Move over diamonds, Paraiba tourmaline is the new power gem of luxury

Plenty of gemstones sparkle—but only a few can command a room. This past year, Paraiba tourmaline has become one of them. The neon blue-green jewel prized for its almost supernatural glowstone has quietly risen from collector’s niche to couture-world icon. It’s the shade of tropical shallows, oxidised copper, and lightning trapped underwater—an electric, impossible colour that the global luxury elite have suddenly become obsessed with.

The celebrity glow-up

Some obsessions begin on red carpets, and Paraiba’s ascent has been no exception. The Ambani family, long considered arbiters of rare, museum-grade jewellery, ushered the stone into the global spotlight when Nita Ambani arrived at the premiere of The Ba***ds of Bollywood, wearing an ultra-rare, breathtaking Glenn Spiro creation. The necklace, composed of vivid Paraiba tourmalines and heart-shaped diamonds on turquoise-tinted titanium, shimmered like a halo around her Manish Malhotra jade lamé sari. 

Isha Ambani, another patron of coloured gemstones and one of the first Indians to champion Paraiba’s unique 'inner glow', too, was spotted at an event last year wearing a chunky pair of Paraiba disco earrings.

Hollywood followed quickly. At the 2025 Golden Globes, Zendaya swept the jewellery conversation with her platinum Bvlgari collier featuring a monumental 31-carat Paraiba tourmaline, flanked by 48 carats of diamonds. The stone’s neon intensity against her minimalist gown grabbed eyeballs, and industry analysts later noted it as one of the most searched jewellery looks of the entire awards season.

Taylor Swift, a long-time lover of aquamarines and softer blue palettes, did it long before it was cool. At the 2023 Grammys, she turned heads with a pair of dramatic Lorraine Schwartz earrings that combined Paraiba tourmalines, purple sapphires and diamonds, reportedly more than 136 carats in total.

Why the world wants Paraiba now

The typical diamond dazzles with clarity and sharp brilliance. Paraiba, on the other hand, appears 'lit from within' as the copper content gives it its electrifying hue. Discovered only in the late 1980s in Brazil, Paraiba tourmaline is far rarer than diamonds, and often more expensive per carat when the colour reaches the coveted “neon” spectrum.

Its rarity has only added to its mystique. Brazilian deposits have been significantly depleted, leaving Mozambique and Nigeria to shoulder the global demand. Collectors and modern luxury consumers, increasingly drawn to pieces that feel personal and unconventional, see Paraiba as the ultimate gem—one that combines investment value with emotional, aesthetic intensity.

The maisons are chasing the blue flame

The rush to Paraiba has transformed the landscape of high jewellery. Bvlgari has been at the forefront, unveiling spectacular Paraiba-set creations in recent years, from the high-jewellery Aeterna showcase to bespoke one-of-a-kind collier pieces that place the gem at the centre of its colour-forward design language.

Tiffany & Co. embraced the stone in its Sea of Wonder high-jewellery collection, where Paraiba pieces were presented as luminous aquatic treasures. Inspired by oceanic forms, the designs used the gem’s almost surreal blue to mimic coral bloom, refracted light, and the play of deep-sea movement—an aesthetic impossible to achieve with traditional aquamarines or sapphires.

Chopard, too, has showcased exceptional Paraiba stones in its recent haute joaillerie selections, often pairing them with its signature floating-diamond sensibility. The house’s larger, statement-scale designs allow the neon blue centre stones to feel unrestricted, luminous, and sculptural.

The new language of luxury

Paraiba tourmaline’s charm goes beyond rarity. It represents a shift in how the world defines luxury: not in carat weight or size, but in distinctiveness, emotional resonance, and the ability to stand out in a sea of sameness. Diamonds may be eternal, but Paraiba is alive—a glowing, luminous reminder that the future of high jewellery is vibrant, expressive, and unafraid of colour.

For the style elite, the message is clear. The most captivating gemstone of the decade isn’t white, colourless, or classic. It’s neon, rare, tropical, and unforgettable.

Move over, diamonds. The new blue has officially arrived.

Lead image: Getty Images
 

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