What is the rarest stone in the world?
There are approximately 200 types of precious stones in the world. In addition to the actual precious stones (diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds), there are semi-precious stones. Some stones are so rare that their value exceeds the value of precious stones Moscow, May 24 – “Vesti.Ekonomika”. There are approximately 200 types of precious stones in the world. In addition to the actual precious stones (diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds), there are semi-precious stones. Some stones are so rare that their value exceeds the value of precious stones. Below we will talk about the rarest stones in the world.
1. Tanzanite
Tanzanite is the gemological name for a variety of the mineral zoisite, an aluminum and calcium silicate. Tanzanite was discovered in March 1966 on the Merelani plateau, not far from the slopes of Kilimanjaro. Initially, the stones found were mistaken for sapphires, but already in 1967 they were identified as the new mineral tanzanite. It became famous thanks to the American jewelry company “Tiffany”, which proposed the name in honor of Tanzania, where there is the only deposit in the world. Its popularity was facilitated by clever advertising policy, rarity, magnificent color and the use of jewelry made from it by film star Elizabeth Taylor. It is found in blue, purple and yellow-brown colors; the latter, after heat treatment, also become blue-violet and are used in jewelry. The mineral is mined only in the Arusha province in northern Tanzania.
2. Black opal
Fine black opals are among the most beautiful. With shades of purple, burgundy, green and blue (with predominantly red opalescence) this gemstone. This is why black opal is popular. Jewelry made from it is distinguished by its nobility and sophistication. The most famous black opal called “Fire of Troy” is a gem with a juicy red tint, given to his wife Josephine by Napoleon himself. At one time it was kept in Vienna at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, and then disappeared somewhere without a trace.
3. Larimar
Larimar is a semi-precious blue-white mineral of a cloudy hue, one of the varieties of pectolite. The color of these stones can vary – they are light blue, greenish blue, white and dark blue. Larimar was discovered in 1974 in Miocene volcanic rocks in the Dominican Republic, in its coastal southwestern province of Barahona, at the foot of the Baoruco mountain range. Since the early 1980s, industrial mining and processing of this mineral has been carried out for the purpose of its use in the jewelry industry. Larimar stones set in silver (sometimes in gold) are used to make numerous earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings and the like, which are a very popular export product in the Caribbean. Larimar itself is found only in two places on the planet – on the Barahona Peninsula in the Dominican Republic and in the Fitt area near Soave in Italy.
4. Paraiba Tourmaline
Paraiba tourmaline is a stone that has made a lightning-fast “career” in the global jewelry market. Opened quite recently, in the late 80s of the last century, it shocked the public at the very first auction – and since then it has only increased its price flight. Many connoisseurs of semi-precious beauty consider tourmalines from Paraiba to be the most beautiful stones on the planet. Paraiba tourmalines come in a variety of shades, from soft turquoise to deep green. Because of this, they are sometimes even confused with more expensive and noble gems: sapphires, emeralds, colored diamonds
5. Grandidierite
Grandidierite is one of the rarest stones in the world. It was first found on the island of Madagascar, at the Andrahomana pegmatite deposit (1902). Named after the naturalist A. Grandidier, who studied this island for many years. However, the Madagascar mineral is opaque, translucent, and sometimes translucent. Color – blue of varying intensity with milky bluish inclusions. This type of grandidierite is mainly offered on the market.
6. Alexandrite
Alexandrite was discovered in an emerald mine near Yekaterinburg in 1833, it was initially mistaken for an emerald and sent to St. Petersburg. It was described in detail by L. A. Perovsky (1842) as a new mineral that has nothing in common with emeralds. It received its name from the name of the future Emperor Alexander II. The stone was presented to Alexander, who wore a ring with this mineral as a talisman. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the Tiffany jewelry house created several collections with Ural alexandrites. Alexandrite was mined together with emeralds and served as the standard for this precious stone. It has a very contrasting color change, the shades are clean and clear. For a long time, the mineral was mined only in Russia. Over 100 years of operation of the deposit, about 100 kg of jewelry alexandrite were mined. Gradually, it became depleted, and now finds of alexandrites in the Urals are extremely rare.
7. Benitoite
Benitoite is a rare mineral that was first discovered in 1906 in San Benito County (California, USA), it was used to fill the voids of natrolite veins occurring among hornblende crystalline schists. Mostly, the market comes in cuts up to 2 carats; large stones are very rare (a little more than a dozen, the largest is 15,5 carats). US museums store benitoites weighing 6,53 and 7,83 carats (American Museum of Natural History, New York – rare violet-blue color; Smithsonian Institution, Washington).
