THE PARAIBA TOURMALINE

Neon. Vivid. Electric. These are a few of the words used to describe the rarest variety of tourmaline known as Paraiba Tourmaline. This intense gemstone shows brilliant blues and greens not found in any other gem in the world.

Discovered in the 1980s, this gem comes from only one source in the world, the Mina da Batalha a Nova Era (Mine of the Battle of the New Era) in Sao Jose de Batalha in the state of Paraiba, Brazil. In 1982, Heitor Dimas Barbosa joined forces with Jose Pereira, an old garimpeiro (nomadic miners), to explore for gems in the region of Paraiba. In 1983, Barbosa spotted small colorful fragments in the tailings of a small abandoned mining pit at the base of a hill, and the two men began to dig.

The Rarest Variety of Tourmaline

For two and a-half years, they dug mineshafts up to 50 meters deep and excavated the material by filling a rubber bucket with the kaolin clay and hand-winching it to the surface. It was backbreaking and dangerous work using sledgehammers, chisels, shovels, and picks, but they had seen their prize. By 1988, the miners had found pencil-thick veins of peacock-colored tourmaline, the likes of which had never been seen before and, unfortunately, have never been seen again. In approximately five years, the mine was depleted, and no other vein of the gem has been found.

Brazil is home to many varieties of gemstones including aquamarine, amethyst, and tourmaline. Paraiba Tourmaline owes its spectacular color to high concentrations of copper and traces of manganese not previously seen in tourmaline.

The combination of these two elements allows for incidents of a broad range of colors from sea-foam green to Caribbean ocean blue. Paraiba Tourmalines have a unique fire and seem to glow from within when faceted; therefore, they often have been described as neon or electric.

Very few people in the world will ever see a Paraiba let alone own one. Now you have the unique opportunity to see Paraiba in one-of-a-kind designs incorporating this coveted and rare gemstone, available exclusively at Coffin & Trout Fine Jewellers.