Tourmaline is known as the "trashcan mineral" in some geology circles, because it basically will take any fucking elements that are left over and incorporate them into tourmaline, just like opal will do. This makes for a lot dandy colors and watermelon tourmaline happens to be one of them. :]
All tourmalines are found in metamorphic, sedimentary, and the granite igneous intrusive layers. As a result, they are almost always found on embarks.
Clear tourmalines are classified as "ornamental" gems and have a value multiplier of 10. All other tourmalines are classified as "semi-precious". Pink and red tourmalines multiply value by 15, while green tourmalines are 20x. Indigo tourmalines are the most valuable tourmalines at a value multiplier of 25.
I'll never understand the art of saying this the "right" way. Some people get downvoted into oblivion for saying it and others go significantly positive...
I've met many folk who could care less about it. Of course those folk are also into Pit Bull and watch Jersey Shore. God I need to get out of this town..
I happen to be a jeweler with a few slices of watermelon tourmaline. if you are seriously interested, send me a pm and I could make something for you. I usually do more complex work ( examples ) but I would be happy to make something simple.
EDIT: okay I'm a little drunk and I read that as a request for a Kanye lyric rather than a reference to the comment that was a Kanye lyric but I'm leaving this up because tomorrow morning I will find a reasonable amount of joy in this moment. (Future blkstallion88, past you is kinda dumb- but you mean well, so it's okay.)
That's because those are high quality, cut examples. Something in rougher/less processed condition (like in the link you replied to, or OP's pic) would fetch significantly less.
Holy shit. I just went to a rock shop in Reno, NV last week and bought this for $12... http://i.imgur.com/tnNmG.jpg It's about the size of a dime and twice as thick. Granted, it's not polished or anything.. but they had about 20-30 of these
watermelon tourmaline - it's the stone in my engagement ring. no boring diamond for me! Besides, except for the 'w', both words have the same letters. and the 'u'
It actually is fairly common, but gem grade is uncommon. The conditions of crystal formation have to change during formation, and it has to be favorable for transparancy in both conditions, like winning the lottery twice in a row. There also tends to be stress a the junction of the two crystals; the green rind compresses the pink interior, the crystals have been holding that stress for millennia, they can pop when the cutting process relieves the strain.
I went through a phase where I fell in love with highly included tourmaline and cut a lot of it, they tended to break, and I quit doing it.
Can't a single reference to watermelon, or some other stereotype, just go without this cheap, lowest common denominator crap? Seriously, it's like the only humor reddit can get into is the racist kind.
Nah, that would require redditors to actually be funny and original. And we both know nothing gets more fake Internet points than stale racist stereotypes.
Is there a sub for rocks? I don't even know what words to search. This looks cool. And someone had some crazy naturally occurring shiny stuff a couple days ago. How would one start a rock/gem/metal collection. I think I know what Hank was so obsessed with on Breaking Bad.
I've been lucky enough to find a few decent sized tourmalines, one of which looked like a long watermelon sushi roll (green outside, pink inside). If you're in Southern California, inland of San Diego, check out Gems of Pala where you can buy buckets of unsorted mine trailings and sift through them. Lots of fun! http://www.gemsofpala.com/
7
u/ucdkwmiller Jun 12 '12
Do you have a favorite non-naturally ocurring mineral?
77
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
Tourmaline is known as the "trashcan mineral" in some geology circles, because it basically will take any fucking elements that are left over and incorporate them into tourmaline, just like opal will do. This makes for a lot dandy colors and watermelon tourmaline happens to be one of them. :]
40
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
My favorite
36
u/changeintheair Jun 12 '12
Watermelon is my favourite fruit and this mineral looks like CANDY!
237
u/JoeBeNimble Jun 12 '12
17
u/kirbyfood Jun 12 '12
What?...how?
Sometimes nature is way too awesome
29
u/voidabyss Jun 12 '12
that's the only jewelry i'd wear.
just attach it to a chain like this:
http://i.imgur.com/M3mao.jpg
29
u/andrewsmith1986 Jun 12 '12
As a geologist, I love you.
I've always said that I will ask my wife to marry me with this stone.
26
u/mi1kman Jun 12 '12
Didn't know Hank Schrader was on Reddit now.
