What is the most expensive stone in the world?
Ask any person what the most expensive gemstone in the world is, and the first version will be a diamond. And it really tops the list of the most expensive stones, but what minerals compete with it? In this article you will learn about the most expensive stones, jewelry created with them and the owners of the jewelry.
Top 13 Expensive Gems
The cost of precious stones per carat can reach up to several million dollars; these are the minerals that fall into this rating. Many jewelry with them are found only at closed auctions, and only a few can afford to own them.
No. 1. Red diamond and other colored diamonds
It is not difficult to answer which is the most precious stone in the world. Of course, a diamond. At the same time, the red diamond is the most expensive and rare not only in its family, but also among all the stones on Earth. Estimated at $10 million per carat. Single finds from 0,1 ct are considered world exclusive. In the entire history of red diamond mining, less than 100 pieces have been found, and only in an Australian mine. In general, all colored diamonds are expensive (from $1 million per carat), but red diamonds surpass them in value. In second place among colored diamonds are deep blue stones. For example, an Oppenheimer Blue ring with a bright blue diamond weighing 14,62 carats was sold at Christie’s for $58 million.
No. 2. Padparadscha Sapphire
The pink-orange sapphire, with its color reminiscent of lotus petals at sunset, is also one of the most beautiful gemstones. The price for it reaches 30 thousand dollars per carat. We are, of course, talking about untreated stones. Such high quality sapphires are found in Sri Lanka. They are found in small quantities in Thailand, Madagascar, Vietnam and Tanzania.
No. 3. Pigeon blood rubies
The price for these stones starts from 18 thousand dollars per carat. The main supplies come from Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The most expensive precious rubies got their name from their rich red color with a bluish tint. Rubies are most valued for their fluorescence. A 25-carat Sunrise ring with a pigeon’s blood ruby by Cartier sold for $30,3 million at Sotheby’s.
No. 4. Colorless diamonds
The cost reaches up to 17 thousand dollars per carat, although colorless diamonds are not rare; their deposits are known on all continents. Their popularity and high price are due primarily to their hardness (10 points on the Mohs scale), brilliance, and play of the stone. From colorless diamonds, Hong Kong jeweler Wallace Chan created the legendary Heritage in Color necklace, consisting of 24 stones that were parts of one Cullinan Heritage diamond weighing 507 carats. The cost of the decoration is $200 million.
No. 5. Tourmaline “Paraiba”
The top 5 gemstones are completed by Paraiba tourmaline. This rare stone with a unique neon blue color is valued at $15 per carat. The main factor determining the value of a mineral is its glow. For example, the 191,87-carat central Paraiba tourmaline in the Ethereal Carolina Divine Paraiba necklace was valued at $125 million.
No. 6. Alexandrite
Alexandrite is a second-order gemstone. Its cost reaches 15 thousand dollars per carat. The chrysoberyl variety is characterized by an alexandrite effect – a color reverse when the color changes depending on the lighting: from greenish-blue in daylight to crimson-red in artificial light. Alexandrites from the Ural deposit are especially valued for their brightest color reverse. The price of the stone was determined by its features such as rarity, good hardness and alexandrite effect.
No. 7. Red beryl
Red beryl is essentially the same as red emerald, since both belong to the beryl group. The only known deposit is located in the US state of Utah, but today it is closed. The price of red beryl is 10 thousand dollars per carat.
No. 8. Noble spinel
Noble spinel is a third-order gemstone with high hardness, diamond luster, ideal transparency and high dispersion. The most valuable and expensive of the group are considered to be ruby spinel (“Jedi” from Myanmar), soft pink spinel “Bale” and cobalt blue of medium intensity without gray and purple shades. The price for this trio can reach up to 10 thousand dollars per carat.
No. 9. Emerald
Emerald is also included in the ranking of precious stones by value. The price of this green variety of beryl reaches up to 8 thousand dollars per carat. Before colored diamonds began to be found, emerald was one of the three most expensive gemstones in the world. Colombian emeralds are considered the most valuable. Thus, Princess Katharina Henkel’s tiara with 11 pure Colombian emeralds, weighing about 500 carats, is estimated at $12,1 million.
No. 10. Sapphire
The cost of ordinary sapphires varies from 4 to 6 thousand dollars per carat. The most expensive among them are cornflower blue in color; the best stones are found in Kashmir. The Blue Belle of Asia diamond necklace, featuring a 392,5-carat Ceylon blue sapphire of excellent purity, sold at Christie’s for $17,3 million to a private collector who wished to remain anonymous.
No. 11. Noble black opal
Among precious opals, black is king. The stone is estimated at 3-4 thousand dollars per carat. According to the Russian system, noble black opal is classified as a second-order precious stone. Australia supplies excellent quality stones. Mainly, the eleventh number on our list is valued for such a property as opalescence – the ability to flash with almost all the colors of the rainbow from different angles of view. The most beautiful precious black opal ever found is the 72-carat Virgin Rainbow. The cost of the sample discovered in the Australian city of Coober Pedy was $1 million.
