On November 8, at the Magnificent and Noble Jewels auction, Sotheby’s Geneva will highlight a necklace set with a 93.94-carat Paraiba tourmaline, valued between $1.44 million and $2.44 million, IDEX Online reports.
The necklace, known as “The Blue Lagoon,” hails from Mozambique and has a “slightly greenish blue” hue, characterized by its rich saturation and exceptional clarity. The stone has been incorporated into a diamond lariat necklace by Adler Joailliers, a renowned Geneva-based jeweler. The necklace also features a total of 36.50 carats in marquise cuts, 13.95 carats in pear-shaped diamonds, and 14.75 carats in brilliant-cut diamonds.
While tourmaline, a gemstone with a history dating back to the 1500s, has been found in various colors, the vivid blue and green varieties, like this Paraiba tourmaline, were only unearthed as recently as 1989. These particular gemstones are named “Paraiba” after the Brazilian state where they were initially discovered.