8. Painite
This mineral received its name from its discoverer, mineralogist A.Ch.D. Payne, who discovered it in Burma (1956). Painite is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the rarest stone on earth (2005). At that time, only 18 cut stones of high jewelry quality were known (3 ruby-red stones, the largest 2,5 carats). However, the discovery of another painite deposit in northern Myanmar (2006) increased the number of cut stones, first to 300, and in 2015 to 5 hundred stones (they were obtained from 10 tons of mined raw materials). The quality of the stones was significantly inferior to the previously found samples, and this led to the fact that painite lost its primacy as the rarest stone on the planet.
9. Red beryl
Red beryl was discovered in Utah (Mount Thomas) at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was described in detail by the mineralogist M. Bixby, who included it in the state register of stones. In honor of the researcher, the stone was later named bixbite. There is only one deposit of red beryl jewelry, which is why bixbite is called the national stone of the United States. The crystals reach 1-3 cm, of which transparent and without defects are highly valued. The largest cut red beryl stone weighs 10 carats. Jewelry with it is very rare. In addition, red beryl is characterized by very difficult and expensive mining, which increases its cost.
10. Taafeiit
This rare gemstone was discovered among spinel by gemologist Count Richard Taaffe (1945). It is the only mineral that has been diagnosed after being cut. Special laboratory studies showed that this is not spinel, but a new mineral, which was named after the discoverer count – taaffeite (1951). At the moment, the largest cut stone weighs 9,3 carats. The best jewelry taaffeits come from Sri Lanka.
11. Ermeevit
Crystals of this mineral, up to 3 cm long, were found in the southeast of Transbaikalia (Mount Sotkuy) in 1859, but initially it was mistaken for aquamarine. It was first described by P. Eremeev, but a more detailed study was done in 1883 by A. Damur. The stone was named after the Russian mineralogist P. Eremeev, who carried out the first serious study of the mineral. Stone color: sky blue, colorless, greenish blue, blue, light yellow, light beige.
12. Jadeite
Jadeite is a green mineral from the group of alkaline monoclinic pyroxenes with an entangled fibrous structure, a silicate of sodium and aluminum. Externally, jadeite is very similar to jade (in trade nomenclature, both of these minerals are often referred to under the common name “jade”), however, it is less common than jade and is valued higher (this is especially true for the so-called “imperial” – an emerald green translucent or transparent variety of jadeite, homogeneous in color and structure). In addition, jade is harder and more durable than jade. Significant jadeite deposits: Upper Myanmar (extended zones in the Taumau serpentinites), China (Xinjiang, Tibet, Yunnan), Japan, Guatemala, Mexico, USA (California), Kazakhstan. In Russia, a large deposit (Borusskoye) is located in the interfluve of the Yenisei and Kantegir (Western Sayan, Khakassia). There are also deposits in the Polar Urals (Levo-Kechpelskoye, Pusierka).
13. Poudretti
A magnificent powder-colored crystal – a rare mineral, ring silicate and borosilicate from the milarite group. Forms individual colorless or pale pink crystals of hexagonal appearance. Despite the extreme rarity of this mineral, it is used as a cutting gemstone. Poudretti got its name from its discoverers. The stone came into the hands of representatives of the Pudrette family quite recently – around 1965. In the mine, which is located in the Mont Saint-Hilaire mountain in Quebec, seven colorless and pale pink crystals with a maximum length of 0,5 cm were mined. They were distinguished by their softness, but at the same time they could be cut. It was not until 1987 that powdertite was recognized as a new type of mineral, and it was not until 2003 that it was given a thorough description and cataloging. In total, at that time, the Poudrettes found about 300 stones in the Mont Saint-Hilaire mountain, all of them were not large in size: only 20 weighed more than 1 carat, the rest – less. There is a huge variety of precious stones on the planet, and the number of their types is more than 300. Some of these stones are so rare and valuable that even a famous diamond can be inferior to them in value. These rarest jewels are unlikely to ever be seen in person, as they are usually kept in museums or private collections, where they serve as unique works of art. We can, however, study information about the origin and characteristics of these gemstones.
Tanzanite
Tanzanite is a gemstone that has a unique color ranging from blue to purple. This is a relatively young stone, discovered in 1967, which is why it is often called the December month stone. It is mined in Tanzania (hence the name), and its deposits are limited. It is predicted that its reserves will be exhausted in 30 years. To improve its color and clarity, the stone is treated thermally, coated or optically. Tanzanite symbolizes well-being, prosperity and protection.
