Paraiba or Tourmaline

[Harriet]

Steve,
Does that gem resemble a radioactive blue zircon? If so, that''s the colour of the original Paraibas I saw in Tucson that blew the African ones out of the water.

 

[LD]

Date: 4/18/2009 6:01:01 PM
Author: zeolite

Date: 4/18/2009 5:34:19 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds

Date: 4/18/2009 5:25:08 PM
Author: Harriet

Date: 4/18/2009 5:23:44 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
I''m really interested in this as well. I thought (and am happy to be proved wrong) that the whole reason that the Mozambique et al stones could be called ''Paraiba'' is because their chemical make-up is identical to the Brazilian mined gemstones. Is this incorrect?

That''s my understanding too.

I wonder how AGTA could determine origin then?????

Probably chemical analysis by electron microprobe. They examine the relative ratios of copper to manganese, and compare to samples from known localities.

Good reading:

http://www.agta-gtc.org/report_tourmaline.htm

http://www.agta-gtc.org/pdf_files/lmhc6-paraiba.pdf

http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/paraiba.html

Thank you for those links. I''ve read them with interest but I''m not sure that it answers my question.

I think, looking at the middle link that it may not be possible to determine origin which is interesting.

 

[m76steve]

harriet-yes the color does resemble the blue zircon-blue appatite-but a richer color than most of the african paraibas-and am lucky enough to have a nearly flawless gem that when viewed under the scope-all you see is the other side of the stone-very neat-very good for your responce...

 

[Harriet]

Now, that''s worth holding out for.

 

[chrono]

I saw the real neon old stuff - there''s no way a Moz stone can compare. The colour, saturation and vividness burns holes in the retina. It''s just unlike any gemstone. That''s the type I intend to purchase (just a small one though).

 

[Harriet]

Some think there''s a Paraiba bubble and my dealer, for one, won''t sell me any. If he''s correct, I''m swooping in on the top specimens as I can''t stomach the market price. I''m envious of those of you who bought them when they were first discovered!

 

[chrono]

Date: 4/19/2009 12:07:36 AM
Author: Harriet
Some think there''s a Paraiba bubble and my dealer, for one, won''t sell me any. If he''s correct, I''m swooping in on the top specimens as I can''t stomach the market price. I''m envious of those of you who bought them when they were first discovered!

One cannot predict the future. If that''s the case, then others will get lucky when the bubble pops. Or maybe the price will level out and or continue to rise. If we can predict how things turn out - then we''ll be super wealthy by now.

 

[icekid]

Date: 4/19/2009 4:15:55 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 4/19/2009 12:07:36 AM
Author: Harriet
Some think there''s a Paraiba bubble and my dealer, for one, won''t sell me any. If he''s correct, I''m swooping in on the top specimens as I can''t stomach the market price. I''m envious of those of you who bought them when they were first discovered!

One cannot predict the future. If that''s the case, then others will get lucky when the bubble pops. Or maybe the price will level out and or continue to rise. If we can predict how things turn out - then we''ll be super wealthy by now.

So true!

I think a paraiba is one of those once in a lifetime kind of stones that you just BUY when you find the right one, nevermnd the price. I''m thinking you haven''t found that one yet, Chrono.

 

[Harriet]

Hang the cost?! Not at that level. I''ll live without.

 

[icekid]

Date: 4/19/2009 7:20:24 PM
Author: Harriet
Hang the cost?! Not at that level. I''ll live without.

haha, me too. I''m not sure I''ll ever be convinced to take this gem thing THAT far.

 

[m76steve]

to harriet & all who seek the brazillian paraiba-i have been buying gems for several years & heard stories of the gems that got away-paraiba, podparisha, huayne, kaianite, and several others including a favorite alexandrite-i was told that these stones were not available or so expensive as to only see them in a musium-the web is a wonder even with the way things are today in the world-if you want & invest the time almost anything is possible-i have spent nights looking the websites for perticular stones, sizes, and cuts & overal have done pretty well with the few items i have-its really fun to talk stones to interested persons & how rare or unobtainable some items are then show them a pendent with 12cts of whatever that in some cases some jewelers may have never seen-a sweet happening-all part of the hunt and hobby-i know that there is a lot of obtainable gems at very good prices-even paraiba, tanzanite or whatever-just spend a little time and Looooooooooooooook!-my 2 cents...

 

[Harriet]

Steve dear,
Will you help me find a Paraiba?

 

[m76steve]

harriet-let me see what i can find-on with the hunt...

 

[Harriet]