Phillips heads New York Jewels auction with 31.77-carat paraiba tourmaline ring
Phillips is leading New York Jewels with a 31.77-carat Mozambique paraiba ring estimated at $550,000 to $650,000. Smaller paraiba jewels and signed names round out the sale.
Phillips is putting a 31.77-carat paraiba tourmaline ring at the center of its New York Jewels auction, and the stone carries the kind of rarity that turns a jewel into a statement gift. Estimated at $550,000 to $650,000, Lot 82 is a reminder that the most coveted colored stones are judged not just by price, but by color, size, and the story they can credibly tell.
The ring centers an oval paraiba tourmaline weighing 31.77 carats and is set with rows of marquise-shaped diamonds and circular-cut blue tourmalines, with additional brilliant-cut diamonds in platinum and 18k yellow gold. It is size 6 1/2 and comes with an SSEF report stating the paraiba tourmaline is of Mozambique origin. That paper trail matters as much as the sparkle: for buyers at this level, documented provenance is part of the gift itself, especially when the piece is meant to mark a marriage, a milestone birthday, or a family handoff.
Phillips is broadening the message with a sale built around rare gemstones, important diamonds, and signed jewels from houses including Harry Winston, Cartier, and David Webb. Among the other headline lots are a 40-lot emerald and diamond necklace estimated at $500,000 to $800,000, a paraiba tourmaline and diamond pendant necklace at $200,000 to $300,000, and a pair of paraiba tourmaline and diamond earrings at $60,000 to $80,000. The house also lists a 9.30-carat pear-shaped paraiba tourmaline ring at $80,000 to $120,000. Taken together, the lineup shows how paraiba has moved from niche gem to trophy category, with multiple price points for collectors who want the color without the scale, or the scale without the full ring format.
That ascent makes sense when you look at the stone’s history. Paraiba tourmaline was first discovered in Brazil in the late 1980s, and later finds in Nigeria and Mozambique widened supply without making the material common. Recent market action has only sharpened the case: a 5.44-carat paraiba tourmaline ring sold at Bonhams New York for $533,900 after carrying an upper estimate of just $60,000. For ultra-high-net-worth buyers, that is the signal. A fine paraiba crosses into legacy-present territory when the color is electric, the origin is documented, the size is commanding, and the room understands immediately why it belongs at the top of the tray.
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