Chrome Tourmaline Jewelry in Bangkok

Chrome tourmaline is the greenest tourmaline there is: a deep, pure green that people often take for emerald. It comes from a small area of East Africa, it is almost always natural and untreated, and it is far tougher to wear than emerald. We set natural chrome tourmaline in 925 sterling silver and solid gold at our studio on Sukhumvit 71, Bangkok.

This page covers what chrome tourmaline is, how it compares with emerald and other green stones, how to wear and care for it, what makes a good stone, how to see the stones at our shop, and how to order one in Bangkok or anywhere in Thailand.

What chrome tourmaline is

Chrome tourmaline is a green member of the tourmaline family colored by chromium and vanadium, the same elements that make emerald green. Ordinary green tourmaline gets its color from iron and often leans olive or blue. Chrome tourmaline has none of that; its green is clean and intense.

It was found in Tanzania and Kenya in the second half of the twentieth century, and East Africa is still almost its only source. Crystals are small, so most cut stones are under one carat, and clean stones over two carats are rare.

Chrome tourmaline is almost never treated. Every stone we set is natural, chrome tourmaline included, and if a stone has had any treatment we tell you before you order.

Chrome tourmaline facts at a glance

• Color: deep pure green, from bright grass green to forest green
• Hardness: 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale
• Treatment: almost never treated
• Rarity: uncommon; most stones are under one carat
• Best for: rings, pendants, earrings and bracelets
• Care: warm soapy water and a soft brush; no ultrasonic or steam cleaners
• Price: depends on the quality and carat you choose; we quote before you order

Chrome tourmaline, emerald and other greens

Emerald is the green everyone knows. It is beryl, 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, but almost always full of natural inclusions and usually oiled to hide them, which makes it delicate. Chrome tourmaline gives a very similar green, is usually cleaner, needs no oiling and costs less.

Tsavorite is a green garnet from the same part of East Africa. It is brighter and more sparkly, and also more expensive.

Peridot is a lighter, yellowish green and costs much less. If you want a deep, cool green rather than a fresh lime green, chrome tourmaline is the better choice.

How to wear and care for chrome tourmaline

At 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, chrome tourmaline is harder than everyday dust, so it keeps its shine in a ring worn daily. It is also cleaner inside than most emerald, which makes it a practical green for a ring you never take off. Still, take it off for the gym, heavy lifting and gardening.

Clean it in warm soapy water with a soft brush, then rinse and dry. Keep it away from ultrasonic and steam cleaners and sudden heat. If it ever needs a polish or a check of the setting, bring it to our shop. Maintenance is free on jewelry we made.

What makes a good chrome tourmaline

Color matters most. The finest stones are a pure, saturated green with no yellow, gray or brown, and not so dark that they look black in dim light.

Clarity comes next. Good chrome tourmaline looks clean to the eye, which is one of its big advantages over emerald.

Cut controls how dark the stone looks. Tourmaline is darker along the length of the crystal, so a skilled cutter orients a deep green stone to keep it bright from the top.

Size is where price rises fastest. Fine stones over one carat are scarce, so a larger chrome tourmaline is a real find.

Where chrome tourmaline comes from

Almost all chrome tourmaline comes from East Africa, mainly Tanzania and Kenya, with small amounts from Madagascar. If you want to know the origin of a particular stone, ask us: we offer certified stones, and an uncertified stone can be sent to a gem lab for a report at extra cost.

How a gem lab tells chrome tourmaline from emerald

Face up, a fine chrome tourmaline and a good emerald can look almost the same, which is why the two get mixed up. A few things give it away. Tourmaline is strongly doubly refractive, so with a loupe you can often see the back facet edges doubled, especially in larger stones. Emerald shows very little of this. Turning the stone helps too: chrome tourmaline looks a deeper green along the length of the crystal and lighter across it, while the color shift in emerald is milder. Inside, emerald usually has the soft, mossy inclusions gemologists call jardin, while chrome tourmaline is often clean.

In the lab, the numbers are clear. Chrome tourmaline has a refractive index of about 1.62 to 1.64, emerald about 1.57 to 1.59, and tsavorite, the other green it gets confused with, about 1.74. Tsavorite is a garnet and singly refractive, so it never shows doubled facets at all.

Chrome tourmaline is a trade name, not a separate mineral. A lab confirms the tourmaline from its optical readings and can check what gives the green with a spectrometer, since the green can come from chromium, vanadium or both.

See chrome tourmaline at our shop in Bangkok

A deep green stone can turn almost black in dim light, and judging how dark is too dark needs your own eyes. Book with chrome tourmaline in mind and a fuller selection comes out for you, bright grass green through forest green, so you can see which keeps its glow in silver or in gold.

Walk in any time we are open, or book ahead so Yaron is there to help with the stone, the design and the metal, from 925 silver and gold plating to solid 9K, 14K or 18K gold.

Chrome tourmaline gives an emerald green with no oiling needed, so a loose stone is simple to keep. Buy it on its own without ordering jewelry, and we would be very happy to make a piece for you.

Not in Bangkok? Message us and we will send photos and prices of the chrome tourmaline we have.

Chrome tourmaline questions we get

Is your chrome tourmaline natural?

Yes. Every gemstone we set is natural, chrome tourmaline included, and chrome tourmaline is almost never treated. We are a member of the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association.

Is chrome tourmaline a good alternative to emerald?

Yes. It has a very similar deep green, it is usually cleaner inside, it needs no oil treatment and it costs less. Emerald is a little harder, but chrome tourmaline is easier to live with in a daily ring.

Why is it called chrome tourmaline?

Its green comes from chromium, with some vanadium, the same elements that color emerald. Other green tourmaline is colored by iron and looks more olive or blue.

How much does chrome tourmaline jewelry cost?

It depends on the quality and carat of the stone you choose, and on the metal. We give you the price before anything is made.

Can I buy just the stone?

Yes. You can take a chrome tourmaline home as a single loose stone. If you decide on a ring for it, a practical choice for this green, we are happy to set it now or later.

How long does a chrome tourmaline piece take?

7 to 10 working days from your order, because the stones are already here in our shop, then 1 to 3 working days for delivery inside Thailand. We also ship abroad by FedEx.

Every chrome tourmaline piece is made to order by our team in Bangkok in 925 sterling silver or solid gold, with a 3-year warranty, free maintenance and free shipping across Thailand.

Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0.