Sherry Tourmaline
Dravite/Elbaite, Na(Mg,Li,Al)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4
A warm sherry-brown to orange-brown tourmaline, usually magnesium-rich dravite, named for its rich fortified-wine color.
- Mohs hardness
- 7-7.5
- Color
- warm sherry brown to orange-brown
- Type
- gemstone
Got a rock like this?
Identify any rock from a photo, free.
Overview
Sherry Tourmaline is a trade name for brown to orange-brown tourmaline evoking the color of sherry wine, slightly warmer and more orange than cognac stones. It is most often dravite, the magnesium-rich tourmaline species, though some elbaite shows similar hues.
The warm, glowing color and good transparency make it attractive for earth-toned jewelry, and it is sometimes compared to sherry-colored topaz and citrine but with tourmaline's characteristic optics.
Durable, pleochroic, and well-suited to faceting, sherry tourmaline rounds out the warm end of the tourmaline color spectrum.
Formation & geology
Sherry Tourmaline, as dravite, typically forms in magnesium- and boron-rich metamorphic rocks and metasediments, and in some pegmatites. Iron and titanium in the structure create the warm brown to orange-brown coloration.
Where the tourmaline is elbaite, it forms in granitic pegmatite pockets. Mild heat treatment is occasionally used to refine brown and orange-brown tones.
Sources include Tanzania, Kenya, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Australia, and other dravite and elbaite localities worldwide.
How to identify it
Identify sherry tourmaline by its warm orange-brown color, vitreous luster, white streak, and hardness of 7-7.5. Distinct pleochroism shifts the tone between lighter orange-brown and deeper brown as the stone is rotated.
Crystals are striated prisms with rounded triangular cross sections.
Look-alikes include sherry topaz (perfect cleavage, different optics), citrine and smoky quartz (weaker pleochroism), hessonite garnet (singly refractive, granular included texture), and brown zircon (strong doubling). Tourmaline's striations and pleochroism are key separators.
Uses & significance
Sherry Tourmaline is used in jewelry as a warm, autumn-toned gem, set in rings, pendants, and earrings that pair beautifully with yellow gold. It is an affordable choice among warm-colored gemstones.
Included material becomes cabochons and beads, while well-formed dravite crystals are sought by collectors.
Metaphysically, warm brown tourmaline is associated with grounding and stability; these are traditional associations rather than scientific facts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between sherry and cognac tourmaline?
Both are warm brown tourmalines; sherry tends to be more orange-brown while cognac is a deeper, redder brown. The distinction is a trade color description.
What species is sherry tourmaline?
It is most often dravite, the magnesium-rich tourmaline, though some iron-bearing elbaite can show similar sherry tones.
Is sherry tourmaline treated?
Sometimes mild heat treatment is used to refine the color; the result is stable. Many sherry stones are also natural and untreated.
How can I tell it from sherry topaz?
Topaz has perfect cleavage and different optical properties, while tourmaline shows lengthwise striations, strong pleochroism, and no easy cleavage.
Sherry Tourmaline guides
In-depth guides for identifying, valuing, and understanding Sherry Tourmaline.
Sherry Tourmaline identified by the community
Real specimens identified with Rock Identifier.
Other rocks you may enjoy
Tri-Color Tourmaline
Mohs 7-7.5
Cat's Eye Pink Tourmaline
Mohs 7-7.5
Yellow Labradorite
Mohs 6-6.5
Mintabie Opal
Mohs 5.5-6.5
Golden Emerald
Mohs 7.5-8
Yowah Nut Opal
Mohs 5.5-6.5 (opal); ~5.5 ironstone
Rainbow Opal
Mohs 5.5-6.5
Morganite
Mohs 7.5-8
Blue Beryl
Mohs 7.5-8
Shell Opal
Mohs 5.5-6.5
Lemon Tourmaline
Mohs 7-7.5
Chocolate Garnet
Mohs 6.5-7