Tourmalines are fascinating stones of great richness. More than just a stone, they are actually a group of minerals composed of a large number of varieties. With a hardness of 7-7½ on the Mohs scale, tourmalines have very complex and variable chemical compositions, and can be any color: from blue to red, green, yellow, pink... Some stones can have several colors at once: some of these multicolored tourmalines have their own name, like the watermelon tourmalines, green and pink. Tourmalines are mined in Namibia, Mozambique, Madagascar... but the most important deposits are in Brazil.
Thus, it is in Brazil that was discovered in 1989 a very particular variety of tourmaline: the tourmaline Paraiba. What distinguishes this tourmaline from others is its color, between green and blue, vibrant and bright. The most sought-after shades are neon blue and pool blue. This particular color is due to the presence of copper in the crystals. Color is the primary criterion of quality of Paraiba, so the stones are sometimes heated to improve their color.
The first known deposit of Paraiba tourmaline was found in the state of Paraiba in Brazil by a miner named Heitor Dimas Barbosa. Convinced of the site's potential, it took him nearly a decade to get his hands on the very first Paraiba tourmalines. However, the mine was virtually exhausted within a few years, making Brazil's Paraiba tourmalines among the rarest and most sought-after stones in the world. Other deposits have been discovered more recently in Nigeria and Mozambique. Often larger than Brazilian stones, these stones are not unanimously accepted, some argue that the name "Paraiba" should be reserved for those of the state of the same name.
Exceptional stones, Paraiba tourmalines have inspired jewelers, such as Dior's Versailles Côté Jardins collection with its Bassin des nymphes bracelet. Paraiba tourmalines also sell very well at auction. For example, this pair of earrings featuring two Brazilian Paraiba tourmalines sold for over $2 million at Christie's.
Paraiba tourmalines and diamonds & Bracelet Bassin des nymphes, Dior
Exceptionally colored and extremely rare, Paraiba tourmalines are prestigious stones that will continue to amaze us.
Discover without delay our collection of Paraiba tourmalines available on Nascendi Paris
