Tourmalinated Quartz Wide Band Ring – Size 8
This Tourmalinated Quartz came home with me at the same time as another unusual specimen, and for exactly the same reason. I saw something special in both of them and tucked them away knowing they would eventually become rings. In this one, the black tourmaline crystals gather densely along the bottom of the stone and reach upward into the clear quartz like a field of fine black grasses. Some barely leave the ground while others shoot almost completely across the stone, and all that open space above them makes the pattern even more striking.
Tourmalinated Quartz forms when crystals of black tourmaline become enclosed within quartz as the minerals grow together. Those fine black lines aren't surface markings. They're actual tourmaline crystals suspended inside the quartz. The inclusions can be scattered randomly throughout a stone, densely packed or surprisingly sparse, which is part of what makes particularly well-composed specimens so much fun to find. This one almost looks as though someone deliberately arranged every needle inside it, but nature did all of that work.
The softly squared shape gives the stone a strong, architectural feel, so I kept the setting substantial without competing with what is happening inside the quartz. My double bezel surrounds the stone with a darkened, hand-hammered border, while the wide sterling silver band is covered in individually applied silver details over a heavily textured surface. Patina darkens the recesses before the raised silver is polished back to brightness, creating the depth and contrast that has become such an important part of my metalwork.
Metaphysically, Tourmalinated Quartz combines two stones traditionally associated with complementary qualities. Black tourmaline is associated with grounding and protection, while clear quartz is associated with clarity and amplification.
✧ Gemstone: Tourmalinated Quartz (clear quartz with black tourmaline inclusions)
✧ Ring Size: 8; due to the wide band, best suited for approximately a size 7.5–7.75 finger
✧ Band Width: Approximately 12.5 mm at the front, tapering to 7 mm at the back
✧ Ring Face: Approximately 18 x 18 mm
✧ Setting: Double bezel with hand-hammered border
✧ Metal: Sterling silver with an oxidized patina
One-of-a-kind and made with care in my studio.
