I think bi-color gemstones are absolutely gorgeous. Here are three of them - I'll save fluorite for later. It does come in two colours but more importantly, it can come in several colours in a single piece.

Two are particularly costly but luckily for us beaders, there are many imitation glass beads. I hope that some of you will be inspired by these gemstones to incorporate two-tone beads into your designs.

Padparadscha
This is a very rare gemstone with pink-orange or orange-red coloration. It is a corundum or sapphire. The name means "color of lotus blossom" in Sinhalese (Sri Lankan). The original Sinhalese word is "padmaraga" - but was mispronounced by outsiders.  All corundums with the exception of padparadscha and rubies are called sapphires so long as they are not red. If they are, they are called rubies. Padparadscha hues can vary widely - some are more pink than orange. Richard Hughes' article (see references) describes the difficulty of having to define the color ranges for padparadschas and differentiating them from pink sapphires. Top end costs can be as high as US$30,000 per carat.

Watermelon Tourmaline

Tourmaline is one of my favourite gemstones because it comes in such a wide variety of colors. The greens and pinks have a depth to their color that I appreciate. Prices vary amongst the tourmalines. The watermelon tourmaline can cost $1000 or more per carat. Even the uncut crystal on the right shows you why it is so priced. The green and pinky red coloration does remind one of a watermelon.

Ametrine
Ametrine is the most affordable of the three which is remarkable since it comes from only one mine in Bolivia. It is a mixture of two quartzes - amethyst and citrine, which accounts for its purple-yellow coloration. Unlike the other two bi-coloured gemstones, I think this particular colour combination looks much more attractive when the gemstone is of the paler shades.

References 
Victoria Finlay Jewels: A Secret History
Richard Hughes : Padparadscha Buying Guide
Gemstone.org : Ametrine

For tutorials check out my Jewelry Making Tips

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