By Jennifer Heebner, Editor in Chief
Yehouda Saketkhou of Yael Designs is so eager to celebrate his firm’s 25th anniversary (not until 2026!) that he has already unveiled a new line of Paraíba Tourmaline jewels. Currently, there are 40 designs but many more will follow from now until JCK LUXURY in June 2025.
Paraíba Tourmaline is one of the rarest gemstones in the world, having been discovered in the late 1980s in Brazil (and later Mozambique and Nigeria), so it’s already quite special, but this new collection has yet another level of preciousness: its backstory.
“I bought all the gems loose from a private collector who is not even in the jewelry industry,” says Saketkhou. “The seller is a well-known watercolor artist who lives five minutes away from my house. We were introduced in April 2023 by a mutual friend, and now we have become friends. We play backgammon together once or twice a week! He’s been collecting Paraíba since 1989 and had material from every source and in sizes from a half a carat to 15-carat gems. He’s been buying them overseas and just had a hunch that they would be worth something. He had seven trays of Paraíba that he sold to me. While I’m happy with the purchase, I gained a really good friend in the transaction.”
The gems were all cut goods, not rough, and some Saketkhou had recut for his use. Every gem is getting a report from either AGL or GIA.
This is certainly not the first time he’s featured the gem in his body of work, but these designs differ in that they are “a fresh look from what’s currently offered in the market,” he says. Some of the designs in this anniversary collection are floral while others are updated classics with twists. For example, tapered baguette-cut Diamonds are abundant in the offerings. Nearly every piece will be set in platinum.
“The collection deserves it,” he says. “Platinum lasts forever. Most of the old antique jewelry is made with platinum and that’s why it’s still around. There is wear and tear that happens with gold, such as the metal wearing away over time, and the color can change.”
To start, there are a lot of rings, which are a popular style. Plus, anyone who’s privileged enough to own a piece of Paraíba Tourmaline jewelry will certainly want to see it—not possible with earrings or necklaces. Select styles are even convertible from a ring to a pendant. Retail prices range from $12,000 to $350,000.
The biggest takeaway from these new looks? They’re a rare gem with a one-of-a-kind color, so they’re a true celebration of nature—and of the company.
“We started in 2001,” says Saketkhou. “There were times when I questioned myself—‘What am I doing?’ But I persevered. So this collection is dedicated to us.”
This is proprietary content for AGTA and may not be reproduced.