Gemstone Details

Rainbow Moonstone

A member of the feldspar group, orthoclase, moonstone is known for its distinct sheen under certain lighting conditions called adularescence. Rainbow moonstones are from the labradorite species of the group. Labradorite feldspar is most often associated with mining in Labrador, Canada, but Madagascar is a top source for rainbow moonstone which has a lighter or more transparent body color than traditional labradorite. Both traditional moonstone and rainbow moonstone’s adularescence is caused by light reflection of twinning planes. This layering causes an interference of light as it enters the stone, reflecting back as the sheen beloved in moonstones, making them appear to glow from within.

Legends say the stone provides good luck, Hindu legend believes it was formed by moonbeams, and in Arab countries, women historically sewed moonstones into their garments to promote fertility. Properties often associated with the moon have been applied to this gemstone, such as romance, femininity, intuition, dreams and love.

Long been a favored gemstone in jewelry, designers of the romantic Art Nouveau era, such as René Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiffany, heavily featured moonstone. Like most gemstones, the most prized moonstones contain no visible inclusions; they will also have a colorless, semitransparent to nearly transparent body color with strong vivid adularescence.

Moonstone is one of the birthstones for June.

Paraíba Tourmaline

Neon blue copper-bearing tourmaline was discovered in the hills of the Brazilian state of Paraíba, in the late 1980's. Various gemological laboratories performed testing on the new material and discovered that it was a natural elbaite tourmaline. Elbaite is generally achromatic, which means the crystals are colorless unless there are trace elements present in the chemical formula. In the case of Paraíba tourmaline, the crystals contain trace amounts of copper, which give the gemstones their unique and vibrant color and the reference of cuprian, which stands for copper-bearing. This variety of tourmaline was officially named "Paraíba tourmaline" after the state in Brazil in which it was discovered.

Their rarity is unmatched, as there is only one Paraíba tourmaline mined in Brazil for every 10,000 diamonds, and a fine quality Paraíba over three carats is virtually unheard of. A point to keep in mind is that copper bearing tourmalines have been mined in Mozambique, Nigeria and other localities, however, they are referred to as Paraíba-type tourmalines, because a true Paraíba tourmaline can only come from Brazil, making it all the more rare.

Color is perhaps the most important variable when comparing these stones, all other things being equal. Inclusions are to be expected and forgiven when judging fine stones, as long as saturation of color and brightness remain strong. Nearly every other shade of tourmaline is found in Brazil, however none has the vivid glow that distinguishes the Paraíba tourmaline. Colors ranging from bright turquoise to majestic blue-green to “windex” blue, it’s the incandescent glow that appears to light up the stone from within that makes Paraíba tourmalines incomparable to any other gemstone.

Tourmaline is the birthstone for October and the gift for the eighth wedding anniversary.

Paraíba-Type Tourmaline

Copper-bearing tourmaline, more often recognized by the name Paraíba, is technically named cuprian elbaite tourmaline. As a trace element, copper is responsible for the intense neon blue hues that make Paraíba and Paraíba-type tourmalines so desirable. A stone is considered a Paraíba tourmaline if it is mined in the specific region in Paraíba, Brazil where the stone was first discovered in the 1980’s. The allure of this magnificent stone from the moment of its discovery saw demand far surpass supply. Thanks to more recent discoveries of deposits in Nigeria and Mozambique, supply has increased for this unique stone, but fine material over a carat remains extremely rare. Stones mined in Mozambique, Nigeria or anywhere else in the world besides Paraíba are thus referred to as Paraíba-type tourmalines. From the moment this stone was discovered, its unique color captivated gem collectors and jewelry lovers around the world.

Demand has remained high with the addition of new sources; no other color tourmaline has ever commanded the prices of fine cuprian elbaite tourmaline. The range of color in the stone can appear greenish blue, bluish green, green, blue and violet. Color is perhaps the most important variable when comparing these stones, all other things being equal. Inclusions are to be expected and forgiven when judging fine stones, as long as saturation of color and brightness remain strong.

Tourmaline is the birthstone for October and the gift for the eighth wedding anniversary.