Paraiba stone is a Tourmaline known for its bright neon colours. The colour ranges from blue to green, and all just as bright as the last. Because of this the colour of the gemstone is important when valuing it. The beautiful stone got its name from the region in Brazil in which it was first discovered. However, other similar like gemstones have appeared in Africa. Furthermore, these new stones have caused some debate. But it is the rarity of the Paraiba stone that really raises its value. Don’t forget to check out our Paraiba Tourmaline Collection.

1From Brazil to Africa

how to identify paraiba tourmaline - mavucu map paraiba stone

The first Paraiba stone, also known as cuprian elbaite, was discovered in a region of Brazil called Paraiba. The first gem was discovered in the 1980’s by a gentleman called Heitor Dimas Barbosa. He began digging in the area on a hunch that something valuable lay underneath. Once he saw the beauty of the first gemstone he uncovered, he knew he had hit the jackpot. The colour of the gems is because of a trace of copper in its mineral composition. In 1999, the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) allowed ‘paraiba’ to become the trade name of the gemstone. This is because naming a stone after its place of origin is common practice.

However, in the early 2000’s tourmalines with qualities very similar to Paraiba stone were found in Nigeria and Mozambique. Of course, this caused a division in the gemstone industry. The variation between stones found in Brazil and those found in Africa are in their mineral composition and not noticeable to the naked eye. The African stones earnt the name Paraiba Tourmaline from Mozambique. Although, in 2006 at the International Gemstone Industry Laboratory Conference it was decided that the name ‘Paraiba Tourmaline’ encompasses all stones, regardless of its origin.

2RARITY OF PARAIBA STONE INCREASES VALUE

how to identify paraiba tourmaline - MOZAMBIQUE CUPRIAN TOURMALINE

In the short time since the discovery of Paraiba tourmaline, it has become one of the most sought-after gemstones. That is, in part, due to its amazing neon-bright colours. Blue tones are worth less than those with bluer/greener shades, and the same goes for other shades of green. In some cases, they are worth half the price of green/blue Paraibas. These amazing colours and the initial hype of its discovery brought prices of up $20K per carat.

 In the current market they have become extremely rare. To put some numbers in your head, for every 10,000 diamonds mined, there is only a single Paraiba mined. Besides this rarity, finding a stone with more than three carats in pretty much unheard of. For this reason, the price per carat of Paraiba can still be seen above a 5-digit figure. As any other gem, the cut and quality are incredibly important. It is amazing the affect the quality of the gemstone can have on its value. Not that this is anything different from any other stone, however, in Paraibas the difference is greater than others. This being said, the colour is more important than the clarity of the stone.

Paraiba stone is a Tourmaline known for its bright neon colours. The colour ranges from blue to green, and all just as bright as the last. Because of this the colour of the gemstone is important when valuing it. The beautiful stone got its name from the region in Brazil in which it was first discovered. However, other similar like gemstones have appeared in Africa. Furthermore, these new stones have caused some debate. But it is the rarity of the Paraiba stone that really raises its value when set in Paraiba Tourmaline Rings

3PARAIBA COLOR RANGE

Paraiba from our Journal

Did you know Paraiba Stone?

Paraiba Tourmaline has been one of the most sort after gemstones now and the 2020 Color of the year is Tanzanite Gemstone

Are all Paraiba from Brazil?

No, recently paraiba tourmaline are coming from Nigeria and Mozambique in Africa

Are Neon Blue Paraiba Tourmaline rare?

Yes Neon Blue or Windex Blue Paraiba Tourmaline is the best color in Paraiba

What is Paraiba?

Paraiba is from Tourmaline family. They are one of the most important and expensive gemstone. Paraiba Tourmaline are special because they have traces of Copper and Manganese which give them the neon effect.

What treatment does Paraiba have?

Paraiba are commonly heated to improve their color from Purple to Blue/Green. Recently in 2012 paraiba are also Clarity enhanced similar to Emeralds from Columbia. GIA Laboratory are the only Lab that can identify Clarity Enhancement on Paraiba until now. (2020)

Where do you buy Paraiba?

Paraiba tourmaline are available for purchase online from Manufacturer like us, eBay, Etsy and other marketplaces. Beware of Social media platforms if you are buying online.

What is Paraiba tourmaline price per carat

Paraiba Tourmaline is one of the most difficult gemstone to have a price range. A fine quality paraiba can have US$ 20,000 per carat value and the high inclusion with best color can have a price of US$ 600 per carat. Please e-mail us your paraiba for u003ca href=u0022https://www.starlanka.com/gems-appraisal/u0022 class=u0022rank-math-linku0022u003eFree Gem Appraisalu003c/au003e