Rubellite Meaning, Properties, Price, Healing Properties, and Uses

What Is Rubellite (Rubellite Tourmaline)?

Rubellite is the most valuable variety of the tourmaline family, whose hue ranges from purplish pink to pinkish-red. It is for this reason that rubellite was for a long time mistaken for ruby.

Rubellite Properties

The term rubellite came from the Latin word ‘rubellus’ meaning reddish, and the Greek word ‘lithos’ meaning stone. Indeed, rubellite is a general term for pink to red tourmaline stones. The best color in this variety is an especially deep, intense pink or red color. However, in nature, the hue changes greatly.

Rubellites are composed of complex silicates of borosilicate, manganese, aluminum with iron, and alkali. It can be found in metamorphic rocks, granite, and pegmatites.

Many of the rubellite properties make it a great gemstone candidate. For instance, this stone does not have any cleavage. This means that, when cut, it does not split into planes.

Thanks to this feature, rubellite can be found in any gemstone cut. It has a high refractive index, so it looks especially brilliant and glittery when cut.

The most valuable rubellite stones have a vitreous luster. This means that their shine is like that of glass. The best rubellite is translucent and especially clear, and it looks a bit like deep stained glass.

Rubellite Hardness

It’s also a very hard stone. On the Mohs hardness scale, rubellite is between a seven and 7.5. The scale measures hardness from one to 10, with 10 being the hardest. For reference, a diamond is a 10 on the hardness scale, with talc measuring at a one.

Hardness is very important in a gemstone, as softer stones are very prone to scratches and other types of damage.

Rubellite Color: Deep and Intense Pink

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You already know that rubellite is a pink-to-red tourmaline stone. But it’s important to know that every pink or red tourmaline doesn’t qualify as rubellite. Rubellite stones are only those that have an especially deep, intense pink or red color.

The most valuable stones are a very deep, wine-like red color that looks a lot like a mixture of garnet and ruby.

Not all rubellite is created equal. Those with very deep colors tend to be higher priced. But depending on your tastes, you might find that slightly paler pinks and lavender-like purples are better for your needs.

Some natural rubellite stones have imperfections. A common one, especially in deposits found in Africa, is a brownish color. You may still be able to find these stones on the market, but they tend to be significantly cheaper than varieties with a more pure appearance.

Where Is Rubellite Found?

Though rubellite is a very rare gemstone, it can be found in several locations around the world. It’s primarily found in African and Asian countries, namely Nigeria, Mozambique, Madagascar, and Pakistan.

Rubellite is also mined in Brazil, and it is occasionally found in mines in the United States, too. In the U.S., rubellite is primarily found in tourmaline mines in California and Maine.

Rubellite Price

The cost of rubellite tourmaline can vary significantly based on purity and color. Many rubellite stones have inclusions that may decrease their value. But generally speaking, unless these inclusions are especially noticeable, they do not have a very significant impact on the stone’s value.

Rubellite Price Per Carat

With that being said, the cost of rubellite tourmaline is usually between $400 and $1000 per carat. Browser tones can lower the price; the pure pinkish or purplish hues are more expensive. Rubellite price also decreases when inclusions make the stone milky or cloudy.

In addition, because most tourmaline stones come with inclusions, the quantity of clear and valuable rubellite stones is usually fairly small. Chrome tourmaline, a variety that looks similar to emerald, tends to be priced very closely to rubellite tourmaline.

Compared to other tourmaline colors, rubellite is typically the second most expensive. The most costly variety is paraiba tourmaline. These stones are incredibly bright, and many have a neon or highlighter-like quality.

Paraiba tourmaline is rare enough that the highest-quality stones (usually found in Brazil) command up to $5,000 per carat.

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Rubellite Vs Ruby

What is the difference between ruby and rubellite? The name “rubellite” sounds a lot like ruby. But interestingly enough, true rubellite is rare enough that it’s more expensive than rubies. Rubies tend to be a brighter red, and they are also much denser.

Additionally, while rubies are regarded as precious stones and rubellite is semi-precious, neither stone is necessarily “better” than the other.

Rubellite Meaning

Rubellite has been regarded as a valuable mineral since the year 1500 and it means love, harmony, and positive energy.

This symbolism might have originated from the royal story. As it goes, the Swedish King Gustav III and the empress from Russia had a relationship that had severely deteriorated.

To mend it, the king sent the empress an especially stunning rubellite stone, which was initially considered a ruby, thus the famous Caesar’s Ruby.

Rubellite Healing Properties

What are the healing properties of rubellite? Rubellite is a stone that, if used properly, has the potential to dramatically improve your mental, physical, and spiritual health. One of the greatest properties of rubellite is its ability to increase your desire to live.

1. Emotional Healing Properties Of Rubellite

More specifically, its invigorating energy will renew your enthusiasm and passion for life. If you’re a busy person who frequently finds yourself exhausted, wearing a rubellite pendant or even carrying a stone in your pocket will continually renew your life force.

If you suffer from considerable emotional pain, rubellite’s healing energy can help you, too. This stone can help you distance yourself from past pain.

That doesn’t mean it will wipe bad experiences completely from your memory. Instead, it simply means that it will help you disconnect from them enough to keep your life moving forward.

Even if past pains or traumas don’t play a major role in your life, rubellite still offers a sense of calm and well-being to your nervous system. It’s an ideal choice for taming anxiety and fear, and the quiet confidence it inspires can often help lift depression.

2. Spiritual Healing Properties Of Rubellite

As you can see, from a spiritual standpoint, rubellite’s power of renewal will keep you feeling refreshed, enthusiastic, and optimistic.

