When it comes to gemstones, you might imagine the most common ones. From diamonds to opals, there are gemstone staples that appear in jewelry and are deemed as luxurious. But there are so many more that are worth thousands to millions.
These most expensive gemstones feature a large range of colors and historical meanings that enhance their value. Explore some of the lesser-known to widely sought-after gemstones on the market for outrageous prices.
15. Pearl, $1,500
Pearls find a place in every person’s jewelry collection. The price per pearl can range between $300 to $1,500, with South Sea pearls in the highest demand. Pearls from the South Sea are known as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of pearls, and one strand can cost up to $100,000.
Even though pearls are considered gemstones, they are made of calcium carbonate and not from minerals. The most expensive pearl in the world is valued at $100 million and measures 26 inches.
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14. Sapphire, $2,000
Sapphires can easily cost $1,200 to $2,000 per carat. After diamonds, sapphires are the second most popular gemstones in the world. They have even sold for over $135,000 per carat.
Sapphires are made from corundum, a form of aluminum oxide, one of the world’s toughest substances. Apart from the commonly available blue color, these stones are also green, yellow, black, pink, and orange.
The most expensive sapphire is known as the Blue Belle of Asia, which was a 392.52-carat sapphire. It sold for $17.56 million in 2014.
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13. Taaffeite, $15,000
With prices of $15,000 per carat, taaffeite is one of the rarest gems in the world. It is also one of the most expensive gemstones in the world. Mostly because there are only 50 of these gems in existence. A fact that makes them even rarer than diamonds.
Taaffeite is made from a combination of magnesium, beryllium, and aluminum. The biggest taaffeite in the world is a 5.36-carat gemstone.
12. Black Opal, $20,000
Opals are vibrant gemstones that are a sight to behold. And black opals are even more beautiful. They’re rare and highly sought after, featuring a dark body color that has plays of vivid colors in the right light.
It’s mysterious yet dramatic with its elegant shimmer against the backdrop. There are several other colors along with white and black opal such as fire and blue, but out of them all, the black opal is worth the most. Sitting at $20,000 per carat, the black opal is heavily desired. The opal originates from Lightning Ridge, Australia, and is one of the most expensive gemstones.
6. Emerald, $20,000
Valued at $20,000 per carat, emeralds are one of the world’s most popular and expensive gemstones. They are known for their exotic green hues. The emeralds commonly found in the market carry minor imperfections.
On the rare occasion when a natural emerald without flaws is found, it can sell for mind-blowing figures. The Rockefeller Emerald was auctioned for $5.5 million at a Christie’s auction, making it the most expensive emerald per carat ever to be sold.
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11. Red Beryl, $20,000
Formerly known as bixbite, this red-to-purpleish-red stone is one of the most expensive gemstones by the carat. Red beryl is 100 times rarer than emeralds and 1,000 times rarer than gold, making it worth a hefty value. The manganese impurities give the stone red to pink hues, along with other common impurities like zinc and tin.
Along with its rarity, it also symbolized wisdom, resilience, and healing in ancient Greece. And while it may be confused with other precious stones, like rubies thanks to its red coloring, it’s in a class all on its own. With high-quality stones, one carat can be worth upwards of $20,000.
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10. Grandidierite, $20,000
Grandidierite is one of the most expensive gemstones, and rare gemstones, that was discovered on the cliff of Androhomana, Madagascar. The more iron that these stones contain, the more bluer they appear.
Its ability to reflect various colors like dark green, dark blue-green, and even light yellow makes it sought after. While clarity, cut, and color can determine the value of the gemstone, the finest quality is said to fetch around $20,000 per carat since it’s so rare, primarily found in Madagascar.
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9. Musgravite, $35,000
Another rarity in gemstones is musgravite. The mineral belongs to the beryl family and was discovered in the Musgrave Ranges of South Australia, giving it its name. Due to it being found in very few locations worldwide, the price per carat can often surpass that of diamonds.
