Paraiba is a Precious Gem in the Tourmaline family that is blue-green in color. They are a mystery to most people. We get asked frequently “What is Paraiba? I don’t understand it and why it’s so expensive” and or one of our educated clients sends us on a hunt to find the “perfect” Paraiba Tourmaline for them, as they already are familiar with it. So here goes….the facts about Paraiba Tourmaline.
In 1987 a miner discovered a “Neon”, “Electric” blue-green colored tourmaline in a small mine in the Brazilian state of Paraiba. Hence the name “Paraiba”. The special color of Paraiba comes from two elements, Copper and Manganese, which under ideal conditions in only a handful of places in the world produce these extraordinary Gems. The color is so vivid it will shock you with itÕs beauty and can be seen from across the room. One of the most mind blowing things about Paraibas is that I have never in my career seen a photo of a Paraiba Tourmaline come even slightly close to doing justice to the mesmerizing color of the original stone. You absolutely have to see Paraiba for yourself to appreciate the wondrous beauty of this special Gem. When collectors started seeing & appreciating these Rare beauties they wanted more. By 1990 the very best Color and Clarity Paraiba’s fetched about $2,000 per Carat. One year later in 1991 the Paraiba Precious Gem was selling for $10,000 per Carat and up. It was at this point that the Brazilian Paraiba Tourmaline became one of the most Precious Gemstones in the world for astute collectors of Fine Gems, right up there with Kashmir Sapphires and Burma Rubies. Collectors are willing to pay top dollar for these Precious Paraiba Gems that have a neon glow and Color that is unique to any other Precious Gem. Paraiba Tourmalines are described as “Neon” and “Electric”.
A Brazilian Paraiba can be priced anywhere from $5,000 per Carat to $60,000 per Carat depending on the Color, Clarity and Carat Weight. The reason they are so expensive is that thus far they have only been found in a few Copper rich mines in the world. The Original Paraiba was found in Brazil. Since then they have been found in Africa. The African Paraiba’s are found in Nigeria and Mozambique. They are excavated entirely by hand with manual tools like wedges and sledge hammers. The process of excavating these Gems is mind blowing because the tunnels they come from are all interconnected, up to sixty meters deep, nd are extremely small, which makes it even more difficult to excavate these precious gems. The difficulty in mining the Paraiba Tourmaline is what makes this Precious Gem so Rare, Collectible, and expensive. The spirited Blue Color of Paraiba can be found in hues of aqua, teal, mint green, and violet. Before Paraiba Tourmaline was discovered the world had never seen a Tourmaline that Glows! This is the mystery and Beauty of the Paraiba Tourmaline.
You too Can Own a Paraiba
If you are eager to acquire a Paraiba, then you have come to the right place. Our vast Inventory includes loose stones from all three sources: Brazil, Nigeria and Mozambique. We also have finished Fine Jewelry Pieces ready to purchase that are unique and one of a kind, all Certified Gemstones.
John Bassett
