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The Paraíba Tourmaline was first found in Brazil in the 1980s in the Paraíba Region in the district of São José da Batalha – hence its name – then in Nigeria in 2000 and later in 2004 in Mozambique.
About 600 million years ago, a unique geological event created the most spectacular gem variety of the tourmaline group – the Paraiba Tourmaline.
It is important to highlight a phenomenon: African tourmalines are usually much larger than Brazilian ones and can be produced in greater quantity, which can end up affecting carat prices. Here, it is rare to find a Paraiba tourmaline weighing more than 5 carats, while in Africa there are already some specimens weighing more than 10 carats, and the largest cut Paraiba in the world is from Mozambique.
Turmalina Paraíba is found in only five mines around the world; three of them in Brazil, where the most valuable specimens come from.
Production, however, is very scarce, almost extinct, making it increasingly expensive and coveted.
The country’s main jewellery stores have a few pieces with the precious stone, kept under lock and key, and the value of one of these exclusive jewels can reach R$3 million.
At first, Brazilians did not pay much attention to the new discovery, but the Japanese were fascinated by the gems and began buying and reselling them in Asia, making them reach unbelievable prices.
The production of Paraiba Tourmaline is decreasing every year. A mere 20,000 carats per year, compared to 480 million for diamonds.
Tourmalines are found in many colours, including blue (indicolite), but the determining factor in stating that it was a hitherto unknown stone was its chemical composition, because due to the presence of small traces of copper and manganese, Paraíba has this neon blue or greenish blue colour, a bright and unique colour.
Even if they are not more expensive than diamonds, rare gems give exclusivity to jewellery. To calculate the quality of a gemstone, experts use the four Cs criterion, adapted from the English language: cut, clarity, carat and, most importantly, colour.
In addition, the rarity of a gem and the unique design of a jewel can make its price multiply rapidly.
The Paraiba Tourmaline captivated the world of gemstones from the very beginning for its beauty and electrifying colours.
They became popular almost instantly, and today they are among the most sought-after and valuable gems in the world.
The discovery of the Paraiba Tourmaline, after being observed for the first time by the human eye, creates a strong emotional impact, due to its vivid and brilliant blue colour.
As they are very rare, jewellers do not usually break the stones, but rather work with them more or less in the shape in which they appear.
This makes it difficult, for example, to make earrings, which require very similar stones.
Lapidation of Paraiba Tourmaline
Cutting, however, is key to intensifying the brilliance of the stone, it is faceted at certain angles, so that light can penetrate it and return to the eye with the greatest possible beauty.
Cutting enhances colour and brilliance, bringing out the stone’s best potential.
Value of Paraiba Tourmaline
Expectations always point to higher prices, as demand grows at a faster pace than supply. Five-digit values per carat are not uncommon for good quality neon blue gems, and for greenish blue ones, more than 5 carats.
It’s love at first sight: the gem has an inner glow all its own, a splendid neon blue that touches the heart. It is pure emotion! When you put one of these stones in the dark, it seems to be lit up, as if it were a neon.
It is the only transparent gemstone that has copper in its composition, which gives it this vibrant, illuminated and electric colour. It is said that, like the sun, this gem has a light of its own!
