Kaleidoscope of Most Expensive Gems

Many people mistakenly believe that the limit of the high cost of precious stones stops at diamonds, but naturally there are other, no less beautiful, but more rare minerals, the price of which often exceeds the cost of diamonds. Here is the Kaleidoscope of Most Expensive Gems in the world. The high price is usually determined by a unique combination of rarity, beauty and great demand. The list shows the average price of high quality stone available today on the global market, but it should be noted that some of the prices are approximate as particularly valuable gems are often sold privately, without disclosing to the general public.

19th place: Jeremejevite – a rare gem, first detected in 1883 in the south-eastern part of the Trans-Baikal Territory of Russia. First it was mistakenly taken for the aquamarine, because the first found crystals had a light blue color. Over the last century were discovered pale yellow and even colorless stones, but blue is still the most expensive on the market of precious stones. The name of the gem was given in honor of Russian mineralogist Pavel Yeremeyev. It is known that at the moment there are several hundred faceted Jeremejevites, which cost an average of $ 1,500 per carat.

18th place: Blue Garnet – the rare representative of a number of these minerals, which was first discovered in Madagascar in the late 1990s. Today the stones of this color are found in Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Norway and the United States. The main distinguishing feature of Blue Garnet – the ability to change the color by changing light. So in daylight they get blue, dark blue and green iridescence, and in artificial light turn purple or red. Today, the average value of the gem equals 1500 $ per carat.

17th: Black Opal – the most precious opals from the group, the principal amount of which is mined in the vast Australia. Other rich fields – Brazil, USA, Mexico. The color of this type of opal can vary from gray to black with a rich variety of shimmering iridescence of all colors. Although today these gems are no longer considered so rare as before, however, they are quite expensive. The cost of the black opal is about 2000 dollars per carat.

16th place: Demantoid – the gem from the group of garnets, green or yellowish-green, long known only among collectors. The main deposits of these gems are in Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Kenya, Namibia and Tanzania. Each year the popularity of mineral is steadily increasing, and so is its value. Currently carat of demantoid of top class on the world market of precious stones can be purchased for $ 2000

15th place: Taaffeite – one of the rarest gems in the world, named after its discoverer Count Eduard Taaffe (1898–1967), who accidentally discovered it in 1945. Taaffeite varies in shades and colors – from lavender and pale pink to colorless and greenish. To date, extremely rare mineral can be found only in alluvial deposits of Sri Lanka and southern Tanzania, as well as in limestone sediments in China. The cost of high quality Taaffeite ranges 2-5 thousand dollars.

14th place: Poudretteite – a rare pink mineral, first detected in 1987 in Quebec (Canada). The name was given in honor of the Poudrette family, which still own the mine in the Mont St. Hilaire, where they found the first sample. Quality stones began to emerge only in 2000, when several copies were found in the northern Moge (Myanmar). Since 2005, the mineral is not found there, and the Canadian mine gave the world about 300 stones of various quality. Depending on the color saturation and purity Poudretteite value can range from $ 3 to 5000.

13th place: Musgravite – close relative of Taaffeite, similar in appearance and chemical composition. It was first detected in 1967 in Australian valley the Musgrave Ranges, Australia. Later, a mineral was found in Greenland, Tanzania, Madagascar, and even in the depths of the cold land of Antarctica. This gem is available in several colors, but the most common instances of green and purple. Due to the fact that it was found in very small amounts, the price reaches from 2-3 thousand dollars per carat (green Musgravite) , while purple faceted mineral reaches $ 6000 per carat.

12th place: Benitoite – a rich blue jewel, the only field of which is located in San Benito County (California, USA), where it was first discovered in 1907. In 1984 it was officially recognized the state gemstone of the state. On the world market the average cost of small Benitoite 4000-6000 USD for 1 carat, in the world it is found in a very limited amount (no more than ten).

