T
he discovery of Paraiba Tourmalines in Paraiba, Brazil in 1989 created a buzz throughout the jewelry world; years of speculative mining had finally paid off! Additional deposits were subsequently found in the neighboring Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte, and later, Elbaite tourmalines featuring Paraiba’s unique color were discovered in Nigeria and Mozambique. Mined in only a handful of locations, the scarcity of these majestic gemstones has always contributed to their allure, and today, acquiring a really intensely colored Paraiba is becoming increasingly difficult. According to a July 18 story in Financial Times, “Experts now warn that the depletion of mines in Brazil over the past decade has led to a shortage of quality Paraíbas.”
Header image features earrings by Ara Vartanian
COUTURE designers and brands have been inspired by the electric (and electrifying!) blue hue of Paraiba Tourmalines for decades.
Arunashi
While Paraibas have long had their hold on in-the-know jewelry enthusiasts, with the recent launch of a book on Paraibas penned by Katerina Perez and Kevin Ferreira entitled, Paraiba, The Legacy of a Color, and Gucci’s newest high jewelry collection prominently featuring Paraibas, this mesmerizing stone is certain to join the ranks of more familiar, broadly coveted gemstones.
COUTURE designers and brands have been inspired by the electric (and electrifying!) blue hue of Paraiba Tourmalines for decades. The rarity and beauty of Paraibas make them an exceptional stone for classic, high jewelry collections in combination with white diamonds, as seen in a collar necklace from Oscar Heyman or taking center stage in a cocktail ring by ARAZI. In more avant-garde work, like the Cobra ring by Lydia Courteille or CICADA’s ring featuring a chunky, uncut Paraiba, the gem adds to the mystique of a piece. When mixed with other stones, Paraiba can be a beautiful accent, like in the multi-stone earrings from John Apel, or they can pick up the complementing colors contained in opals, as seen in Meredith Young’s Supernova ring. Whichever way you slice it, Paraiba pavé as seen in ARTEMER’s earrings, mixed with ultra-feminine floral themes as seen in a ring by Buddha Mama or framed in metal like in a pendant from Mark Henry, as illustrated by the small sampling of pieces showcased in this month’s edit, Paraiba Tourmalines represent the height of desirability.