Many terms exist to designate this or that type of tourmaline, depending on its dominant color, the intensity, the distribution, the plurality of its colors, or the phenomenon created by its inclusions. The five most used and coveted varieties on the jewelry market are:

- La Rubellite: This tourmaline isRed-Red Color Intense linked to the presence of a chemical element called manganese. Professionals find it difficult to agree on the exact definition of the characteristic color of a Rubellite. However, it is clear that a tourmaline cannot be considered such if her pink is too pale or her red too dark: the rubellite remains a pink to bright red gem, the most popular shade being that is similar to a sparkling fuchsia ruby. Sometimes carved in cabochon as on the pendant Gourmandise From the creator Philippe Tournaire, she arouses desire and lust ... Her color recalls that of candies, we would almost eat it! Here is a pretty anecdote concerning this Tourmaline-Frriandise: in 1978, an unprecedented discovery forever marked the history of the Rubellite. Indeed, it was in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, more precisely in the Jonas mine, that minors have got their hands on a treasure of Rubellite never equaled: hundreds of kilos of Rubellites of quality jewelry buried in the rock! This event that has toured the world is known as "Bamburrio", which means Jackpot. It must be said that before discovering this wonder, minors discouraged by their unsuccessful 6 -month research no longer believed in the miracle! Another beautiful lesson in persistence to achieve what seems inaccessible!

- Paraiba tourmaline: Discovered in 1989 in the Paraiba State in Brazil, its color goes from electric blue, sometimes called "blue-born" to fluorescent green. This gem must largely have its vibrant color to the combination of copper and manganese. This unusual association of chemical elements is its own and allows scientists to identify it, in addition to its unparalleled color. It is the most popular of all tourmalines and the one that reaches the wildest prices. Its intense color, its rarity has a lot to do with it. Paraiba enthusiasts focus on its color and not its weight. It is infrequent to meet a tourmaline worthy of the name whose weight exceeds 2 carats! Since this discovery in Brazil, other deposits have appeared in Nigeria in Africa in 2001, with tourmalines in colors close to the Paraiba, also containing copper and manganese. This tourmaline being the eponymous gem of Paraiba State, it is difficult to speak of "paraiba" tourmaline when it does not come from the said Brazilian region. It is also sometimes complicated to assert the origin of the said gem because in Brazil as in Africa, it has the same chemical properties.

- Chromal Tourmaline:Known since the 1960s, its color goes from an intense green tinged with blue to an intense green slightly tinged with yellow. Like Brazilian emeralds, most chromiferous tourmalines are largely colorful to the chemical element called Vanadium. This gem comes mainly from Tanzania and Kenya. The less intense green tourmaline is generally called Verdelite and encompasses all the shades of green due to the presence of the iron.

- Indicolitis or indigolite: this term is used to designate blue tourmalines, in which iron is also very present. The majority of these tourmalines with green and blue tones must be of a certain caliber to show an intense color, which is not the case for chromiferous tourmalines and paraiba, which they have the capacity to combine both small caliber and vibrant color. The blue and green tourmalines come mainly from Brazil, the United States, Afghanistan and Africa.

- Multicolored tourmaline and water melon: It frequently happens that several colors are distinguished along aTourmaline crystal. This phenomenon is explained by changes in concentration of chemical elements, during the formation of the gem. A disturbing example is that of the tourmaline "water melon", commonly cut in edge, like a watermelon: the heart of the crystal is pink-red, the sustainable yellow-white and the border is green ... exactly the fruit! In addition to these five reputable varieties, we can also evoke the schörl and the cat eye, atypical tourmalines, one by its intense black and the other being a puzzle stone ... The Schörl tourmaline designates the black tourmalines in their entirety . Long used in mourning jewelry, this gem rich in iron is present in many countries ... No need to look very far, there is in the Monts du Forez, region of the regionCreator Joaillier Philippe Tournaire! So there is an intriguing phenomenon, that of the shimmering tourmaline. A cat eye then takes shape on a tourmaline carved in cabochon. This is due to a group of large inclusions in the shape of tubes, parallel to each other, which once highlighted by the lapidary give rise to this type of particularity. The cat eye of a tourmaline is often wider and disturbed than on other enigmatic gems such as shimmering chrysoberyl for example.