An uncommon artificial resin feature in a brazilian Paraiba tourmaline
Recently, we examined a vibrant Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline weighing approximately 6 carats. One particular internal feature stood out that we found interesting for sharing.
Fake it ‘til you break it: Oddities and fraud cases submitted to SSEF
Apart from beautiful and exceptional gemstones, the SSEF also gets from time-to-time submissions which clearly fall far from that prestigious range.
Purple substance in hollow tubes to mimic unheated Paraiba tourmaline
Recently, the SSEF received a 14-carat, light blue, copper-bearing tourmaline for testing. Based on trace element concentrations, its Mozambique origin was readily established.
Paraiba Tourmaline origin determination using machine learning
Since its discovery in Brazil in the late 1980s, copper-bearing Paraiba tourmaline has completely reshaped the high-end gemstone market. Famous for its electric ‘neon’ blue-to-green hues — caused by traces of copper and manganese — it has established a category of its own.
News from the SSEF (2025)
Presentation by Dr Laurent E. Cartier & Dr. Michael S. Krzemnicki at the Swiss Gemmological Society SGG conference in 2025.
The colour range of Paraiba tourmalines
Paraiba tourmalines owe their attractive colour to the presence of copper. In the best case, this gives rise to a vivid blue colour, also known in the trade as ‘neon’ blue or ‘electric’ blue and not known from any other gemstone in nature.
Exceptional set of tourmalines
Paraiba tourmaline is among the most highly prized of gems today and they are sought after for their vivid colour ranging from blue to green.
Further Characterisation of Native Copper Inclusions in Cu-Bearing Tourmaline
Further Characterisation of Native Copper Inclusions in […]
Saturation too low for Paraiba tourmaline
Copper-bearing tourmaline, also known as Paraiba tourmaline in the trade, may come in a range of colours from blue to green. Similarly, the colour saturation of such copper-bearing tourmalines may vary largely, from saturated and vibrant – also known as “electric” or “neon” – to very light coloured.
A perfect match: Paraiba tourmaline and Indicolite tourmaline
A few months ago, a client submitted to SSEF two tourmalines of attractive and matching shape, size and colour, both supposedly being Paraiba tourmalines (Figure 1). Chemical analyses and absorption spectra (UV-Vis-NIR) quickly revealed that their composition and colour cause was much less matching than their v