Five Rare Paraíba Tourmalines Sell for $3.4 Million at Sotheby's

Sotheby's June 2026 high jewelry sale in New York totaled $43.4 million, and one of its standout moments came from a private collection of five Brazilian-origin Paraíba tourmalines that together sold for $3.4 million — nearly triple its combined pre-sale estimate of $770,000 to $1.2 million.

The collection was led by a 7.70-carat oval-shaped Paraíba tourmaline, which sold for $1.4 million against an estimate of just $350,000–$550,000 after a three-minute bidding contest between two determined buyers. A 6.11-carat modified triangle-shaped stone drew competing bids from two online and three telephone bidders before selling for $972,800, more than triple its high estimate of $500,000.

An 8.48-carat oval-shaped tourmaline realized $819,200 after more than five minutes of sustained online and phone bidding, while a pair — a 6.65-carat oval and a 6.44-carat pear-shaped stone — sold together for $204,800, well above their shared $60,000–$80,000 estimate.

All five stones were of confirmed Brazilian origin — the original, namesake locality for Paraíba tourmaline — which likely contributed to the aggressive bidding. Fine Paraíba material from Brazil, the rarest and most limited of all known sources, continues to trade at a significant premium over stones from Mozambique or Nigeria.

Shop our current tourmaline collection.

Source: National Jeweler (Lauren McLemore), June 18, 2026.

Written by Nic Scogna, a photographer and mineral collector based in Lexington, Kentucky, and the founder of Crystal Earth Gallery and Kyanite King Minerals. For over 25 years, he has traveled to mineral localities across the U.S. — from Maine to California — personally sourcing the specimens, gemstones, and photographic subjects featured here. When not out in the field, Nic writes about mineralogy, collecting, and the craft of turning raw stone into wearable art.