If you find yourself dealing with a constant sense of ennui, discouragement, or exhaustion, it’s one of the first stones you should consider.

Red is the color of passion and love, and if you incorporate rubellite into your daily life, you will find that you develop of sense of love and oneness with the entire world.

3. Physical Healing Properties Of Rubellite

In regards to physical health, rubellite is similarly stimulating. After all, red is the color of blood, and wearing rubellite regularly can help to increase blood flow.

That’s because it’s deeply connected to the heart chakra. It’s an excellent choice of stone if you want to encourage good general physical health.

Just as it reinvigorates your mind, rubellite can add a sense of renewed vitality to your body, too. Once you’ve worn or carried it for a while, you probably will start to notice that your hair and nails have regained strength and shine.

This stone can sometimes be used to help support the health of your reproductive system, too.

How To Use Rubellite Tourmaline?

Just like with many powerful crystals, there are seemingly endless ways to use rubellite in your daily life.

1. Place The Stone In Your Office

Some people prefer to place this stone in a certain location instead of wearing it. For instance, if your job is stressful, you may wish to place it in an office. When it’s used in this context, rubellite helps to neutralize negative energies.

It also fosters harmonious relationships and works to help balance out both aggression and passivity. The result is improved healthy communication with your coworkers.

2. Place Rubellite In Your Home

Similarly, placing rubellite in your home will ensure that your living space is both peaceful and refreshing. In most cases, you will get the best results if you place it in the southern portion of any indoor space.

3. Wear Rubellite Jewelry Or Carry The Stone

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If you’d prefer to carry rubellite’s healing energies with you wherever you go, you may find that wearing this powerful stone is the better option.

With rubellite, it doesn’t matter if the stone itself is visible to others. If you want to show it off, you can incorporate it into subtle stud earrings or make a statement with a bold pendant.

Alternatively, you can tuck a stone in your pocket or carry one with you in a purse or luggage.

4. Combine With The Healing Powers Of Other Gemstones

Carrying rubellite with other different types of stones will emphasize different qualities. For a more effective reduction in stress levels, combine it with other shades of tourmaline. This is an eye-catching combination, and it also supports an incredible balance of energies.

Alternatively, if you are primarily using rubellite to help reignite feelings of passion and love, pair it with other pink or red stones. Rose quartz and pink calcite are a couple of options that are fairly common but still beautiful.

Where To Buy Rubellite Stones And Rubellite Jewelry?

If you want to buy rubellite stones or rubellite jewelry ranging from $20-$500, you can check Etsy. You can buy rubellite jewelry like a rubellite ring, a rubellite necklace, or rubellite earrings that are affordable and of high quality and have them delivered to your house fast.

Alternatively, if you want to buy high-end rubellite jewelry ranging from $100-$2000, you can check Farfetch. They have luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, Boucheron, Cartier, Chopard, David Morris, and De Beers, and designer brands that are unique and less well-known. You can also have all the products delivered to your home.

How To Cleanse Rubellite Jewelry?

1. Cleanse With Salt

The standard way to cleanse and purify a rubellite tourmaline is to use kosher salt since it does not contain common additives such as iodine.

How do we do it? If you use large grains of kosher salt, then simply put the salt on a plate or dish and then bury the stone within the salt for about 24 hours. Reminder, it can be longer than 24 hours, but not shorter. This is very effective and can last up to 3 months with a single purification, also called 100-day purification.

If we use small grains of kosher salt instead, we need to prepare a liquid in the ratio of 10 grams of kosher salt to 500 grams of water, put the crystal into the liquid, and soak it for 24 hours. Since the small grains of kosher salt are less energetic, you can carry it for about 1 month continuously for one purification.

2. Cleanse With The Smudging Method

To be honest, this is one of the most commonly used methods. All we need to do is simply put the crystal in the room and let the smoke of essential oil, sage, or sandalwood ( please remember to use natural essential oil without added chemicals) work the magic.

3. Cleanse With Clear Water

Rubellite tourmaline and its energy come from nature, so we can also use natural methods to help cleanse and purify the stone. Place the stone in a flowing stream or river and rinse it with water for 20 minutes before drying it. If this is not possible, buy a bottle of mineral water and soak the crystal in it for 24 hours. This helps to remove the negative energy.

4. Recharge In The Moonlight

On the night of the full moon, place the crystals on a windowsill facing the moon. You can also place them outside if it is safe to do so. If needed, cover them with a glass jar or bowl to provide extra protection. Moonlight will charge the crystals overnight.

How To Care For Rubellite Tourmaline?

The first trick is to put tourmaline jewelry in the box separately from others when you don’t wear it. Do not let your jewelry rub and impact one another to avoid unnecessary damage.

Secondly, since the hardness of tourmaline is relatively high, i.e. 7-8, the stone itself is relatively brittle and fragile and is afraid of falling and crashing. Therefore, unless you are wearing a pure and flawless tourmaline, try not to wear it during exercise, to avoid breaking the gemstone.

Thirdly, it is a good habit to regularly check and repair your tourmaline jewelry in time. Go to a professional periodically to check your jewelry so to resolve any issues.

Final Thoughts

Though the general public may not hear about rubellite as much as they hear about rubies, this remarkable and valuable stone is nonetheless a great addition to any collection.

And if you primarily collect stones for their healing properties, rubellite is a must-have. Whether you wear a brilliantly cut rubellite stone or just keep one in your pocket, rubellite is sure to bring energy, health, and good fortune.

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