Gems TV

Paraiba Tourmaline

Paraiba Tourmaline is typically a small gem that displays electric swimming pool blues, neon peacocks and sizzling turquoises. Initially discovered at Mina da Bathalha, Paraiba, Brazil, it possesses a unique brilliance that allows the gem to glow and shine even when there is little light.

Named after the location of its first discovery, Paraiba, Brazil, the most interesting thing about this gem is that its name is more than just a location. Most Tourmalines get their gorgeous colours from traces of iron, manganese, chromium and vanadium, but Paraiba Tourmaline owes its spectacular colours to small amounts of copper, an element not typically found in Tourmaline. Paraiba Tourmaline also often contains manganese. When combined, the interaction between copper and manganese adds to the beautiful and fascinating colours displayed.

Prior to 1989, Mina da Batalha produced Tourmaline for almost 10 years but the crystals were too fractured or broken to be faceted. Heitor Dimas Barbos, the father of Paraiba Tourmaline, was convinced that better quality Tourmaline could be found. He started digging in abandoned mines near the village of Sao Jose da Batalha in early 1981. In autumn 1989 his persistence finally paid off when he discovered a tiny new vein of gem-quality crystals. By 1994 the relatively small mountain range had almost been levelled and exhausted in the hunt for Paraiba Tourmaline. Mining Brazilian Paraiba Tourmaline is laborious, unpredictable and erratic. Chipped by hand directly from host metamorphic rock (granitic pegmatite), the elusive narrow veins appear and disappear haphazardly, resulting in mines that resemble Swiss cheese, with a multitude of narrow shafts and interconnected tunnels up to 60 metres deep.

While other Brazilian Paraiba deposits have since been discovered, the race has been on to find these geological rarities elsewhere. Thankfully, Africa came to the rescue. The first new find was discovered in 2001 at the Edoukou Mine in Oyo, Nigeria, close to the border of Benin and in 2003 in Mozambique’s Nampula (Mafucu Mine or Shalawa Mine) and Zambezia provinces. African Paraiba is believed to exist due to the theory of continental drift. Roughly 200 million years ago the earth’s continents were joined together to form one gigantic super-continent called Pangaea. Comparing the silhouettes of Africa and South America, both fit like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. This suggests they once belonged to a single landmass where similar geological conditions resulted in their formation. In contrast to the Brazilian deposit, African Paraiba Tourmaline is mined from alluvial deposits. Interestingly, the LMHC (Laboratory Manual Harmonisation Committee) recently determined that as African Paraiba cannot be distinguished from their Brazilian counterpart by standard gemmological tests, the “Paraiba” name is no longer origin specific, it is now only dependent on colour, copper and manganese.

While mostly small sizes are extracted (less than 10 points) Paraiba Tourmaline from Mozambique has an average size of 2 carats, which is absolutely amazing considering the norm. Like Emeralds, inclusions are common in Paraiba Tourmaline, making its colour the main beauty determinant. However, when Paraiba Tourmaline displays clean clarities, its rarity and value increase exceptionally. Its beautiful vivid colours have made Paraiba Tourmaline hugely popular within a short time. An uncommon colour for the gem kingdom, Paraiba Tourmaline even enchants those accustomed to seeing a wide variety of gems. One of the world’s most desired gemstones, gem collectors the world over compete for new Paraiba Tourmaline. Paraiba Tourmaline is a gem whose impossible rarity is only surpassed by its unrivalled beauty.

Rubellite Tourmaline

Rubellite’s sensuous mélange is the personification of seduction; no other colours display its comparable flair. Whispering in passionate pinks and suggestive purples, Rubellite affords the perfect romance in an opulence of red. Rubellite, deriving its name from the Latin word “rubellus”, meaning “coming from red” is a lustrous, reddish pink and purple-toned variety of Tourmaline. In the 17th century, the Tsar of Russia commissioned many items of gemstone jewellery to be made for the Imperial Crown Court. However, gems that were originally thought to be Rubies, have later been discovered to be Rubellite.

Extremely rare, Rubellite has taken the jewellery world by storm in recent years following the discovery of deposits in Madagascar and Nigeria. Madagascan Rubellite heralds from mines located 42 kilometres from the town of Betafo, in the Antananarivo province in Madagascar’s central highlands. Interestingly, this deposit produces some truly unique Rubellites whose colour is close to that of famous Rubies.

With the exception of Ruby and Noble Red Spinel, Rubellite is the only other gemstone that occurs in such a rich, dark red colour. Similar to Emeralds, inclusions in Rubellite are common. The chemical element that colours Rubellite (manganese) actually cause a growing crystal to become internally flawed (i.e. the more manganese present, the darker the red colour, and the more imperfect the final crystal). It is therefore extremely rare to find a richly coloured Rubellite that is internally clean. Rubellites also tend to have more natural inclusions because they are formed near the centre of the crystal pocket, and thus receive more stress and pressure during their formation. Regardless, Rubellite is a durable gemstone, well-suited to everyday jewellery.