A pendant or a pair of earrings is often the easiest way to wear Paraiba tourmaline. Larger clean stones are easier to find than they are for sapphire or ruby, and because Paraiba is a little softer, at 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, a pendant setting keeps the stone away from the knocks a ring takes. Worn at the neck or the ear, the neon colour also sits closer to the face, where it reads best. These are pieces we have made.
Paraiba Pendant with Blue and Pink Sapphires
This pendant was made for a client’s wife. A pear-shaped Paraiba sits in a halo of round brilliant diamonds, with blue and pink sapphires set below it in a soft cascade. The blue sapphires hold the same cool register as the tourmaline while the pink ones warm the piece, so the Paraiba stays the focus without the design feeling one-note.
A Dual Paraiba Pendant
Setting two Paraiba tourmalines in one piece is unusual, because finding a matched pair is difficult. For this pendant we set two round stones in a spiral of diamonds so that the colour reads from more than one angle. It is a small, dense piece that carries a lot of neon for its size.
Paraiba Diamond Halo Pendant
A pear-drop Paraiba in a round diamond halo, with marquise diamonds running down from the halo in a tapered line. The marquise cut carries the eye downward and gives the pendant length on the chain. A related commission paired a Paraiba with a detachable ruby drop, so the same pendant works for daytime and for a formal evening.
Paraiba Dangle Earrings
This pair uses round brilliant Paraiba tourmalines, about 2.8 carats total, each surrounded by diamonds (E to F colour, VS clarity). Earrings suit Paraiba because the stones move as you do, and the neon colour catches the light with every turn. As with the pendants, the format is gentler on the stone than a ring.
Choosing a Paraiba for a Pendant or Earrings
The rules are the same as for a ring. Colour comes first: a vivid blue to blue-green with a visible glow is what you are paying for. Because clean Paraiba is scarce, much of the market is clarity enhanced, so ask for a stone that is not. And buy only with a report from GIA, Gubelin, SSEF or GRS, which confirms the colour is from copper rather than iron and states whether the stone has been treated. Brazilian stones tend to be smaller and more saturated; Mozambique stones larger and cleaner.
Common Questions
Is Paraiba tourmaline safe to wear as a pendant every day?
Yes. A pendant sees far less impact than a ring, and Paraiba at 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale is well within range for that. A bezel or a protected halo adds a further margin. Earrings are similarly low-risk.
How much does a Paraiba pendant cost?
It depends almost entirely on the stone. Fine Mozambique Paraiba runs from roughly US$6,000 per carat and fine Brazilian from around US$18,000, so a one-carat centre plus the diamond work and the setting sets the floor. We price each commission around the stone you choose.
Commission a Paraiba Pendant or Earrings
We hold loose Paraiba tourmaline for private viewing. Each commission starts with the stone, then the design. See the full Paraiba tourmaline guide, our gemstone pendants, or the Paraiba engagement rings, and book an appointment to see the stones.