No. 12. Demantoid
A transparent golden-green garnet, whose name translates as “diamond-like,” can cost up to $2 per carat. High quality stones are mined in the Middle Urals, which is why they are also called Ural emeralds. Inclusions of other minerals, such as bissolite, may be visible inside. Demantoids sparkle brighter than diamonds. Garnets of this group belong to third-order precious stones.
No. 13. Blue garnet
In the 90s of the 1th century, a blue garnet was discovered in Madagascar; before that, it was believed that garnets of this color did not exist. Today the stone is found in Tanzania, the USA, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Russia. The cost is $500 per carat. The mineral is valued for its exceptional garnet color and alexandrite effect. The online store of the Moscow Jewelry Factory has a large selection of jewelry from
gold with precious stones from the first to fourth order. In assortment
presented rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets with diamonds, sapphires,
rubies, emeralds and other stones.
Read more about precious stones
https://miuz.ru/guide/stones/dragotsennye-kamni/samye-dorogie-v-mire/
The most expensive in the world The most expensive gemstones Top 13 expensive gemstones No. 1. Red diamond and other colored diamonds No. 2. Padparadscha sapphire No. 3. Pigeon blood rubies No. 4. Colorless diamonds No. 5. Paraiba tourmaline No. 6. Alexandrite No. 7. Red beryl No. 8. B. The most expensive gems are rare minerals that are used for completely different purposes. They are used in heavy industry, in the creation of various equipment, and of course they are processed by the best jewelers to create unique jewelry and collections. In this article we will present the 10 most expensive precious stones and tell you why they are so valuable.
- Rating of the most expensive gems in the world
- 10. Emerald
- 9. Bixbit
- 8. Paraiba Tourmaline
- 7. Jadeite
- 6. Grandidierite
- 5. Padparadscha
- 4. Diamond
- 3. Rubin
- 2. Alexandrite
- 1. Red Diamond
- What are the most expensive gems in the world?
TOP 10 most expensive gemstones in the world
The top 10 most expensive gemstones in the world are made up of minerals that are found quite rarely in nature, have an unusual color and transparency, and after cutting are of great artistic value.
In addition, some of the gemstones are widely used in industry due to their increased strength or wear resistance. Despite the fact that the production of artificial gemstones is currently widely developed, the price of the most expensive gemstone of natural origin is immeasurably higher than its man-made counterpart.
Below is a ranking of the most expensive precious stones in the world in ascending order of their value.
- TOP 10 most expensive restaurants in the world
- TOP 10 richest football players in the world
- TOP 10 most expensive metals in the world
- Rating of the most expensive brands in the world for 2019
10. Emerald
Emerald opens our ranking of the most expensive gems in the world
Depending on the quality of the stone, its price ranges from $525 to $1 per carat.
- This gem is included in the top ranking of the most expensive gems in the world; the price of a flawless emerald weighing more than five carats exceeds the cost of a diamond.
- Despite the fact that emerald is mined in many countries around the world, the bulk of this mineral is currently mined in Colombia, but Colombian emeralds are inferior in quality to Zambian, Brazilian, Egyptian or Afghan ones.
- When cutting an emerald, it is often given a cabochon shape or a special emerald cut is used.
9. Bixbit
One of the most expensive gems – Bixbit
For good quality minerals, prices range from $10 per carat.
- The mineral is one of the most expensive gems in the world, since its deposits are found only in the states of Utah and New Mexico in the USA.
- Faceted bixbite is used as a mineral for jewelry, however, due to its rarity, red beryl is often used for gemological collections.
- The price of bixbit in most cases is the result of negotiations among professional jewelers and depends on the transparency and quality of the crystal. Bixbite is an extremely rare form of beryl, so its value is not formed in the usual, public way.
8. Paraiba Tourmaline
List of the most expensive gemstones – Paraiba Tourmaline
The price of Paraiba tourmaline depends on the transparency and quality of the crystal, ranging from $15 to $000 per carat.
- A special feature of this mineral is its neon glow, especially noticeable at dusk. It is associated with the physical properties of the crystal, which, by polarizing the light beam, enhances the neon part of the spectrum.
- Paraiba tourmaline is mined from the Batalha mine, located in the Brazilian state of Paraiba, from which the stone gets its name.
- The most popular are cut specimens weighing more than two carats.
- Like all tourmalines, Paraiba tourmaline is credited with healing and sometimes mystical properties.
7. Jadeite
The beautiful Jadeite stone rightfully takes 7th place in the list of the most expensive precious stones
Usually, huge sums are asked for stones of large weight, while the cost of one carat can fluctuate within very wide limits, from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars.
