Red Diamond – $1 million
Red diamonds are incredibly rare, having only been found in a handful of mines across the world, which is the primary cause of their mind-blowing price of $1 million per carat. Almost all the red diamonds that have been found have weighed in at under one carat, with one exception being the Moussaeief Red Diamond, which weighs just over five carats.
Pink Diamond – $750,000
Pink diamonds are another amazingly rare gem, with only 0.0001% of diamonds displaying a pretty pink hue. The diamonds develop their colour as a result of the stone’s molecular structure being broken down during its formation process. The largest pink diamond ever found weighed in at 59.6 carats and was sold for around $71 million.
Blue Diamond – $350,000
The blue diamond has only ever been found in three mines across the world: in Australia, South Africa, and India. Of course, the rarity of these gems is the primary cause of their high price, however, blue diamonds will sell for more money depending on the strength of their shade of blue.
Kashmir Sapphire – $60,000
Kashmir sapphire is the rarest form of sapphire, as only one deposit has been found in the area. They are incredibly hard to find, especially in their bluest form, and only a small handful of Kashmir sapphire stones weighing over five carats have ever been unearthed.
Painite – $60,000
By the turn of the century, only three painite crystals had ever been found. There have been a few more discoveries since, but it still holds the record of being the rarest gemstone, and the rarest mineral, in the world. It is thought in the gemology world that there have been more painite discoveries over the years, although they likely would have been misidentified as rubies, due to the gem’s beautiful red colouring.
Jadeite – $20,000
Jadeite is the rarest form of jade and has been a source of intrigue since ancient times. Both the Aztecs and the Mayans valued jadeite more than gold, and often carved ceremonial sculptures from it. Jadeite’s most appealing feature is that it comes in many colours; not just the green that jade stones are known for.
Grandidierite – $20,000
Only one in 1000 grandidierite stones are translucent enough to be classified as gemstones, making them one of the rarest gems in the world. The purest grandidierite stones are either blueish-green or pure green, which often leads to misidentification and confusion with other stones such as jade or emerald.
Emerald – $18,000
Emeralds are one of the most famous gems, but also one of the rarest, appearing less often than clear diamonds. As well as their scarcity, the reason for the high value of the emerald is its beautiful, pure-green colouring, which makes it a jeweller’s dream to work with.
Clear Diamond – $18,000
Clear diamonds are the most sought-after gemstones, mostly found in engagement rings or earrings. This craze took off in the mid-1950s when a diamond mining company came up with the slogan, ‘a diamond is forever’, subsequently upping the demand for, and the value, of the gemstone.
Serendibite – $18,000
Serendibite is an extremely rare gem, which is almost never found in a form where it could be classified as a gemstone. It was long thought that the stone could only be found in Sri Lanka, but it has since been found in Myanmar as well. The stone is a very dark shade of blue, which many would get confused for black.
Taaffeite – $15,000
Only 50 taaffeite stones have been known to exist, making it one of the rarest gemstones in the world, a million times rarer than clear diamonds. Taaffeite stones can be clear, but are most commonly a shade of pink or red, which can lead to them being confused for rubies.
Alexandrite – $12,000
Alexandrite was first found in Russia in 1830, and named after the then-Tsar Alexander II. It has since been sourced in East Africa, Brazil, and Sri Lanka. Its most interesting feature is the way that it changes colour from green in natural light, to red in artificial light.
Paraiba Tourmaline – $10,000
Paraiba Tourmaline stones date back to 1989, making them one of the most modern gemstones. They are very popular in the jewellery industry for their vivid colouring. Mining companies are struggling to keep up with this demand, meaning the Paraiba Tourmalines could soon rise above its current $10,000 per carat price tag.
Bixbite – $10,000
Gemstone quality Bixbite, or Red Beryl, is similar to the ruby in terms of appearance, usually sporting a dark red colour, sometimes with a hint of orange in there. However, it is 8000 times less common than the ruby, with good quality Bixbite having only ever been found in Utah, USA.
Padparadscha – $8000
Padparadscha stones are the rarest form of sapphire, made from corundum, making them the second hardest mineral behind diamonds. Padparadscha stones aren’t too similar to sapphires in terms of aesthetics, usually found in a shade of dusty pink, rather than bright blue.
Musgravite – $6000
First found in Australia in 1967, only 28 gem-standard Musgravite stones have ever been known to exist, making it one of the rarest gemstones in the world. It is part of the taaffeite family, composed of magnesium-rich beryllium-oxide. This results in a beautiful blue or purple colour.
Ruby – $4500
Rubies date back to around 2500 B.C. and have been one of the most sought-after and revered gemstones throughout history. Rubies are thought to symbolize love, wealth, and good luck, and can sell for anything between $4500 to a $1 million per carat in exceptional circumstances.
Benitoite – $6000
Benitoite is the state gem of California, having originally been found in San Benito County. The commercial mine in which it was first found has since ceased production of the gemstone, meaning it is becoming increasingly harder to find, and increasingly more expensive to buy.
Black Opal – $3500
Only found in Australia and Nevada, black opals are extremely rare, and also extremely beautiful. Thanks to water and silicon dioxide leaking into faults in the earth or in fossils, Black Opals have brilliant dashes of vivid colours making them one of the coolest natural phenomenons ever found.
Demantoid – $3300
There is a distinct lack of supply of Demantoid gemstones, hence their expensive price tag. They are usually mined in very small quantities and tend to be a shade of yellow or green when found. With such colouring, it is easy to get them confused with emeralds, though their freshly mined texture is different.
