A rare Brazilian Paraíba tourmaline just made auction history. A necklace featuring the dazzling 13.54-carat jewel soared to $4.2 million, setting world records at Christie’s New York for price and price-per-carat, while eclipsing its pre-sale estimate by more than tenfold.
As the centerpiece of a stunning necklace by Tiffany & Co., the triangular modified brilliant-cut Paraíba tourmaline is adorned by a cascade of round, pear and square-cut diamonds, amplifying its saturated color and remarkable clarity. This variety of tourmaline is celebrated for its vivid, neon blue-green glow — often described as electric or even “Windex blue.”
Adding to the excitement, Christie’s offered matching Tiffany & Co. earrings set with oval Paraíba tourmalines weighing 3.45 and 3.19 carats. Those earrings achieved $1.27 million, also surpassing their estimate by more than tenfold. Both jewels came from the esteemed collection of philanthropists Max and Cecile Draime.
Paraíba tourmaline occupies a special place in the gem world. First discovered in 1989 by prospector Heitor Dimas Barbosa in Brazil’s coastal state of Paraíba, the stones caused an immediate sensation. Their unprecedented color is caused by trace amounts of copper within the crystal structure of elbaite tourmaline—a rarity in nature. Unlike other tourmalines colored by iron, manganese, chromium or vanadium, copper-bearing Paraíba tourmalines possess an internal glow that seems to radiate light.
Supply was always destined to be limited. The original Brazilian deposit — known as Paraíba Hill — was astonishingly small and largely depleted within five years of discovery. While additional copper-bearing tourmalines were later found in Mozambique and Nigeria in 2001, Brazilian-origin stones remain the most coveted, prized for their intense saturation and historic significance.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Paraíba tourmaline is the near-identical chemistry shared by stones found on opposite sides of the Atlantic. Some gem experts attribute this phenomenon to continental drift—the geological theory that South America and Africa were once joined millions of years ago. In that ancient configuration, Brazil’s Paraíba region would have sat adjacent to what is now West Africa, potentially explaining the shared copper-rich geology.
Durable enough for everyday wear, Paraíba tourmalines rank 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale and are one of October’s official birthstones, alongside opal. Yet large, clean examples—especially those topping 3 carats—are extraordinarily rare, making the Christie’s result all the more remarkable.
Credits: Images courtesy of Christie's.