Paraiba Tourmaline from Mozambique

[synnamonstyx]

Courious if I could get an idea of a price range for a stone I have. It's a 2.55 carat Mozambique pariaba tourmaline.

 

[RedSpinel]

I dont want to start a whole debate here, but I was just reading an article about Paraiba tourmaline the other day from a gem info website and they talked about a lawsuit pertaining to the use of the word "Paraiba" when discussing these tourmalines, and they reiterated the basic notion that a tourmaline isnt truly Paraiba unless its from Paraiba, Brazil, and that Tourmalines that are mined elsewhere, but still look similar to those from Paraiba should be called "Paraiba-like". I have always been confused by the whole thing. Paraiba is used as a marketing term to justify higher prices for these stones, because the true Paraiba tourmalines from Brazil are very rare(supposedly).

But the fact that it is used as a marketing term means that anyone selling them may be able to get higher prices for light-ish blue colored Tourmalines. The way I saw them described for a few years was that they are always light blue. Dont know how accurate that is, as a lot of things in the colored gemstone world are often very subjective........

As far as value, thats subjective too!

 

[JewelFreak]

Have you had it looked at by a lab? If not, that would be the place to start. AGL is most equipped for colored stones. It's impossible to judge a stone in a photo; but I don't see the inner light & glow of a cuprian tourmaline. It's a nice color -- not the seafoam preferred by the trade, though. In your pic I see a large window, but I'm not sure if it's taken straight-on or slightly tilted. Mozambique produces tourmalines but a small percentage are Paraiba-type, which is why a lab report is necessary to tell you what you have. Then an appraiser can give you an idea about value. Good luck!

 

[T L]

Courious if I could get an idea of a price range for a stone I have. It's a 2.55 carat Mozambique pariaba tourmaline.

If the photo is accurate, I don't think it's worth a ton of money because it simply doesn't have that neon quality associated with the color of the finest paraibas. I have some like yours and to be honest, they're pretty, but I would call them "minty tourmaline." I suppose if you had a retail store, and you put the word "paraiba" on it, someone might pay you an arm and a leg for it, but that would be unfortunate for them.

It's still a nice color, but not particularly valuable in my estimation. I have seen some retailers putting the word "paraiba" on stones like that though, and charging huge prices. IMO, one should buy for the color, not the fact it simply has copper in it's chemical makeup.

 

[minousbijoux]

I agree with TL. Unfortunately, having a tourmaline which is copper bearing is not sufficient to warrant the Paraiba title. It really needs to have a neon, other worldly glow to be considered as such. This one looks like a typical ebay copper-bearing tourmaline, but not a terribly high quality one warranting the title of Paraiba.

 

[kenny]

Isn't this too green, or has too little blue, to even be called paraiba-like?

 

[movie zombie]

the window will also deduct from the price given it is not that "paraiba" glow that most want; see: https://www.palagems.com/paraiba.htm

 

[synnamonstyx]

It was the name on the stone when I bought it. I know that doesn't necessarily mean anything but being only $20 who could pass it up? Lol yeah it was taken at an angle and with my phone. Just curious cause I didn't think it was pariaba quality. But you known if it was just a mess up on the name or the price.....figured it was a win win situation in this case. I don't know what light to take a good pic of it in. I did some research on the inclusions for paraibas and it seemed to fit. I have a refractory index device and it seemed to fit the right reading. But I have very base knowledge on gemstones, which is why I dint spend much cause I most likely will be getting something I thi k it is but isn't. I do appreciate yalls post though.

 

[T L]

It was the name on the stone when I bought it. I know that doesn't necessarily mean anything but being only $20 who could pass it up? Lol yeah it was taken at an angle and with my phone. Just curious cause I didn't think it was pariaba quality. But you known if it was just a mess up on the name or the price.....figured it was a win win situation in this case. I don't know what light to take a good pic of it in. I did some research on the inclusions for paraibas and it seemed to fit. I have a refractory index device and it seemed to fit the right reading. But I have very base knowledge on gemstones, which is why I dint spend much cause I most likely will be getting something I thi k it is but isn't. I do appreciate yalls post though.

$20 is a fabulous price for a minty green tourmaline with open color, and no extinction that is 2+ carats.

 

[chrono]

It is highly unlikely to be considered a Paraiba by any reputable lab but $20 is quite a steal for it!

 

[minousbijoux]

It was the name on the stone when I bought it. I know that doesn't necessarily mean anything but being only $20 who could pass it up? Lol yeah it was taken at an angle and with my phone. Just curious cause I didn't think it was pariaba quality. But you known if it was just a mess up on the name or the price.....figured it was a win win situation in this case. I don't know what light to take a good pic of it in. I did some research on the inclusions for paraibas and it seemed to fit. I have a refractory index device and it seemed to fit the right reading. But I have very base knowledge on gemstones, which is why I dint spend much cause I most likely will be getting something I thi k it is but isn't. I do appreciate yalls post though.

$20 is a fabulous price for a minty green tourmaline with open color, and no extinction that is 2+ carats.

I was thinking the exact same thing!

 

[RedSpinel]

It was the name on the stone when I bought it. I know that doesn't necessarily mean anything but being only $20 who could pass it up? Lol yeah it was taken at an angle and with my phone. Just curious cause I didn't think it was pariaba quality. But you known if it was just a mess up on the name or the price.....figured it was a win win situation in this case. I don't know what light to take a good pic of it in. I did some research on the inclusions for paraibas and it seemed to fit. I have a refractory index device and it seemed to fit the right reading. But I have very base knowledge on gemstones, which is why I dint spend much cause I most likely will be getting something I thi k it is but isn't. I do appreciate yalls post though.

At least you are approaching colored gemstone buying with an intelligent strategy. All you have to do is look at the internet gem dealers or turn on GSN to see people paying too much money for stones that arent nearly as nice as the sellers are trying to convince you that they are. Until you get to the point that you know the difference between good and not so good quality gems, NOT spending a lot of money on them is your best bet. Even once you think you are knowledgeable, you can still get burned when you end up with a dud every now and then.

If you paid $20, then you lost nothing and you gained a decent stone for your new collection without spending much money for it. Thats pretty much the goal, is it not?

 

[synnamonstyx]

Just what I was thinking. Lol