The Paraiba stone became a find quite recently, at the end of the twentieth century, but in fact, as scientists say, it is the same age as dinosaurs. The world owes the discovery of the gem to Heitor Diaz Barbosa, who dreamed of finding such a gem that would glorify his native land (State of Paraiba).

And when you really, really dream and do something at the same time, the dream always comes true. In 1987, he found a mineral of amazing beauty, but, unfortunately, the seeker himself did not see the triumph of the found jewel, by this time he was seriously ill. And the stone was named after the Brazilian state - Paraiba.

What is so fascinating about the Paraiba stone?

Paraiba is a uniquely colored tourmaline. Tourmaline itself has been known for a long time. Its color variety is due to the presence of up to 50 different elements. Having the same crystal structure, tourmaline can undergo various changes, since its chemical composition is complex. Mohs hardness: 7.5; density: 3.2 g / cm3.

Until the Paraiba stone was found, it seemed that tourmaline already possessed all the colors of the rainbow. It turns out that there was no turquoise crystal in his color palette.



Paraiba can be from deep blue neon to greenish neon. The crystals of this gemstone contain copper, manganese, magnesium, and therefore there are turquoise, emerald green, sky blue, violet and even purple paraibas. But the Paraiba stone is valued precisely for its turquoise hue, which gives it the presence of copper.

At the same time, the Paraiba stone is the only one of all precious stones that contains traces of gold.



Paraiba is a tourmaline, but why, among the multitude of multi-colored tourmalines, this crystal has received a separate name? The secret is all in the neon light of the stone. Not a single photograph of a stone is able to convey this miracle of nature. And this light of the stone is already visible in the uncut crystal. But if the stone has been in the hands of a master jeweler and has been cut, then its radiance becomes even stronger, or, more simply, it burns with some kind of inner fire.

Often, when talking about its unique radiance, they use words - neon or electric. Beams of light, penetrating through the crystal, are scattered without visible attenuation, the gem even enhances them, creating a neon glow. And the space around the paraiba is illuminated with a soft blue radiance, like a glowing light bulb. The peculiarity lies in the striking glow of this stone, which shines even at dusk.

Paraiba deposits

As already mentioned, Brazil became the first deposit. Today, several more places on the planet are known where these stones are mined. These are Madagascar and Mozambique. The stones of Brazil are considered to be of the best quality in terms of their quality.

After the first find, this stone began to quickly disappear along with the hills under which a seeker named Heitor Diaz Barbosa found them. But over time, high quality paraiba was found in another state of Brazil - in Rio Grande do Norte.

The paraiba was recently found in Nigeria. According to scientists, about 100 million years ago, a rift occurred that divided the land, forming South America and Africa. Therefore, this unique mineral is found in western Africa and eastern South America.




The price of this unique stone may exceed the price of a diamond of the same size.If a faceted tourmaline has a cost of $ 150 to $ 500 per carat (it can be even higher, depending on color and size), then the cost of a paraiba can exceed $ 20 thousand per carat.

Paraiba is found in small sizes, stones of 8 carats are considered unique. But there were rare finds and large sizes. Paraiba is highly regarded by jewelry brands and the value of this luxury stone continues to rise. The most expensive crystals are from Brazil, so sometimes African minerals are passed off as Brazilian ones in the jewelry market, thus increasing their price.




Among all the color shades of paraiba, minerals in deep blue or green shades are especially popular. Jewelers have learned to make the color of crystals more saturated and pure. The natural properties of light polarization in crystals are enhanced by faceting and the removal of some impurities by heating. However, changing tourmaline crystals into a soft blue paraiba is not easy.

With blue neon light, you can get paraiba by heating it pink crystals up to a temperature of 500 degrees. When the crystal is heated to give it a light blue hue, its neon light dims. If heated in an acidic environment, the neon light is preserved, but the color tone itself becomes coarser, and the chemical treatment affects only the outer layers of the crystal.

There are other ways of converting to light blue, with gamma irradiation, the results are better here. Any methods that transport copper into the depths of the crystal still do not provide the unique natural beauty of light and shade, and are very expensive.

Paraiba cuts are usually brilliant, stepped, or combined. A worthy setting for a luxurious crystal will be gold or platinum, next to white diamonds.

The healing and magical properties of paraiba

As with all tourmalines, so from paraiba, it is expected that the stone will help normalize the emotional state and restore harmony in the soul.

Yes, it is easier to hope for a beautiful and noble creation of nature than for yourself. When you feel stress or intense anxiety, I would always like to catch at least a straw, but here is a luxurious stone, which is not affordable for many of us. And if you are ready to pay a high cost, will it bring you peace and order in your soul? ...

Caring for your jewelry with paraiba

1. Do not leave jewelry in direct sunlight for a long time, this will lead to fading of the stone.

2. Harsh chemicals destroy the structure of the stone.

3. It is recommended to clean the stone under running water.

Paraiba is a rare and amazingly beautiful crystal. No stone gives such a neon glow.