The sought-after gemstone ranges in color from green to violet, but in most cases can exhibit greys and blues. For high-quality musgravites, you’re looking at spending around $35,000 per carat.
8. Painite, $60,000
One of the most expensive gemstones is painite, with one carat being valued at $60,000. Its spiritual and metaphysical properties are one of the many reasons behind this value, as it’s said to enhance creativity and intuition as well as promote spiritual growth and understanding.
Its high brilliance makes it a popular choice in jewelry. The red gemstone was initially mistaken for ruby and originated in Myanmar, or Burma. It comes in various colors from red to a rich brown or even orangeish-brown. Overall, the rare gemstone is a thing of beauty.
7. Alexandrite, $70,000
The colors in Alexandrite have brought so many to love it over the years. Depending on the light, the colors can change from green to reddish-purple, making it a stand-out gemstone that has immense value.
The price isn’t just a reflection of its rarity though, as the gemstone also dates back to the 19th-century Russian Empire, named after Tsar Alexander II. There are several beautiful colors of Alexandrite, with grey and pink being worth $20,000 per carat, and red and purple being worth $50,000. But the most expensive out of them all is the blue variant, which is valued at $70,000 per carat.
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5. Blue Diamond, $350,000
Diamonds are one of the many gemstones that you can imagine being worth thousands. But surprisingly, the clear, common diamond isn’t worth as much as the other colors. There are several, from blue to red, that occur with the various chemicals that create these gemstones, like carbon.
The blue diamond in the particle has a deep blue coloration, along with a secondary hue of grey, violet, or green. And with several ranges of colors, it makes this diamond even more wanted. The highest quality of blue diamond with a rich greyish-blue color is an average of $350,000 to $400,000.
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4. Pink Diamond, $700,000
The unique pink hue of the pink diamond makes it one of the most expensive gemstones. The range of the color goes from faint pink to vivid pink, adding to the beauty and rarity of such a beautiful gemstone.
Like most gemstones, the consideration of the clarity, cut, and carat brings out the highest price point. Most of these diamonds can be found in the Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia, but can also be sourced from India, South Africa, Russia, Brazil, and Canada.
Apart from red diamonds, which will be the next on the list, pink diamonds are the rarest amongst the diamond family. So much so that the highest quality with an intense shade can cost up to $700,000 per carat.
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3. Jadeite, $1 Million
One of the purest, rarest, and most expensive gemstones in the Jade family is called the jadeite. This is available in several colors – yellow, black, red, and green.
The Imperial Jade is the most sought-after jadeite in the world and is a gemstone of significance in China. The Hutton-Midivani necklace made from 27 large jadeite beads sold for $27.44 million in 2014.
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2. Red Diamond, $1 Million
Another colored gemstone makes it to the top of the most expensive gemstone list. The red diamond has a unique deep red hue that is one of the rarest among the colored diamond family. It is a pure carbon gemstone that can be found in Africa, Australia, Brazil, and India.
One carat has an estimation of $1 million, an outstanding amount compared to the rest of the list. Some red diamonds are worth much more depending on the cut, with a .9-carat red diamond princess cut from Leibish & Co. being worth $1.5 million. Another incredible example is the largest red diamond, Moussaieff Red Diamond, which weighs 5.11 carats and is worth $20 million.
1. Ruby, $1.4 Million
The most expensive gemstone is a ruby. Similar to the red diamond, rubies are famed for their exquisite red hue, rarity, and strong durability. Known as the King of Gemstones, rubies are often used in high-end jewelry and remain the symbol of wealth and luxury.
While the value depends on several different factors, as mentioned throughout the post, the top Burma Ruby can be valued at $1.4 million per carat and is one of the most sought-after gemstones in the world.
Rubies also have an abundance of cultural significance. For example, in ancient times, rubies were thought to have magical properties that could protect the wearer from harm or bad luck.