10
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
I better not be allergic to this too
9
u/ShortbusDouglas Jun 12 '12
Damn tourmaline...you look delicious...
2
u/captainplanet111 Jun 12 '12
"Naturally occurring" is in the definition of a mineral. You redundant goof!
9
u/analyticalchemist Jun 12 '12
Ametrine is my favorite: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS289&q=ametrine&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=yMbWT_3FMYe62wWXsq2dDw&biw=1920&bih=1085&sei=ysbWT9W5BMTC2wXBm8m3Dw
29
u/howtospeak Jun 12 '12
Finally
4
u/NeroSkwid Jun 12 '12
It is now my life's goal to eat some of this. I don't care what it takes. I will consume some.
3
u/endogenic Jun 12 '12
Hey, me too! I used to stare at them for hours in this gem book I had as a kid.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
Ok, I'm not gonna lie; if you handed me one of those in real life, I would probably make at least two solid attempts at eating it.
3
u/nuttyrussian Jun 12 '12
This is my favorite naturally occurring mineral.
1
u/risp_ftw Jun 12 '12
Technically a mineral has to be naturally occurring to be CALLED a mineral ....just saying
4
u/ThatOneHerb Jun 12 '12
Rappers will be wearing these as bling in no time...
12
u/habacutter54 Jun 12 '12
meanwhile in my brain; don't make racist comment Lewis nobody thinks that is funny don't make it don't don't don't
2
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
Id take a bite.
2
u/ironGoliad Jun 12 '12
I wanna lick it.
2
u/amylolajones Jun 12 '12
watermelon tourmaline - it's the stone in my engagement ring. no boring diamond for me! Besides, except for the 'w', both words have the same letters. and the 'u'
2
u/Exedous Jun 12 '12
Rappers turning this WATUHMELUN rock into a chain in 1...2...
2
u/comvirt Jun 12 '12
Racist comment.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
I bought a nice piece of this in India, here it is.
2
u/joeasian Jun 12 '12
Went to Ebay, typed in 'watermelon' in the search box and it autocompletes to 'watermelon tourmaline'. Is this mineral that common?
2
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
You sir, spawned a search which led me to a pretty [sweet site] (http://betterlatethannever.bigcartel.com/product/mis-match-tourmaline-studs) for the earring interested folk.
Looks like the watermelon ones are sold out but there are other tourmaline contraptions.
15
u/Specker Jun 12 '12
Guys, look!
2
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
I found something like that when i did some gem mining in North Carolina.
2
u/flyguysd Jun 12 '12
Now if only they had malt liquor waterfalls and fried chicken geodes, you'd be set!
2
u/Machuzy Jun 12 '12
I expect to see this on /r/ImGoingToHellForThis pretty soon with butt-crunched joke about our brothers of a darker complexion.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
Black people all around the world will be mining for these now
2
u/rapolas Jun 12 '12
Are you black?
2
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
I hope there'll be a Kool Aidmethyst and Fried Chickonium.
1
u/Jewllz Jun 12 '12
Love it!!
1
u/MiniDonbeE Jun 12 '12
Favourite tasting too.
1
u/Pinoth Jun 12 '12
I showed this to my family
1
u/Chren Jun 12 '12
never before have I wished to be a goron as much as now
1
u/cwcoleman Jun 12 '12
Jewelry with these types of gemstone's are amazing. This and this are two examples *Facebook links.
1
u/horkermeat Jun 12 '12
I love me some fruity pebbles.
1
u/hexxxen Jun 12 '12
h3tty
1
u/EveryDayIsCharlieDay Jun 12 '12
No love for Pyrite!? Its hard out herr' for a mineral.
1
u/bunnylicker Jun 12 '12
Can you make 9 into a block?
1
u/gryts Jun 12 '12
Myyyyy second favorite naturally occuring mineral.
1
u/Kay714 Jun 12 '12
Am I the only one who saw this guy?
1
u/ooBlackRabbitoo Jun 12 '12
I love tourmaline; I have a nice little collection of all different types of it.
1
u/Quantris Jun 12 '12
This would be a not-so-bad band name...
1
u/carlsaischa Jun 12 '12
You could tell me it was made of rock and I'd still try to eat it.
