Tourmaline from Paprok, Nuristan, Afghanistan - image 1

Tourmaline from Paprok, Nuristan, Afghanistan

This is "the Horner Paprok," a well-known piece that was legendary at the time in the late 1990s when it came out of the Paprok mines in Afghanistan via traders in Peshawar, through dealers Wayne Thompson and his partner Tahir Iqbal. Nearly the size of a basketball, it screams with color and contrasts, with the tourmaline "smokestacks" standing up on matrix. Remarkably for the time and era of production, this piece has no repairs. It is complete all around and pristine. After mining, it was chased by multiple parties in Pakistan before being acquired by Tahir Iqbal and Wayne Thompson on behalf of the musician and composer, James Horner. James, at the time, had one of the most elite collections in the world and a standing order to pay 7-figure prices for the best and biggest of emerging specimens. Before his tragic death, his collection was surely, piece for piece, the finest of cabinet specimens (many of which are now in museums and major private collections). A later find of the early 2000s produced another group of "green cap" tourmalines that look similar in the photos you may see published. However, those do not have the bright, lustrous, gemmy terminations which you can look down inside; and all had repairs and restorations. This is another level, still unequalled in such quality and size. Illustrated in IKONS 2025.

Product details

SpeciesTourmalineCleavelandite
SizeLarge Cabinet
Dimensions21.0 x 20.0 x 15.0 cm
Added on10/15/2026
LocalityAfghanistan, Nuristan, Paprok
Current owner
A
The Arkenstone
Member since 2026

Learn more

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color range and crystal variety define a diverse group; top localities, value factors, quality assessment, and care tips for collectors.
Tourmaline
Regional guide
Tourmaline from Paprok, Afghanistan
Paprok, Afghanistan - tourmaline from a famed elbaite locality, color-zoned, prismatic crystals, prized by collectors for form and locality.
Locality guide
Paprok
Paprok, Afghanistan - a premier gem pegmatite locality known for color-zoned elbaite tourmalines and a wealth of rare minerals, prized by collectors worldwide.