Can tourmaline display multiple colours?

Yes, tourmaline is pretty famous for extreme colour zoning, and it can show several different colours inside one single crystal. One of the most discussed instances is the “watermelon tourmaline”, which has a pink centre paired with a green outer rind.

Bi-colour and tri-colour tourmalines happen when the concentration of trace elements like iron, manganese, or copper shifts during the crystal growth process across many thousands of years. Stone cutters often facet these into elongated rectangular forms, or they use step-cut styles to push the colour zoning visibility even further. The clear colour borders make multi-coloured tourmalines very desirable for gem collectors and for bespoke jewellery designers.