Paraiba tourmaline is the most valuable of all the different kinds of tourmalines, due to its unique beauty and rarity. This article will look at the features of this precious stone and why it is in such demand.
Paraiba tourmalines are a type of precious stone that are known for their brilliant colors with unique hues, usually in the blue-green ranges. Recently, roughly identical tourmaline gems have been found in mines in Nigeria and Mozambique but there are still some slight differences in color and brilliance. Some experts only consider the stones from Paraiba, Brazil as true Paraiba tourmaline, not only because this is where the first stones were mined, but also because the gemstones from Brazil have a more striking glow compared to their African counterparts.
Features
If you are looking to buy jewelry inlaid with this rare tourmaline, be aware of the following features:
- Color: this tourmaline comes in different shades of blue and green, ranging from a shade as bright as electric blue to a rich turquoise hue. The colors of these stones can be so bright that some are described as bordering on an almost unearthly neon. This unique color is part of the reason for their high demand.
- Cut: like other precious stones, tourmalines from Paraiba can be cut in a number of different ways. Most often, they are given cushion, round, emerald, or oval cuts, although some can be found in marquise, pear, heart, or trillion cuts.
- Brilliance: high grade stones have brilliant deep colors. Even in low light, these stones will almost appear to be glowing.
Why are Paraiba Tourmaline Stones so Rare?
While the tourmaline from Paraiba is a gorgeous gemstone, it is also incredibly rare because it is only found in a few places on earth and in small quantity. The mining method requires hand-excavated tunnels because these tourmalines only appear in very thin veins. Approximately one Paraiba tourmaline is mined for every 10,000 diamonds, making it one of the rarest and most precious gemstones in the world. This rarity is what makes these precious stones so expensive and difficult to find, with one carat of a high grade stone usually sold in the five figure USD range. It is also quite rare to find such tourmalines in sizes over one or two carats. However, the demand for Paraiba tourmaline does not show any signs of decreasing. In fact, with the current rates of supply, the prices will escalate in the coming years, because true Paraiba tourmalines are close to being mined out completely.
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