Paraiba tourmaline is a variety of tourmaline, a mineral that can be found in nearly all colors. Paraiba is the vivid blue to green variety of the mineral which was discovered in the late 1980s. From the mere title of this article, you might be wondering that a paraiba tourmaline stone is just another gem which you’ve never heard of because it doesn’t endow any exceptional quality or hallmark. But that’s not the case. What if I told you that the gem you’re playing down outdoes diamond in terms of rarity, the most imperial property of gems that plays a significant part in determining their value?
Rarity
Unlike diamonds, and other gemstones for that matter, which can be yielded from many mines throughout the world, there are only a few mines that yield paraiba tourmaline stones. So, now you can imagine how big of a difference there is between diamonds and paraiba tourmalines in the market. For perspective, if you start mining diamonds and paraiba tourmalines simultaneously, you’ll find only one paraiba tourmaline till the time you’ve mined 10,000 diamonds. Sadly, despite being rarer than diamond, paraiba tourmaline had to lean on its rarity and scarcity to become a girl’s best friend, that too after decades of the gemstone’s discovery.
Now, such rarity is a pretty big deal and a lucky break for a gemstone that the majority of folks aren’t aware of. This scarcity of paraiba tourmalines can be attributed to the unusual conditions in which they form. As per researchers, the crystals of this gemstone form with an ample amount of trace elements manganese and copper. These trace elements act as coloring agents for paraiba tourmaline gemstones. The thing with paraiba tourmaline is that it’s the only tourmaline in which the trace element copper acts as a coloring agent.
Although copper is a coloring agent in other gems, it doesn’t influence the color of other tourmalines. Surprisingly, this combination of uniqueness and rarity, coupled with the recent and unobtrusive discovery of paraiba tourmaline, has long been an insuperable hindrance to its potential value and popularity. Having said that, I also want to throw some light on how it’s only because of this rather propitious combination of peculiarity that paraiba tourmalines are gaining long-due widespread admiration nowadays.
The Rise Of Paraiba Tourmaline
Today, folks are reselling the paraiba tourmaline gemstones that they purchased in the late 1980s for many times their original price. From people seeking out that perfect gem to adorn their jewelry and gem enthusiasts eyeing unique gems to jewelers or designers looking for their next big rare bird, it seems that everybody is addicted to paraiba tourmalines. The rarity and uniqueness of paraiba tourmaline have even caught the attention of investors. Now that paraiba tourmaline is finally on the verge of becoming one of the most desirable and profitable investments, many are snapping up this gemstone seeking to make substantial profits.
Colors
What multiplies the popularity of paraiba tourmaline gemstones is their availability in a vast range of colors. Neon blue, greenish blue, blue-green, green, mint green, violet, purple and pink are the many colors in which you can find a paraiba tourmaline. Now, most of these colors are so pleasing to the eyes that you can’t help but drool over the glow of these gems. For instance, let’s take the greenish-blue hue of paraiba tourmaline. Imagine taking an up close and personal look at this gemstone. It will relieve you of all the stress and strains of everyday life by imbuing your mind with all the repose and stillness of the heavenly Caribbean sea.
A Must-Have For Everybody
Picture yourself relaxing at a beach, looking at the fresh oncoming tides, away from all the hurly-burly of your natural routine. That’s what I’m talking about. You get the idea, right? Paraiba tourmaline is more than just a beautiful gemstone, more like the much-awaited holiday that you’ve been planning all these years. The gem is a must-have for everybody, especially for those who find themselves losing to anxiety and stress every now and then. Though paraiba tourmalines look great in each and every color from this list, bluish stones are on another level when it comes to showcasing the brilliance of these gems.
Paraiba tourmaline’s vast variety of satiating colors distinguishes this stunner from other color gems. What’s even more fascinating about paraiba tourmaline stones is the incandescent glow that these gems seem to exhibit, that too even outside of light. Apart from all the above-stated attributes of the paraiba tourmaline stones, these gems don’t disappoint you even in terms of hardness and durability, two of the most essential prerequisites of every gemstone that play an important role in driving up their value.
Hardness & Durability
On the 10-point Mohs scale of hardness, the paraiba tourmaline gemstone is an impressive 7.5. This is a respectable score on the Mohs scale for a gemstone that had to go through more than decades to catch the imagination of not only indie designers but also people like us. Pity! This hardness score on the Mohs scale has also contributed a lot to the popularity and commerciality of paraiba tourmaline. One of the big reasons why people are investing in paraiba tourmalines is because these gems show great promise of strong resistance to scratches and abrasions, meaning they’ll look their level best even after going through years of wear and tear.
The Saving Grace
From my perspective, I think the hardness and durability of paraiba tourmaline is its saving grace. Think of it this way, paraiba tourmaline is a gemstone that deserves all the attention of the world because of its legendary rarity and availability in so many dulcifying colors. But wait a minute. What do you think would have been the case if paraiba tourmaline didn’t offer a considerable level of hardness and durability? How many people do you think would still have been interested in getting this gemstone? You get it, right? So, the hardness and durability of paraiba tourmaline are indeed the gem’s saving grace. Talking about saving grace, when are you getting that holiday? Well, you better get it soon before your friends and family disown you. 🤣
