When you think of expensive gemstones, what comes to mind? Most people think of the Big Four: diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. However, it might surprise you to know that there are precious stones that are rarer and more expensive than these popular ones.
A number of the most valuable gemstones are new discoveries that have only been found in recent decades. Minerals such as Pezzotaite, which was discovered in 2002, or Musgravite, the first gem-quality stone that was found in 1993, are relative newcomers to the gemstone field. Yet they are growing in popularity. Their high value comes from their scarcity due to small deposits, huge demand or the fact that they may only be mined in one or two places in the world.
Some stones, such as aquamarine, have been popular since antiquity, and top-quality specimens command high prices. More unusual stones, such as black diamonds, are becoming popular and pricey due to the influence of celebrities wearing them.
No matter the reason for their price, here are the 35 most valuable gemstones in the world, ranked by their price per carat weight. And, yes, this list does include diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires.
What Makes Fire Opal So Valuable
Fire opals are translucent and contain shades of green, yellow, orange, red and gold. As the stone moves, the colors appear to sparkle and shift, called a “play of color.” The fire opal is rarer than other types of opal, especially in gem-quality stones.
While the background of a fire opal is milky or translucent white, the colors depend on which minerals were present when the stone was formed.
Mexico is the largest source of fire opals, although they’re also found in Australia, Brazil, Honduras and the U.S.
What Makes Poudretteite So Valuable
Poudretteite was first discovered as small crystals in the 1960s in Quebec, Canada. The extremely rare mineral is borosilicate, similar to quartz and cordierite, and creates barrel-shaped crystals.
Poudretteite comes in shades of violet and pink and was named after the Poudrette family, who owned the quarry where the first specimen was found. Until recently, all Poudretteite came from Canada, but in 2000, the first gem-quality stone was found in Myanmar.
Even now, transparent gem-quality stones over 1 carat are extremely rare.
The Most Expensive Black Diamond in the World
It’s difficult to ascertain what the most expensive black diamond in the world really is, since the largest and most valuable ones are steeped in mystery.
One black diamond, the Spirit of de Grisogono, is believed to be 312.24 carats but was sold in a private sale, with the price realized never being publicly announced.
Then there’s the Korloff Noir, an 88-carat, 57-facet diamond originally discovered in Siberia in 1917. It’s billed as the world’s largest known black diamond and belongs to Daniel Paillasseaur, who owns Korloff Paris. It’s insured for $37 million.
The Most Expensive Black Opal in the World
There are two Black Opals valued in the area of $1 million.
The first is known as “Halley’s Comet,” the largest black opal in the world, which weighs an astonishing 1,980.5 carats. It was discovered in Australia in 1986. The opal was said to have been up for sale at $1.6 million, although sale prices, if any, are elusive.
In 2013, it came back on the auction block at Bonhams, where it was listed with an estimated worth of $450,000-$650,000 but did not sell.
Another opal, known as “The Pacific,” weighs 443.56 carats and is valued at around $700,000. Sale prices also have remained elusive.
What Makes Ruby So Valuable
Rubies, like sapphires, are made of corundum. Rubies are colored red by chromium and are rarer than sapphires or diamonds. The word ruby comes from the Latin “ruber” or red.
Historically, these gems were owned by the rich and powerful, and many stones ended up in crown jewels or as part of aristocratic collections. Rubies were believed to inspire love, attract wealth and offer protection from misfortune, illness and injuries in battle.
Until the 1980s, most stones came from Australia, but they are now mined in many countries across Asia, Africa and Europe.
What Makes Musgravite So Valuable
Musgravite, a member of the Taaffeite family of minerals, was first found in the Musgraves Ranges in South Australia in 1967, hence its name. The mineral is composed of magnesium-rich beryllium oxide.
For many years, only eight stones were known to exist. However, more recently, small deposits have been found in Greenland, Antarctica, Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Tanzania.
The first large gem-quality stone was only discovered in 1993. Musgravite is still very hard to get and top-quality gems can sell for as much as $35,000 per carat.
