Tourmaline and Pearl EarringsTourmaline is the technicolored dream coat of gems, there isnt another stone with a greater range of colors found in nature. Because no two tourmalines look alike, they were mistaken for other gems until the 1800s when they were reclassified as a distinct mineral species. Before that tourmalines had been confused for sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and other gems. In fact, the rubies in both the Russian and British crown jewels are now believed to be red