A
Gem Stone for the Ages
Extremely Rare, One-of-a-Kind Paraiba Tourmaline Ready for Auction
by Kaufmann de Suisse of Palm Beach & Montreal
Extremely Rare, One-of-a-Kind Paraiba Tourmaline Ready for Auction
by Kaufmann de Suisse of Palm Beach & Montreal
Named the ‘Ethereal
Carolina Divine Paraiba’, the world’s largest Paraiba tourmaline gem stone has
been set by esteemed jewelers Kaufmann de Suisse in an exquisite design called
the Paraiba Star. A harmonious blend of sea and earth elements, the stunning
piece was inspired by designer Moneca Kaufmann’s love of the gorgeous ocean
tapestries that surround her at her Palm Beach, Florida winter home.
“So much is going on beneath the surface
of the waters, just as the formation of this incredible Paraiba tourmaline
happened – quietly and below the surface of the Earth,” Ms. Kaufmann explained
in an address before dignitaries and fellow members of Kauffman de Suisse
jewelers to introduce the piece to the New York market.
“The neon-blue color of the stone evoked
the image of blue waters that comprise 70% of our small blue planet and spawned
life 3.8 billion years ago for us…,” Ms. Kaufmann said.
In addition to the breathtaking Paraiba
tourmaline, the Paraiba Star consists of 1,705 other precious and semi-precious
stones including orange sapphires, emerald, ruby, blue topaz, and diamonds. The
piece also includes an eye-catching brilliant yellow canary 10.73 carat
diamond.
What Makes the Ethereal Carolina Divine Paraiba Special?
The story of the herculean efforts to
discover and bring to market the world’s largest Paraiba tourmaline is the
stuff of legend. It took a determined miner named Heitor Barbosa 5 years
scouring the Paraiba district of Brazil to unearth the unique gemstone in 1989.
Barbosa had a gut feeling he’d find gemstones of remarkable quality – little
did he know he’d discover a stone of such epic and exquisite proportions.
Enter the youthful financier Vincent
Boucher, a Canadian physicist, artist and CEO of Billionaire Business
Enterprises, Inc. whose passion for beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime gemstones led
to his acquisition in 2009 of the world-famous Paraiba tourmaline. Mr. Boucher
brought the record-holding stone to Kaufman de Suisse to create a handmade
object d’art that would best capture the Paraiba tourmalines’ incomparable
qualities of wondrous colors, brilliance and clarity.
Following are but a few of the
unsurpassed qualities of this highly sought-after gem, beyond its record
breaking size:
*No ceiling on value, currently
estimated to be as much as $125 million; the scarcity of the stone means the
value will always increase
*Its scarcity boggles the imagination –
it is thousands of times rarer than diamonds
*Only 50 kg of stone material has been
mined – the mines are now exhausted.
*In many cases tourmaline crystals are
broken or etched. Prior to the discovery of the Paraiba Star, a 3 carat stone
was virtually unknown. It is highly likely that we will never see another
Paraiba Star. It is truly one of a kind!
*Its unsurpassed size, natural untreated
color and transparency make the stone a geological anomaly – again, a
one-of-a-kind characteristic.
*For every 10,000 carats of diamonds mined, a single
carat of Paraiba tourmaline has been mined.
Why
Invest in the Paraiba Star Tourmaline?
According to Kaufmann de Suisse, when the gem was
originally introduced to world markets in 1990 at the Tucson, Arizona (U.S.)
show, the price per carat was only $250 a carat. Only six days later it skyrocketed to E$2500
a carat thanks to the almost unprecedented demand of such a scarce commodity.
The demand for the Paraiba Star continued to rise
exponentially, as did its price. The
October 2013 edition of Rappaport Magazine – the authority on gemstone pricing,
reported that Paraiba tourmalines larger than 10 carats were already fetching
more than $100,000 per carat. Rappaport said a ceiling price could not be
established for the gem because prices for the rare tourmalines continue to
rise.
Exclusive
and Potentially Lucrative Investment Opportunity
Some hard facts about recent gem values make it
clear that the Paraiba Star offers an extraordinary investment opportunity. For
example, the Burma Ruby sold for $1.2 million per carat, and Kashmir sapphires
have attracted as much as $200,000 per carat. The auction price for the Burma
Ruby represented a 9-fold increase over its value just a few years earlier. The
fact that the Paraiba tourmalines are nearly extinct only adds to the mystique
of this celebrated stone.
An
Appeal to Wealth and Taste
Make no mistake, the ‘Ethereal
Carolina Divine Paraiba’ with its dazzling Paraiba Star design, isn’t for those
lacking overwhelming financial resources. The price tag could ultimately be in
the hundreds of millions of dollars.
According to Gemological Institute of
America GIA) certified gemologist Brandon Katzeff, Paraiba tourmalines are not
often carried by fine jewelers because of their steep price tag, making them
difficult to sell. Katzeff, who runs
family-owned jewelry stores in Pennsylvania and West Virginia says the
beautiful neon-blue colors set the Paraiba apart from other gemstones. He says the only stone that comes close in
color is the blue zircon.
However, for those who do possess this
unrivaled gemstone, the prize isn’t merely an indication of prodigious wealth
and nuanced taste – the stone has great historical significance. Future
generations will consider the Ethereal Carolina Divine Paraiba in the same
historical context as the Hope Diamond, the Logan Sapphire, the Golden Jubilee
and the Cullinan Diamond.
For more information contact:
KAUFMANN de SUISSE
Custom Designs, Master
Goldsmiths & Rare Gems since 1954
210 Worth Avenue
Palm Beach, Florida
USA 33480
1-800-832-2808
1-800-832-2808
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