PARAIBA TOURMALINE GEMSTONES
Paraiba tourmaline, the beautiful, bright, neon blue to green variety of tourmaline is a relatively recent discovery. It was found in the State of Paraiba, Brazil in 1989 by Heitor Barbosa. Normally, iron, manganese, chrome and vanadium are the elements responsible for the beautiful coloring in tourmalines. The Paraiba tourmaline is different: it owes its splendid color to copper, an element which has never before been observed in a tourmaline. In addition paraiba tourmaline often also contains manganese.
A recent study by the German Foundation for Gemstone Research also discovered a surprisingly high gold content in paraiba tourmaline. The average gold content of the earth's crust is 0.007 parts per million. Paraiba tourmalines contain a remarkable 8.6 parts per million. The interplay between these elements gives rise to a variety of fascinatingly beautiful colors: emerald green, turquoise to sky blue, sapphire blue, indigo, bluish violet, and purple. Copper in high concentrations is responsible for the highly coveted radiant blue, turquoise and green hues, while violet and red tones are caused by manganese. By heating the gemstones, experienced cutters can eliminate the red color components, with the result being only a pure copper color remains.
In 2001, some shining blue-green tourmalines from Nigeria suddenly appeared on the market, rather like the ones which had until then come only from Paraiba, Brazil. It was a real sensation: just like the Paraiba tourmalines, they didn't reveal their true beauty until they had been subjected to a careful heating process. The Brazilian and the African stones both get their beautiful color from copper and manganese. This has been explained by the theory that South America and Africa were once joined together, now separated by the result of continental drift.
Paraiba tourmaline is like emerald in that is rarely comes without inclusions, but the color and brilliance of this exceptional tourmaline is where the beauty lies.
NOTE: Any gemstone with the suffix "A" following the stock number is a custom cut gem still in the possession of the gem cutter and will require 2-3 days extra time to ship.
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PARAIBA GEMSTONES by SHAPE
| ITEM # | SIZE | SHAPE | COLOR & GRADE | WEIGHT | PRICE PER CARAT | ITEM PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROUND | ||||||
37092  |
5.5mm | round | Greenish Blue A+ | .79 ct. | $300.00 | $276.50 |
3728  |
11.02mm | round | Neon Blue/Green "GEM" |
5.47 ct. | $850.00 | $4649.50 |
37126  |
11.7mm | round | Neon, Deep Green/Blue "GEM" | 6.88 ct. | $750.00 | $5160.00 |
| PEAR | ||||||
37104  |
7.7x5.5mm | pear | Neon Blue/Green A+ | .99 ct. | $400.00 | $396.00 |
| TRILLION | ||||||
37102  |
8.5x8.5mm | trillion | Neon Blue/Green AA | 1.57 ct. | $400.00 | $628.00 |
37095  |
9.2x9.2mm | trillion | Neon Blue/Green AA+ | 2.88 ct. | $600.00 | $1728.00 |
| BAGUETTE | ||||||
37127  |
12.4x5.8mm | baguette | Neon Blue/Green AA+ | 2.78 ct. | $600.00 | $1668.00 |
| OVAL | ||||||
37211  |
6x4mm | oval | Light Blue/Green A+ | .45 ct. | $200.00 | $90.00 |
37103 |
8.3x6.2mm | oval | Neon Blue/Green AA | 1.26 ct. | $600.00 | $756.00 |
37094  |
9.4x7.4mm | oval | Sky Blue AA cuprian elbaite (copper bearing) |
1.86 ct. | $140.00 | $260.40 |
37097  |
11.2x9.0mm | oval | Neon Green AA | 3.92 ct. | $500.00 | $1960.00 |
37098  |
16.5x14.5mm | oval | Fuschia AA cuprian elbaite |
19.92 ct. | $100.00 | $1992.00 |
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