11th place: Sapphire – one of the most famous jewels in the jewelry industry and mineralogy is called corundum. It has a deep blue color, less often pink, green and yellow-orange gems. The most rare species include blue star sapphire and Padparadscha – orange, red and yellow stone. The most famous deposits of these minerals are located in India, Russia, Vietnam, Thailand, the United States, Australia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, China and Madagascar. The most rare and quality specimens on the world market can be purchased for around 4-6 thousand dollars per carat.

10th place: Emerald – a super gem of bright green or dark green color. In recent years, the main deposits of this mineral are in Colombia. Despite the large number of actively mined emeralds in the world, their prices are still truly cosmic. Today, clean stones are extremely rare, that together with the huge popularity define their high cost. Green Gem of exceptional quality weighing approximately 1 carat costs more than US $ 8,000.

9th place: Bixbite – a rare variety of red beryl, until recently known only to some collectors. Extracted exclusively in the states of Utah and New Mexico. To buy high-end red beryl is extremely difficult, and the price for a stone weighing approximately 1 carat is more than 10-12 thousand dollars.

8th place: Alexandrite – the gem famous for the ability to change color. In daylight, it is characterized by the blue-green, dark blue-green and olive-green color, while in the artificial light it can be of pink, crimson, red, purple or purple-red color. The first crystal was discovered in 1833 in an emerald mine in the vicinity of Yekaterinburg, Russia. Since then have been found in Brazil, India, Madagascar, Tanzania and Sri Lanka. Alexandrite in sizes over three carats are very rare. The cost of this gem, depending on its quality can vary from 10 to 15 thousand dollars.

7th place: Paraiba (blue Tourmaline) – beautiful and very rare bright blue-turquoise crystal, opened in 1987 in the state of Paraiba, in eastern Brazil. For a long time this gemstone was mined in only one place, but today it is mined in Madagascar and Mozambique. Brazilian blue tourmaline today is among the most expensive – the price of 12-15 thousand dollars per carat, and a truly unique gem of the highest quality can be much higher than these figures.

6th place: Rubin – one of the most popular gemstones in the world, known for its rich shades of red: bright red, purple-red, dark red. It occurs as the diamonds on every continent except Antarctica. The main exporting countries – Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The most valuable rubies are Asian, especially color stones “pigeon’s blood” – a pure red with a violet hue. The limited number and huge popularity make them extremely expensive jewels – 15 thousand dollars per carat.

5th place: Diamond – a common mineral that has for a long time remained one of the most expensive and desirable gemstones. The reason for this, of course, is the huge popularity of the so-called ‘diamond cut diamonds’. Every year the number of manufactured jewelry with these gemstones is growing rapidly. Industrial diamond deposits known today on all continents except Antarctica. Currently, perfectly cut diamond on the average priced at about 15,000. USD per carat.

4th place: Imperial jade – green mineral for a long time bore the status of one of the most mysterious stones of our planet. Today, its main sources are in China, the Upper Myanmar, Japan, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Guatemala and the United States. Approximate cost of jadeite per carat amounts to 20 thousand dollars.

3rd place: Padparadscha (translated from the Tamil “color of sunrise”) – a pinkish-orange sapphires, which historically mined in Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Madagascar. Last Sri Lanka Padparadscha was sold about 20 years ago for 18 thousand dollars. Now Padparadscha weighing more than five carats is considered collectible and can be assessed up to 30 thousand dollars per carat.

2nd place: Grandidierite – a rare greenish-blue or bluish-green mineral, first found in Sri Lanka. In the early twentieth century, it was described by the French explorer Alfred Grandidier, engaged in the study of Madagascar, on the territory where today the bulk of the minerals are mined. Faceted Grandidierite exists today in extremely limited quantities – about two dozen. The approximate cost of the unique mineral is more than 30 thousand dollars per carat.

1st place: Red Diamond – the most expensive representatives of the family and is the most expensive gemstone in the world. In the history of mankind it was found only in a few copies, and most of them have very low weight – less than 0.5 carats. Color of natural red diamond gemologists call purple-red. The only deposit of colored diamonds is the Argyle diamond mine in the remote East Kimberley region of Western Australia. Gem weighing more than 0.1 carats can cost more than one million dollars.