"Paraiba" Chalcedony

Item Description

Strangely, the term "Paraiba" is being used somewhat loosely in the gem world recently. This term was strictly reserved for the electric blue and green Tourmaline gems from Paraiba, Brazil, but now it is being applied to a lot of non-Tourmaline gems that show any kind of vibrant blue or green color from any locality. With that said, this is a stone with a beautiful electric blue color which is being marketed as "Paraiba" Chalcedony. The material is essentially a cryptocrystalline variety of Quartz, but some recent research has shown that the Quartz is mixed with a monoclinic form of Silicon Dioxide, Moganite. This stone has some of the most vibrant color for Chalcedony that I have seen from any locality, which some people have said might be due to copper inclusions (the same element that creates the intense color in the Tourmalines from Paraiba). It is reminiscent of some of the brightest Chrysocolla that I have seen from places like Arizona. Internally, the gem is translucent, but you can see the amazing color from across the room. This "Heart" cut stone is one of the few gems of this material that I have, and would certainly make a great addition to any gem collection.