Paraibian tourmaline gained extraordinary fame in the last decades of the XX century. Among the variety of minerals, including stones of red, pink, purple and other colors, blue has become the most popular nanocrystal. It glows from the inside, shimmers with blue, greenish with turquoise shades, has no equal in beauty and is highly regarded among jewelers around the world. Our article is dedicated to this amazing stone.
Features and Discovery History
One Brazilian prospector (miner) by the name of Hitor Dimos Barbosa has long been searching for gems and gems in the hills of Paraiba in Brazil. He was absolutely sure that he would be lucky to find minerals that would make him famous and glorify his native region throughout the world. In the old quarry, from 1980 to 1987, he and his team dug a huge number of pits, but without success.
In 1989, a team of prospectors Barbosa discovered large deposits of tourmaline, which were cylindrical layers. They lay along the local rivulet. Hector Barbosa himself could not see this find, because he was struck by a deadly disease and soon died suddenly. The noble mineral was named Paraiba tourmaline by the name of the area where it was discovered.
In the autumn of that year, the most beautiful blue nanocrystal was presented at an exhibition in the United States (Arizona), where it became a sensation. The event took place 4 days. During this period, the price of Paraibian tourmaline increased from 300 to 2 thousand dollars per carat. The nanocrystal received the highest rating from specialists in gems, it was assigned to the tourmaline group and ranked among precious stones.
Today, Paraiba natural Brazilian tourmaline jewelry can be purchased only by very wealthy people, since the price of a carat is 5-10, and sometimes 20 thousand dollars.
The peculiarity of the Paraibian tourmaline is its unusual color. The chemical composition of the nanocrystal is very complex, it contains particles of gold.
Among a large number of tourmaline stones, it was Paraibian that became a precious gem for this reason. The presence of copper, manganese and magnesium in the composition served as the basis for an exquisite turquoise shade of tourmaline. Copper components provide saturation of the crystal with turquoise, blue, blue tones.
It is simply impossible to tear your eyes away from the magnificent blue Paraiba tourmaline. Its radiance strikes the eye not only in the daytime, but also in the evening. The color scheme varies from deep blue to a greenish-neon hue. The sun's rays penetrating the nanocrystal are able to repeatedly enhance its brilliance.
The light falling on the Paraiba tourmaline is scattered, and the stone emits a unique blue glow with a turquoise tint. Enhanced polarization of light also occurs in the process of cutting tourmaline, after it the Paraibian stone sparkles even brighter.
Paraiba's Brazilian tourmaline is currently considered the most mysterious among gems and the rarest gem. Tourmalines from Brazil are valued much higher than crystals brought from Africa and other regions of the world. Typically, the size of the stone does not exceed 7-8 carats, however, there were finds and more impressive sizes. The popularity of the Paraibian handsome man is increasing every year, and with it his price is growing.
Place of Birth
After the field was developed in Paraiba, tourmaline with an unusual crystalline glow was discovered in another Brazilian state - Rio Grande do Norte. After 7-8 years, the stones were found in Africa, and a little later in Magadascar. The last modern deposit of unique tourmaline is Nigeria. It was there that the extraction of tourmalines, completely identical to Brazilian stones, began.
According to scientists, the same composition of crystals is due to the fact that once they were in the bowels of the same continent, which subsequently split. The fault divided the land into continents, and with them the places of occurrence of gems of identical composition changed.
The properties
A huge number of people consider touribaline from Paraiba the most beautiful and gentle stone on the planet. The play of its colors in the sun allows you to compare the nanocrystal with the purest turquoise sea water or blue sky. At gemologists, tourmaline of a blue or blue shade is much higher than a stone of green or purple color.
Experts attribute a number of healing and even esoteric properties to the Paraibian crystal with powerful neon glow:
- it is believed that jewelry with blue tourmaline has a beneficial effect on the central nervous system of a person, his thoughts, mood;
- stone stimulates the digestive tract, helps restore impaired metabolism;
- contributes to finding peace of mind, a state of harmony and self-confidence.
Esoterics attribute blue tourmaline to the stones of the spiritual spectrum. They are convinced that the precious nanocrystal protects its owner from negative energy, the evil eye, cleans the aura and improves health. According to astrologers, a person wearing a charm with tourmaline from Paraiba will be able to find something that others will not be able to do.
Amulets with blue tourmaline are recommended to be washed with running water from time to time in order to remove the possible negative accumulated on them.
Using
After the Paraibian stone was listed in the catalog of precious materials, it became very popular among jewelers of the entire globe. They learned how to process it very well and use it in the manufacture of various jewelry. Most of all, gemologists sought to artificially refine various crystals, passing them off later as natural precious Paraibian tourmalines. Only through chemical analysis can specialists distinguish original stones from elaborate fakes.
Used various methods of exposure to the mineral. The crystals were heated to high temperatures, thereby trying to enhance a gentle light blue tone, but there was no neon glow. Any effect on tourmaline affected only the outer crystalline layers, therefore, none of the jewelers could achieve the same beauty and sparkling of the stone, no matter what efforts were made. Only the blue precious tourmaline from Paraiba is able to emit unusual neon light.
Since blue stone is considered rare, it found application only in the jewelry industry.
You can wear it in different jewelry, but jewelers prefer to insert it into rings, necklaces, pendants. Any products with this expensive nanocrystal belong to the group of elite jewelry. As a frame, platinum, white and yellow gold are used. Diamonds complement jewelry. It is recommended to wear products with blue tourmaline in the evening, it is believed that at this time of day the optical parameters of the stone are activated in the best way.
To minimize possible scratches and wear, you need to store each individual piece of jewelry in a soft cloth or in the same packaging away from sunlight. If the products are left in the open sun, then over time the power of the crystal weakens. The stone may begin to fade, or even begin to collapse from the inside.
Tourmaline jewelry is best cleaned with warm water and a dense microfiber cloth or other soft material. It is impossible to clean the stone by any chemical means, and the possibility of contact of the noble gem with fire should not be allowed.
Who is it for?
Paraibian tourmaline can be worn by both sexes of any age category. Paraiba tourmaline jewelry is not recommended for those who suffer from thyroid disease or have serious heart problems. The unique blue stone is suitable for people who often experience stressful situations, whose type of activity involves high energy costs.
The mineral will become a stimulant for the restoration of strength and will give the owner confidence in the implementation of any of his undertakings. Tourmaline should be worn by those seeking a life partner.
All these nanocrystals are considered to be stones protecting the lovers, and the blue gem from Paraiba is the stone of Venus, the planet of love and romance.
Wearing a tourmaline necklace or pendant will enhance charm, charisma and sex appeal.
The Venusian energy of Paraiba tourmaline makes your whole being shine with beauty and splendor, like a neon light bulb.
Like all blue or bluish stones, Paraibian tourmaline is an excellent ally for writers, teachers, scientists, speakers and consultants. The combination of blue and turquoise tones of the crystal gives the owner of this stone the ability to arouse sympathy, his mental abilities increase, allowing him to find the right words in a particular situation, to support someone in a crisis and help him recover.
Tourmaline of blue color can be worn by representatives of all the zodiac signs, it does not conflict with any of themhowever, it’s best to buy Paraibian gem jewelry impressionable and emotional natures to restore balance of power and inner comfort. The gem is most suitable for people born under the signs of Libra, Aquarius, Cancer, Pisces and Scorpio.
A small video review of Paraiba tourmaline is provided in the video below.
