birthstone, it's a thoughtful gift for anyone born that month: our October birthstone guide compares it with opal, and you can find more pairings in our zodiac crystal guide.

How to Use Tourmaline

• Wear it: a tourmaline bracelet or necklace keeps its protective energy close all day.
• Keep it by the door: a piece of black tourmaline at the entrance to your home is a popular way to keep the atmosphere light.
• Use it in meditation: hold black tourmaline to ground yourself, or rest pink tourmaline over your heart for a gentle self-love practice.
• Pair it: black tourmaline with smoky quartz for extra grounding, or pink tourmaline with rose quartz for a double dose of love.

Is My Tourmaline Real?

Real tourmaline crystals usually have fine lengthwise grooves (striations) and a rounded triangle shape when you look at the end. Colour often changes along the crystal or from the middle to the edge, and many stones look a different shade from the side than from the end. Glass imitations tend to be perfectly even in colour and may contain round air bubbles. Black tourmaline is opaque with a slightly glassy shine; if it looks dull and plasticky, it's worth asking questions.

Cleansing and Caring for Tourmaline

At 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, tourmaline is tough enough for everyday wear. Clean it with lukewarm water, a drop of mild soap and a soft cloth, and avoid ultrasonic cleaners and sudden changes of temperature. Store it apart from softer stones it might scratch. Black tourmaline works hard, so cleanse it often: moonlight, sound, smoke and selenite all work well. Our guide to cleansing crystals and guide to charging crystals explain each method.

Explore more stones in our guides to obsidian, smoky quartz and rose quartz, or look up any stone in our A-Z Crystal Guide.

Every piece is cleansed, energy infused, vegan and cruelty free, and 5% of all proceeds go to Pacific Wild to help protect the Great Bear Rainforest.

Tourmaline FAQs

What is tourmaline good for?

Tourmaline is associated with protection, grounding and balance. Black tourmaline is the classic protection stone, while pink and green tourmaline are linked with love, compassion and growth.

What does black tourmaline do?

Black tourmaline is used to shield your energy, ground you and keep the atmosphere in a room feeling light. It's linked with the root chakra.

What does pink tourmaline symbolise?

Pink tourmaline symbolises love, gentleness and self-acceptance. It's a heart chakra stone and the classic October birthstone colour.

Is tourmaline the October birthstone?

Yes. Tourmaline is the modern October birthstone, alongside opal, the traditional one. Pink tourmaline is the shade most often chosen.

Can tourmaline go in water?

Yes. Tourmaline is hard and not porous, so a rinse in lukewarm water is fine. Avoid hot water and sudden changes of temperature.

Which zodiac sign is tourmaline for?

Tourmaline is most closely linked with Libra and Scorpio, the two October signs.

Can I wear black tourmaline every day?

Yes. It's hard-wearing and many people wear a black tourmaline bracelet daily. Cleanse it regularly so it keeps feeling fresh.