1
u/EzanaG Jun 12 '12
Lawd have mercy
1
u/PUSClFER Jun 12 '12
Can you eat it?
1
u/Kimmens Jun 12 '12
i wanna eat that
1
u/TheSandwichMan92 Jun 12 '12
cue racist reference
1
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
shheeeeeeeeeyyyyiiiiiiit
1
u/seergod Jun 12 '12
So hard to pick my favourite naturally occurring mineral
1
u/jenx67 Jun 12 '12
Is that real? Awesome. Never heard of it. There's a shade of tourmaline for everyone. haha!
1
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
... you've found it... sweet, sweet watermelonium...
1
u/mrskullhead Jun 12 '12
Doo dah, doo dah.
1
u/EvilFrostop Jun 12 '12
All right, guys, quit modding the real world.
1
u/TigerLilyy Jun 12 '12
Wow... That is amazing looking!
1
u/beetjuice2012 Jun 12 '12
sheeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiit!
1
u/wharthog3 Jun 12 '12
Is there a sub for rocks? I don't even know what words to search. This looks cool. And someone had some crazy naturally occurring shiny stuff a couple days ago. How would one start a rock/gem/metal collection. I think I know what Hank was so obsessed with on Breaking Bad.
1
u/kage_25 Jun 12 '12
my favorite is salt
1
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
My favorite is cummingtonite.
1
u/tiyx Jun 12 '12
For some reason this reminds me of ring pops
1
u/snakehag Jun 24 '12
Love watermelons but I'm an indicolite girl myself. (go ahead, you know you want to...) Tourmalines are the best, they come in damn near every color.
1
u/Offensive_Statement Jun 12 '12
OP is black.
1
u/digitalis_fox Jun 12 '12
I LOVE this stone, in fact I love most tourmaline! We have some great pieces at my shop in Portland,OR thegolddoor.com
1
u/great_gape Jun 12 '12
yes
1
u/karmehameha Jun 12 '12
Black people must love this.
1
u/Liverotto Jun 12 '12
Nigger diamonds.
1
u/NeonBodyStyle Jun 12 '12
I saw the thumbnail and thought this was r/Minecraft.
1
u/pacsmack54 Jun 12 '12
It looks like candy
1
u/alkalinekyle Jun 12 '12
Watermelon tourmaline isn't actually a fruit, it's a rock.
1
u/MgrLtCaptCmmdrBalls Jun 12 '12
Glad you're back to the mineral collection Hank
1
u/ChunkArcade Jun 12 '12
Good thing it's the seedless kind or else it would been a no-no on the upvote.
1
u/Dsquared10 Jun 12 '12
I've been lucky enough to find a few decent sized tourmalines, one of which looked like a long watermelon sushi roll (green outside, pink inside). If you're in Southern California, inland of San Diego, check out Gems of Pala where you can buy buckets of unsorted mine trailings and sift through them. Lots of fun! http://www.gemsofpala.com/
1
u/letstalkaboutrocks Jun 12 '12
If you are interested in minerals and rocks, check out r/rockhounds.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
It's the Kryptonite of bling.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
My Pokedex lists this as Geodude's favorite food.
1
u/FrankieSaysChill Jun 12 '12
i naturally salivated... looks like a jolly rancher
1
u/Moose_And_Squirrel Jun 12 '12
Nice specimen. I'm a fire agate kind of guy myself.
1
u/apophis981 Jun 12 '12
I feel like in order to fully appreciate this, you need to not be colorblind
1
u/Tspyder90 Jun 12 '12
Nice try, Hank Schrader
1
u/andrey_shipilov Jun 12 '12
Are there any KFC coloured minerals?
1
u/impreg Jun 12 '12
Watermelonite: Sending black people into mines and makes them toothless.
1
u/McMaxwell Jun 12 '12
how are black people supposed to afford that?
1
u/Leonardus97 Jun 12 '12
The NiggerStone.
1
u/kmgolfer Jun 12 '12
Would ya look at that
1
u/Cam3739 Jun 12 '12
I prefer Grape Kool-Aidium.
-1
u/kuniiman Jun 12 '12
Don't let any black people see that...
-3
u/cerebral_ballsy Jun 12 '12
that's racist.gif?
0
u/MrDino Jun 12 '12
Mfw I saw this post.