Black Diamond – $3000
Black diamonds are not worth as much as clear diamonds, mainly because, to many, they don’t look like diamonds at all. They are coloured black because of the graphite under the surface of the earth, and when mined, can look like small pieces of charcoal. Black diamonds are experiencing a rise in popularity, which may lead to a hike in price, but it is unlikely they will ever be of the same value as clear diamonds.
Poudretteite – $2000
Poudretteite gems are only found in smaller crystals and not large stones, so it’s safe to say that there aren’t large quantities of them about. The gemstones are naturally barrel-shaped, and usually come in either pink or violet hues, making them perfect for elegant jewellery.
Fire Opal – $2300
Fire opals are similar to black opals, in the sense that they contain splashes of vivid colors randomly dotted around the surface. However, they are translucent rather than having a black ‘background’ to them. This is partially why they aren’t worth as much, as the bright sparks of colours don’t pop quite as nicely.
Pezzotaite – $2000
Pezzotaite is a new gemstone, first discovered in 2002, and known to exist in just two places around the world. Supply has not been able to keep up with demand, which has increased the gemstone’s price dramatically. It is often confused with Bixbite, mainly because of its deep red colouring.
Jeremejevite – $2000
You’d be very unlikely to get your hands on a jeremejevite gemstone over one carat, as they are almost unheard of. The stones come in a variety of colors, including violet, blue, clear, and brown. It’s also a widespread gem, being found in Germany, Namibia, Myanmar and Tajikistan.
Spessartine Garnet – $1500
The spessartine garnet was first found in Bavaria, Germany, but has also been sourced across the world in places as far-reaching as Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Brazil, and the USA. The gemstones are either orange, or orange-brown, with the brightest, most vivid orange jewels selling for the most money.
Sapphire – $1400
Sapphires are the second most coveted gemstone after diamonds, mainly because of their bright blue coloring. While most sapphires will sell for around $1400 per carat, they have been known to sell for over $130,000 per carat, depending on gemstone quality and purity.
Aquamarine – $1000
Aquamarines are certainly named appropriately, as their natural colour is a beautiful blend of blue and green, which could easily be described as oceanic. The largest ever aquamarine is worth about $6 million and was originally three times the size, but it was dropped by the Brazilian miners in charge of getting it out of the mine. Whoops!
Tanzanite – $1000
There is already a limited supply of Tanzanite, as it is only found in one area of Tanzania. Unfortunately, this supply is set to be completely emptied within the next 20 years, which will rocket up the price of the gemstone. Tanzanite is heat treated in order to bring out the deepness of its blue color, a process which has not affected the price of the stone.
Pearl – $600
Pearls are one of a few outliers in the gemology field, as they are formed by animals rather than geologically. Pearls are made by molluscs, including clams and mussels, by calcium carbonate. The pearls are often farmed in commercial settings and can be sold for around $600 per carat. The most common use of pearls is in jewellery, and in particular, necklaces.
Red Coral – $400
Red coral is another gemstone formed organically under the surface of the sea. Coral comes in a handful of different colors including white, pink, and red, with the deepest darkest reds holding the highest value. Unfortunately, due to the continual warming of the climate, coral is becoming ever harder to come by.
Blue Zircon – $200
Blue zircon is a popular semi-precious gemstone, not entirely uncommon, but still beautiful, and popular in a lot of high-quality jewelry items. It has an impressive radiance and an almost kaleidoscopic look to it. Its shine and colour will change over time, due to the minerals and compounds inside it.
Ammolite – $140
Ammonite stones are found primarily along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in North America and are becoming increasingly rarer to find. This is because ammolites are made from the fossilized shells of ammonites, a species that went extinct around 65 million years ago.
Hiddenite – $100
Despite its name, hiddenite is not overly difficult to find, hence it not being worth as much as the more scarce gemstones on this list. However, anyone who has the intention of selling a piece of hiddenite will have to know what they’re doing, as if it is cut at the wrong angle, it will shatter.
Kornerupine – $100
Kornerupine is not as sought-after a mineral and is therefore only classed as a gemstone in its clearest form. True kornerupine gemstones will be a shade of clear green and yellow, and sometimes blue in rare cases. The blue versions of the stone are worth the most, with the price also varying depending on the size of the gem.
Axinite – $60
Axinite is a rare mineral which is often used in jewellery, as it is highly resistant to scratches. However, unlike diamonds, it may well shatter if it suffers a hard enough impact. Axinite is let down by the fact it is rarely ever clear, with its price standing at $60 per carat, purely because it is rare.
Enstatite – $60
Enstatite is a common mineral and can be mined in a number of areas, but it rarely gets classed as a gemstone. High-quality enstatite will be an emerald green colour, resembling more expensive stones. Unfortunately, it can’t be used in jewellery as it is vulnerable to shattering.
Amethyst – $50
Amethysts are a famous gemstone, most commonly known as the birthstone for February. Its cost can drop as low as $20 per carat, with the price being determined mostly by the purity and deepness of the individual stone’s purple colouring. It’s common, but beautiful nonetheless.
Amblygonite – $50
Amblygonite isn’t a common mineral, but it is also not overly sought-after by humans, as it is too soft to use in jewellery. It also isn’t overly attractive, being a straw/brown colour rather than a vivid red, blue, or green. It is popular with the more hardcore gem collectors though, due to its relative rarity.
Larimar – $30
Larimar gemstones usually sell for around $30 per carat, with many believing that possessing them will bring luck and good health. Whether you believe that to be true or not, larimar stones have a natural blue wave effect, and will look great on any display.
