Tourmaline is generally thought of as green, but can be almost any color, indeed some Tourmalines display two or more colors within the same crystal. Because of the naturally occurring shape, tourmalines are often cut as long baguettes, emerald cuts, or ovals. Large size Tourmalines are more relatively common compared with other gemstones, so they are ideal for large jewelry pieces. As with all gemstones, the most attractive colors and qualities are more expensive than lower qualities, and large desirable pieces are not inexpensive.

Coloration
As it is found in all spectrums of color, Tourmaline is often described as the "chameleon gemstone". It is not surprising to find a fine tourmaline that mirrors the exact semblance of other gemstones, such as emerald, ruby and sapphire. Some tourmaline crystals may even appear as crystallized rainbows with several bands of color, ranging from the most brilliant red to the deepest blue. Many refer to tourmaline as the "muses' stone", for they believe that its imaginative colors contain inspirational powers which enable the mind of its beholder to bring forth illimitable vision and creativity.