The facts
What paraíba tourmaline actually is
Paraíba tourmaline is classified as elbaite tourmaline, with the composition Na(Li,Al)₃Al₆(BO₃)₃Si₆O₁₈(OH)₄. It crystallises in the trigonal system.
Colour comes from copper with manganese, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.620–1.640. Specific gravity around 3.01–3.11. Cleavage: indistinct. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where paraíba tourmaline comes from
Paraíba tourmaline is produced at Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, Mavuco, Mozambique and Nigeria.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How paraíba tourmaline is treated
Almost all is heated to remove the manganese red and leave the copper blue.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What paraíba tourmaline is confused with
In the trade paraíba tourmaline is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Apatite, Indicolite or Treated topaz.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.620–1.640 and specific gravity 3.01–3.11 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What paraíba tourmaline is used for
Demand for paraíba tourmaline comes from jewellery and mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat or by the specimen.
Durability and care
Hardness 7–7.5; cleavage indistinct. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What paraíba tourmaline costs
As a guide, paraíba tourmaline trades around $1,000–50,000/ct.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is paraíba tourmaline treated, and how?
Almost all is heated to remove the manganese red and leave the copper blue.
Where does paraíba tourmaline come from?
Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, Mavuco, Mozambique and Nigeria. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is paraíba tourmaline hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 7–7.5 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does paraíba tourmaline cost?
Indicatively $1,000–50,000/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is paraíba tourmaline confused with?
Most often Apatite, Indicolite and Treated topaz. A refractive index of 1.620–1.640 and a specific gravity near 3.01–3.11 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for paraíba tourmaline?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about paraíba tourmaline