February 12, 2016

By Randi Molofsky Tourmalines are getting a lot of love recently–from the bold red rubellite to the beguiling teal blue/green indicolite–but no variety is more coveted than the nearly neon Paraiba. Named after the northeastern state of Brazil where they were first found, Paraiba tourmalines are instantly recognizable by its electric glow of bright blue/green (attributed to small amounts of copper in its chemical composition), these gems are rare and expensive (often costing 5 figures per carat). So, the question is: why exactly are Paraibas so pricey? For the answer, we’ll have to look at the history, provenance and availability