In the world of high jewellery, few gemstones have captured the collective imagination quite like the Paraíba tourmaline. Famed for its neon glow and captivating shades of electric blue to green, this gemstone is at the heart of the book Paraíba — The Legacy of a Color, co-authored by Kevin Ferreira and developed in collaboration with Katerina Perez, leading jewellery expert and influencer.
Kevin Ferreira, a graduate gemmologist and specialist in Paraíba sourcing and education, brings a deeply personal perspective. “My family’s involvement in gemstones began before I was born,” he says. With a lineage of lapidaries and miners from Minas Gerais in Brazil to Africa, Kevin’s journey into the world of gems was predestined. But it wasn’t until he began visiting family-run mines that he truly fell in love with the journey of Paraíba tourmaline.
“I really wanted and continue to want to share that love I developed with others who seemingly know very little about the true origins of the stone,” he says.
Kevin’s desire to shed light on the authentic story of Paraíba translated into the book for which he teamed up with fellow gemmologist Carlos Torres, and eventually Katerina Perez. Kevin’s friend and fellow gemmologist Carlos Torres (Director of the Paraíba Book) came up with the idea of a beautiful book that could tell the story and show the evolution into jewellery.
“Carlos Torres, a mutual friend and a gem specialist, introduced us knowing how passionate I am about Paraíbas. Honestly, it didn’t take much persuasion,” adds Katerina.
This small team spent over two years, going to the mines, conducting interviews and gathering data. The book, deeply researched, was a result of a true meeting of minds — science and art —working together.
Katerina, who helmed the design front, curated jewellery stories, reaching out to brands across the world and seeking out those that championed the stone in varied, enriching ways. “Kevin took the lead on the mining side — origins, properties, and the technical backbone — while I focused on the design angle: its use in jewellery, its red-carpet appearances, and auction history,” Katerina says.
A staunch admirer of the gemstone, Katerina had always been drawn to the Paraíba’s charm and its electrifying hue. “It’s the vibrancy that gets me — the electric, swimming-pool blue that you simply don’t see in any other gemstone,” she says. “It’s not just beautiful — it demands a conversation. It’s not just pretty — it’s precious, elusive, and powerful.”
Kevin’s love for the gemstone remains deep-rooted but for different reasons. “Let’s set aside for a moment the obvious difficulties of finding deposits, extraction, cutting, setting delicately into jewellery,” he says. “Let me just touch on the lives involved in the sourcing of this gemstone.” There are less than a dozen organised Paraíba mine operations in the world, Kevin remarks.
He elaborates on the resilient, faith-driven individuals who diligently search across Brazil and Africa for this gem. “The miners always tell me that their operations ‘run on faith and not diesel.” Despite the staggering mining costs and uncertainty — up to $150,000 per month in Africa, often yielding little to no reward — they persist. “This makes for some of the most resilient and strong, driven personalities who love what they do.”
Paraíba — The Legacy of a Color also shines the light on designers who understand the soul of the stone. Kevin highlights Qannati, a brand known for its innovative approach to jewellery and heirlooms, as well as Saurabh Bhola, a rising talent whose renderings bring fresh perspective. “He submitted a wonderful rendering for the book,” shares Kevin.
Katerina, for her part, curated a diverse range of maisons and independent designers. “It was never about choosing the most famous brands,” she says. “I looked for pieces where the gem wasn’t just used for sparkle, but where it was the soul of the design.” It was also important for Katerina to showcase that Paraíba is used in so many different forms: faceted, rough, carved, tumbled. Names like Doris Hangartner and Jochen Leën appear in the book for their reverence and unique interpretations of the gem. “Their creations honour the power of the stone while presenting it in sophisticated and often unexpected ways. We were careful to select pieces that reflect the rarity and energy of Paraíba, whether through their design, quality, or the stories they tell,” she adds.
Paraíba is now rising in global significance, an observation echoed by Katerina. She points to its scarcity as the primary reason. “Mozambique is now the key source, but even that supply is limited.” Referencing the Paraíba, she says that the “colour is unforgettable — it has a glow that you really don’t find elsewhere.” The third reason, she observes, is the growing sophistication among jewellery lovers. “They want gems with stories, with character, and Paraíba ticks every box.”
Ultimately, Paraíba — The Legacy of a Color is a tribute to beauty, resilience and the human spirit. As Kevin puts it: “The vision is to have more people understand the story of the gem and the process that takes to get the gem to the market and then transformed into jewellery.”
And once you dive deep into the Paraíba’s journey, you’ll never look at the gem the same way again.