- Translucent dark green jadeite is called imperial; this stone belongs to the class of jewelry minerals and is one of the most expensive gems in the world.
- The cost of jadeite depends on the degree of its transparency, color and quality of the crystal. This is a fairly large mineral. In 1980, at a jewelry exhibition, a 750-carat imperial jadeite was sold for two million US dollars.
- Jadeite deposits are located all over the world, but the main places of extraction of this stone are China, Myanmar, Japan, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, and the USA.
- An interesting fact: due to the high inertness of jadeite, this mineral, not of jewelry quality, is often used in the construction of baths and saunas as a filler for stoves.
6. Grandidierite
One of the most expensive gemstones in the world – Grandidierite
Grandidierite is considered one of the most expensive precious stones in the world, the cost of one carat is $15 – $000.
- Translucent grandidierite can range in size from 1 to 10 carats.
- Most minerals tend to be opaque.
- Since its discovery in 1902, most grandidierites used as gemstones have been translucent. Recent discoveries of transparent material in Sri Lanka (circa 2000) and a new deposit in Madagascar (2014) have led to the emergence of faceted gemstones.
5. Padparadscha
The first half of our rating is closed by one of the most expensive gems – Padparadscha
Due to its extreme rarity and extraordinary beauty, the price of padparadscha can reach a significant amount, up to $25.
- Faceted orange-pink sapphires are used in jewelry and also replenish gemological collections around the world.
- Padparadscha deposits are located in Southeast Asia: China, Burma, Thailand. Placers of this mineral are known in the USA, India, and Sri Lanka.
4. Diamond
The precious Diamond known to everyone is number 4 in the TOP of the most expensive stones
The price of one carat of diamond ranges from $3 to $000.
- Most of these minerals are transparent and colorless; a cut diamond is called a brilliant and is one of the most popular gemstones.
- Due to its hardness, diamond is widely used in various technical devices.
- Diamonds that are mined in the Republic of South Africa and Yakutia (Russia) have become very famous.
3. Rubin
Rating of the most expensive jewelry, number 3 – Ruby
High quality stones can reach prices up to $50.
- Ruby is a relatively small stone, so the price of minerals weighing more than 20 carats can reach prohibitive values. In 2015, at a Sotheby’s auction, a ruby mined in Burma, “pigeon’s blood” weighing 25,59 carats, was sold for $30 million. Rubies are considered to be the most expensive non-diamond (cut diamond) gemstones in the world.
- The bulk of rubies are mined in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, minerals are known from Kenya and Tanzania.
- Ruby is one of the hardest substances on Earth, in addition, this mineral is one of the key components in the creation of lasers.
2. Alexandrite
Second place in the TOP of the most expensive precious stones – Alexandrite
The price of alexandrite can reach $70 per carat.
- The extraordinary value of alexandrite is evidenced by the fact that jewelry with it was almost always made to order. The cost of alexandrite depends on its transparency and color shades and is determined by bidding at auctions.
- In addition to its artistic value, alexandrite is one of the hardest minerals.
- Alexandrite deposits are located on the island of Sri Lanka. For some time it was mined in the Urals (Russia).
1. Red Diamond
The extremely rare Red Diamond is the leader in the ranking of the most expensive stones in the world
There are very few red diamonds in the world weighing more than one carat, the cost of such a diamond is about $1 million.
- Of all the diamonds mined in the world, only about 1% of the stones are red, so its price makes it one of the most expensive gemstones in the world.
- Red diamond mining sites are extremely limited and concentrated in Australia and Brazil, which further increases its cost.
- Buying red diamond jewelry is considered one of the most profitable forms of investment.
What are the most expensive gems in the world?
In addition to the listed precious minerals, there are a considerable number of expensive stones. Typically, they are all used to create jewelry or are part of stone collections.
A gemologist, a person who examines minerals from the point of view of their use in jewelry, can assess the authenticity of a particular stone and its quality. The price of precious stones depends on a combination of factors. So, for example, when evaluating jadeite, in addition to the quality of the mineral, its size is taken into account, and grandidierite itself is valuable because it is found very rarely.
Precious stones are credited with various healing and mystical properties, but in our time it should be taken into account that any mineral from the ten most expensive gems in the world is a means of investing money, because their value is invariably high at all times. But this is a separate topic, which can be found in the article “Investing in precious stones: a profitable investment or not.”
Taras S. Private investor, entrepreneur, blogger. I have been investing since 2008. I make money on the Internet on highly profitable projects, cryptocurrencies, IPOs, shares and other assets. Co-owner of several restaurants and a chain of electronics stores. I advise partners and share my experience.
Join the blog’s Telegram channel with the latest news. Chat with a consultant in Telegram.
