Black Tourmaline & Lava Stone Mala Bracelet – Shield & Root

Description

The black tourmaline and lava stone mala bracelet is a traditional 108-bead mala format combining two distinct volcanic and mineral materials into a single piece. Black tourmaline brings a dense, glassy surface that polishes to a near-mirror finish; lava stone contributes a porous, lightweight bead with a raw texture. The contrast between them is tactile and visible, making this bracelet as functional for counting practice as it is for daily wear.

Each tourmaline bead is 8 mm in diameter, facet-polished to reveal the stone’s natural inclusions beneath a glossy surface. Lava beads alternate at measured intervals, their rough texture providing tactile contrast against the tourmaline’s smoothness. The bracelet stretches on a double-strand elastic cord rated for daily wear. Total bead count is 108, consistent with the traditional mala format used in Tibetan and Vedic counting practice. Circumference unstretched is approximately 17 cm. The combined weight of the two materials creates a presence on the wrist that single-stone bracelets rarely achieve. The bracelet is knotted by hand in Bali, where artisans apprentice for years before working with gemstone grades.

Wear on the wrist for daily use or counting practice. The 108-bead count is traditional to Buddhist and Vedic mala practice. The elastic cord accommodates a range of wrist sizes without adjustment. Lava stone beads can be used to absorb and carry essential oil: apply a drop to one or two lava beads and allow the oil to absorb before wearing. Black tourmaline is a hard stone and the bracelet withstands daily wear; avoid submerging in water for extended periods to protect the elastic cord.

Black tourmaline has been worked by artisans across Asia for centuries, prized for its schorl density and deep vitreous surface. Lava stone comes from volcanic basalt, harvested where the earth has cooled into porous beads of exceptional lightness. The 108-bead mala count is found throughout Tibetan Buddhism and Vedic practice, carrying significance across centuries of monastery and household devotional use. The knotting and selection tradition for gemstone malas in Bali is one of the most developed in the region.

A common buyer question: can I add essential oil to the lava stone beads in this bracelet? Yes. The porous surface of lava stone readily absorbs essential oil. Apply one or two drops to the lava beads and allow them to absorb fully before putting the bracelet on. This allows the bracelet to function as a wearable diffuser alongside its use as a mala counting tool.