Taaffeit
Taaffeite is such a rare stone that many have never even heard of it. Its discovery occurred in 1945. Although the mineral had been encountered previously, it was considered spinel due to the similarity in appearance, but upon closer examination, a significant difference in the refraction of light was revealed. Taaffeite was the first gemstone to be found in a processed form. Its deposits are limited to Sri Lanka and Tanzania. Most of the material in this stone is not suitable for processing, which makes taaffeite especially rare and valuable. The closest available mineral in terms of external characteristics is amethyst. Such uniqueness and limited availability of deposits make taaffeite sought after by collectors and jewelers. Its rare and beautiful hue, as well as the history of its discovery, attract attention and arouse interest in this mysterious stone.
Demantoid garnet
Demantoid is a rare variety of green garnet that is known for its unique green coloration and unusual optical properties. It is one of the rarest gemstones in the world, which is characterized by:
- bright green color with intense shades and vibrant shine;
- high transparency and mosaic effect;
- the stones scatter light into different colors of the rainbow, creating a dazzling reflection;
- due to their rarity, they are kept in museums and private collections, but you can buy rings with stones.
black opal
Black opal is a special variety of opal that is distinguished by its rich dark color, including shades of black, gray, and dark blue. Included in the list of the rarest gems. Main characteristics of black opal:
- Black opal is distinguished by its dark color, magical shine, and mosaic reflections. The main color can vary: gray, black, dark shades of blue, green, purple.
- Good transparency, which allows light to penetrate the mineral and create color shifts.
- Main deposits in Australia. The Lightning Ridge region is famous for its unique minerals.
- Although opals are semi-precious minerals, the rarity and value of black opal is comparable to high-quality gemstones.
Black opal is called a symbol of mystery, magic, and art. It is rarely used to create jewelry, but often used for works of art.
Benitoite
Benitoite is a rare mineral that is one of the rarest gemstones on Earth. It was first found in 1907 in San Benito (USA). It is called one of the most beautiful minerals. In addition, benitoite is popular due to its characteristics:
- color that varies from light blue to purple or green;
- dual-indicator (shows different colors when viewed from different angles);
- good level of transparency and high level of color saturation;
- shimmering reflections in daylight;
- symbolizes inspiration, calmness, harmony.
Padparadscha Sapphire
Padparadscha sapphire is a rare and unique gemstone with a color that is commonly associated with the color of the lotus flower. Because of its similarity, it is often called lotus sapphire. The color of the rare gemstone is very variable: from light pink to intense red, depending on the amount of chromium it contains.
The most valuable samples are mined in Sri Lanka, but there are also deposits in Madagascar, Thailand, and Tanzania. Padparadscha sapphire symbolizes love, passion, energy, and an accessory with it brings well-being and prosperity. The most popular decoration is earrings with pink mineral stones.
red beryl
Red beryl is also often called bixbite and red emerald. It is a rare and unique gemstone with a bright red or red-pink color, which depends on the amount of manganese in its chemical structure. Red beryl is mined in different countries, but samples from the USA are considered the most valuable and high-quality. In a number of cultures, red beryl is associated with energy, passion and love.
It is also called a symbol of inspiration and passion. On the jewelry market, jewelry with this rare gemstone is often found only in collections.
Alexandrite
Alexandrite is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. The mineral is known for its unique color effect, which manifests itself in changes in color under different light sources. Under artificial lighting, alexandrite has a green or blue-green color, and under the influence of daylight it changes its hue to red-purple or crimson.
The main deposits of alexandrite are located in the countries of Sri Lanka, Brazil, Tanzania, Madagascar and Zimbabwe. Alexandrite is associated with change and imagination, and in a number of cultures it symbolizes intelligence, success, and wealth. There are jewelry with alexandrite on the jewelry market, but they are expensive.
Jade
Jadeite is an amazing mineral consisting of two varieties: jade and pearl. This stone, so ancient and rare, holds a special place in various cultures associated with spirituality and values. Jadeite’s shades can vary from white to purple, but its green hue is most prized. In ancient Chinese and Mayan cultures, jadeite played an important role and symbolized wealth, happiness and longevity.
It was also associated with meditation and spirituality, making it a particularly valuable material for creating Buddha figurines and other sacred objects. Today, jadeite personifies wisdom and harmony, inspiring people to spiritual development and self-knowledge.
Musgravit
Musgravite was first discovered in 1976. This stone is considered the rarest gem in the world. The first sample that jewelers were able to work on was found only in 1993. In total, a little more than a dozen specimens considered musgravite have been documented throughout history. This is such a unique mineral that it is rare even in private collections. Mostly, it can be seen either in a museum or at the Institute of Gemology.
