A minimalist sterling setting holds a raw-cut Black Tourmaline stone. Known as a stone of detoxification, and protection.
- Sterling silver pendant
- Stone: Black Tourmaline
- Color: Black
- Measures about 0.65-0.75 in height
- Each stone/pendant is unique in shape and size
Beauty isn't perfect, it's authentic. This piece is artistically created by hand where beauty and imperfections go together wonderfully. Please accept and appreciate minor imperfections and variations which are true characteristics of this craft.
design: A single raw, unfaceted black tourmaline crystal sits in a simple four-prong sterling silver setting, topped with an open cutout bail. Left uncut and unpolished, the stone's natural rough surface and irregular outline are the focus of the piece.
size: Pendant measures about 0.65-0.75 inch in height; since each stone is individually shaped, exact dimensions vary slightly piece to piece.
material: Sterling silver setting and bail; genuine raw black tourmaline stone.
features: Raw, unpolished stone left in its natural rough form, four-prong sterling silver setting, open cutout bail, one-of-a-kind stone shape and size
care: Wipe with a soft polishing cloth after wear and store separately from other jewelry; skip ultrasonic cleaners and chemical dips, which can damage the stone's natural, unpolished surface.
disclaimer: Because each tourmaline is cut and set by hand from natural rough stone, the size, shape, and surface texture of your pendant will vary slightly from piece to piece and from the photo shown.
The Story
Most tourmaline jewelry is faceted to a high shine, but this pendant does the opposite: it keeps the stone exactly as it came out of the rough, prongs bent to follow the mineral's own irregular edges rather than a symmetrical cut. That approach has become a hallmark of a specific corner of India's silver jewelry trade, where setters work stone-first, building each mount to fit the piece of rough in hand instead of ordering settings to a standard size.
Black tourmaline, known mineralogically as schorl, forms as long, prismatic crystals in granite and pegmatite deposits, often growing in radiating clusters. Its near-black color comes from iron content, and in its rough state it shows a matte, striated surface quite different from the glassy face of a cut gem. Choosing to showcase that raw texture, rather than grinding it away, is a deliberate design decision that treats the stone's geology as the ornament.
This raw-stone style sits alongside, rather than replaces, India's long tradition of precision gem-cutting and faceting. It reflects a growing appetite among both makers and wearers for jewelry that reads as mineral first and gemstone second — less about symmetry, more about the individual character of the piece pulled from the earth.
To set an uncut stone like this, a silversmith can't rely on a pre-made mounting sized to a standard gem cut — each rough tourmaline is a different shape, so the prongs are shaped and fitted by hand around that specific stone. The setter files and bends four silver prongs to grip the tourmaline's uneven edges securely without chipping it, then finishes and polishes the sterling silver bail and gallery separately, leaving the stone itself untouched. The result is a setting made to measure for one particular piece of rough, not a mold repeated at scale.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: India
- Craft Tradition: Hand-fabricated raw-stone silver setting
- Ideal For: Someone who prefers raw, minimalist gemstone jewelry over polished, faceted stones
- Wear It With: Wear it alone on a simple chain for everyday texture, or layer it with finer pendant chains for contrast against its rough, matte stone
- Purpose: Everyday wear, layering piece, gifting
- Gemstone: Black Tourmaline
- Metal: Sterling Silver
Black tourmaline (schorl) is an iron-rich boron silicate that crystallizes in long prismatic formations within granite and pegmatite. Left raw, as it is here, it shows the striated, matte surface of natural mineral growth rather than a faceted gem's polish. It's also one of the most widely worn stones in folk gemstone traditions, long associated with grounding and protection — associations we mention as cultural context rather than a claim about the stone's effects.
Questions & Answers
Will my pendant look exactly like the one in the photo?
Not exactly. Since each tourmaline is left in its natural raw form, the shape, size, and surface texture of your particular stone will vary somewhat from the photo, though it will share the same rough-cut character.
Is the stone treated or enhanced in any way?
No. The tourmaline is left in its natural raw state, uncut and unpolished, and only cleaned to remove surface debris before setting.
Does this pendant come with a chain?
The pendant has an open bail sized to fit standard-width chains, so you can pair it with a chain length and style of your choice.
How should I clean and store it?
Wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth after wearing and store it away from other jewelry to avoid scratches; avoid ultrasonic cleaners and harsh chemical jewelry dips, which can affect the stone's raw surface.
Why does the stone look rough instead of polished?
That's intentional — the tourmaline is set exactly as it came out of the rough, so its natural, unfaceted surface and irregular outline are part of the design rather than a flaw.
