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| Beautiful Paraiba Tourmaline Remains Rare and Expensive | ||
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Paraiba tourmaline, known
in the gem market as ‘Paraiba’ only,
ranks among the rarest and most
sought after gemstones today.
When discussing Paraiba tourmaline, the word ‘neon’ is often used to characterize the intensity of colour. People say the gemstone ‘glows,’ and has an ‘inner fire.’ The finest Paraiba tourmalines exhibit an exceptional brilliance and extraordinarily vivid colours ranging between intense neon blue to green and greenish blue. These extraordinary colours of Paraiba tourmaline are due to traces of copper found in its crystal structure. No other tourmalines carry copper nor show the Paraiba’s exclusive colour. |
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| Paraiba tourmaline was an
instant sensation when it first
emerged in the world gem market in
late 1980s and early 1990s. There
has never been enough Paraiba
tourmaline to meet the market
demand, so in accordance with
market forces, prices have climbed
consistently. In the 20 years of
mining Paraiba tourmaline, the cost
of mining has risen and the
production outcome has decreased.
The mines now have to dig deeper,
an important factor contributing to
continual upward pressure on prices.
Paraiba tourmaline was first discovered in the 1980s in the Brazilian state of Paraiba, hence the name, and in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Paraiba mines of both states share the pegmatite and stones from these two localities constitute the category of Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline. Among the Brazillian mines, only a few are now operational and producing Paraiba.Since its first discovery in Brazil, Paraiba tourmaline has been found in Nigeria and Mozambique as well, both of which are alluvial mines, and currently not operational. |
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| The miner displays a trove of Paraiba tourmalines found in the mine of Mineracao Terra Branch Ltda in Brazil in 2003. | ||
| Standard gemmological
testing shows that the Paraiba
tourmalines from all three countries
to be similar in the chemical
composition. Nevertheless
connoisseurs debate the relative
merits of the Brazilian versus the
African stones. Some experts hold
that the colours and appearance of
the Brazilian stones are better due
to the levels of copper. High levels
of copper found mostly in Brazillian
Paraiba, and sometimes in the
Nigerian Paraiba as well, contributes to the intensity of its exclusive vivid colors. Paraiba tourmaline is one of the rarest stones; therefore its prices are constantly appreciating. For example, a 2 carat Paraiba tourmaline which sold at US$5000 per carat ten years ago, is selling for US$30,000 per carat today. In ten years, retail prices have escalated from US$12,000 per carat to US$85,000 per carat. Further contributing to the tight market for Paraiba tourmaline has been the Japanese demand. Industry experts estimate that 70- 80% of all Paraiba tourmaline traded went to Japan, where consumers are enchanted by the exceptional brilliance of these beautiful gemstones. Now, the rest of gem markets in other parts of the world appreciate this exotic stone and the demand has risen even further. With such a rare and valuable stone, consumer education is vital in maintaining a realistic market. The gemmological laboratories and gemmological schools around the world are to be commended for their ongoing work in researching, classifying, and teaching about Paraiba tourmaline. Nevertheless, the identification and recognition of the origin of Paraiba tourmalines vary from one lab to another, and sometimes even mistaken due to lack of information and on-site research. What is the outlook for Paraiba tourmaline? As of this writing, based on 20 years history, fine Paraiba tourmaline could be considered as an investment grade gemstone. It remains rare, and demand remains strong. Today many of the best Paraibas are going into brand-name jewellery, museums, and in the hands of collectors. The commercial gems and jewellery market sees only small quantities of Paraiba tourmaline. Consequently, this beautiful gemstone, with its dynamic colours, continues to be rare, exotic and expensive. |
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