Did you think diamond was the rarest stone in existence? Pure deceit. Paraíba tourmaline is found in only 5 mines around the world, 3 of which are in Brazilian lands. With its unique blue tone and its own glow that enchants people all over the world, this gem has become extremely coveted due to its high added value.
Want to know more about this charm of nature? Keep following this post.
Of a deep blue, with its own shine, the paraiba tourmaline is now considered the rarest stone in the world.
Discovered in the 80s in the northeastern state that gives it its name, the gem is found in just 5 mines around the planet, 3 of which are in Brazil, where the most valuable specimens come from. Production, however, is very scarce, making it increasingly rare and coveted.
With added value superior to many diamonds, this stone confers exclusivity to jewelry and to those who wear it. But its production is still considered scarce compared to that of diamonds: 20 carats a year against 480 million for diamonds.
The stone received its very Brazilian name because it was found for the first time in 1982 by Heitor Dimas Barbosa, owner of the Batalha Mine, in the São João da Batalha district, in the municipality of Salgadinho, in the Cariri region, 244 km from the capital.
The country is rich in green tourmalines, but no one had ever seen that intensely blue stone. There were even those who thought it was a forgery. So that there was no doubt, in 1989 the gem was sent to the Gemology Institute of America (GIA), in the United States, and the response was surprising: it was a new stone, never seen before.
In the 90s, 2 other mines were found in the same region, but this time on the other side of the border, in Rio Grande do Norte. Finally, 2 more were discovered in Africa: one in Mozambique and one in Nigeria.
The determining factor for stating that it was a hitherto unknown stone was its chemical composition. It is mainly composed of copper, which is responsible for giving the intense blue tone and unique shine, a compound that other tourmalines do not have.
Because they are rare, jewelers do not usually break the stones, but work with them in the format in which they appear. Cutting, however, is essential to intensify its shine, taking the stone's best potential and approximately 80% only acquire surprising colors after heat treatment. Therefore, it is said that, like the sun, this gem has its own light, a unique neon blue.
Brazilian paraiba tourmalines are rare and generally small. Statistics show that it takes 2000 tons of material to produce 40 carats. And what makes it even worse is that the Brazilian mines are practically exhausted and the African ones tend to become the main and only sources to supply the luxury market.
So, dear readers, are you ready to invest in the new sensation stone? Share your wish with us.
A comment
blue tourmalines ok