Gemstone Details

Blue Zircon

Legends in the Middle Ages said zircon was used to aid with sleep, bring about prosperity and promote wisdom. Today, zircon is often confused with the synthetic cubic zirconia, but many consumers do not realize this gemstone is its own marvelous mineral species, available in a wide range of colors.

Blue zircon is by far the most in demand yet is relatively affordable in large carat sizes. Its color is almost always the result of heat treatment, and most stones are relatively free of inclusions. This stone has a similar dispersion to a diamond and is doubly refractive, which makes it best suited for brilliant cutting styles that allow its luster and fire to shine. Often quite brittle and prone to abrasion, zircon should be worn with care. In 2014, a fragment of a zircon crystal tested in Australia was determined to be the oldest rock fragment ever found on Earth. Scientists believe it is approximately 4.4 billion years old. The finest gem quality blue zircon are sourced from Cambodia.

Blue zircon is the birthstone for December.

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.