Contents
Why do small multi-colored pebbles have such power over people’s minds? What is it about them that such a hype arises around these amazing creatures of inanimate nature? They fascinate with their beauty and inaccessibility, because there are some of them that most mortals can only dream of. Many legends and mysterious events are associated with them.
Many people are willing to risk their freedom and even their lives to get some of them. We have compiled a ranking of the top 10 most expensive gemstones in the world with prices and photos.
10 Emerald and sapphire
Emerald experts estimate from 8 thousand dollars per carat. Qualitative sapphire almost always worth more than the best kind of emerald. However, the very rare orange gemstone found in nature is an exception, and it is without a doubt one of the most valuable gemstones in the world.
As for emeralds, despite their relatively high prevalence in nature, pure specimens are extremely rare. Therefore, they are valued very dearly.
9. Bixbit
This is a really beautiful gem. Bixbit This is a very rare type of beryl. The stone got its name from the collector Bixby, became its discoverer. This mineral is valued more than emerald.
Bixbit has a bright red color, which is why it is sometimes called a red emerald. This is a fairly fragile stone. It is also characterized by translucency and glassy luster. Bixbit is almost impossible to cut, because of its rather small size. It is extremely rare to find specimens that would be expedient to be cut, but only professionals with vast experience can do this.
Characteristic differences: high quality biscuits have a raspberry color and do not contain foreign inclusions or defects. This mineral is often confused with morganite, which is also referred to as beryl.
8. Alexandrite
Впервые Alexandrite, capable of changing its color, scientists found almost 200 years ago near Yekaterinburg. Over time, science became aware that some types of garnets and sapphires also have this ability. This feature of the mineral indicates the presence of chromium oxide in the composition of the impurity.
And to this day, alexandrite fascinates connoisseurs of gems not only with its beauty, but also with the ability to change color depending on the type of lighting: in natural it has a pronounced greenish tint, and in electric or twilight it becomes reddish.
By the way, the gem owes its name to the autocrat Alexander II. Legend has it that the stone was found on the sixteenth birthday of this monarch.
7. Tourmaline paraiba
Paraiba has a turquoise hue and a neon glow that is unlike anything else, characteristic only of this mineral and no other.
Unfortunately, it is not impossible to take a picture that clearly displays this magical glow. At the moment, Paraiba tourmalines are mined in Brazil, Africa and the island of Madagascar, but the price of such gems is much lower than in Brazil.
The price of small tourmalines on average reaches 15 thousand dollars, while large specimens cut by eminent masters can be of almost museum value and have a fabulous cost.
6. Precious Ruby
This gem is a distant relative of the sapphire. In ancient times in Rus’, both of these stones were called yahonty. The scarlet stone was famous and in great demand in ancient Greece and Rome.
Rubies found on all continents except Antarctica, but not all of them have the same high price. The most expensive gems of this type are Asian. Their cost usually reaches 15 thousand dollars per carat.
5. Diamond
Diamond – This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and popular gems. Its hardness is very high, so it is often used in industry. The age of some specimens, according to experts, reaches up to 2,5 million years. Also among them there are gems of extraterrestrial origin.
The cost of such stones is decisively influenced by two parameters: clarity and color (in addition to transparent, there are also yellow, blue and black specimens).
4. Jade
The second name of this gem jade – “imperial”. It has a deep green color. One carat of imperial is worth at least 20 thousand dollars. The Aztecs revered this stone as a sacred mineral, and the world-famous “Emerald Buddha” was also created from jadeite.
3. Padparadscha
There is a theory that the termpadparadscha” translates as “prince”. This can be interpreted in different ways, but this name reflects the nobility and luxury of the gem. The color of this unique stone is still a subject of discussion for both experts and jewelry lovers alike. The only generally accepted definition of the shade of this gem still does not exist.
It was once believed that the stone is characterized by the fusion of three colors: pink, orange and red. At the same time, some experts argue that each of these colors should be clearly visible in the play of light in the already faceted version.
2. grandidierite
grandidierite – an incredibly rare stone, it got its name from the name of the researcher who first described the gem.
Incomparable beauty and rarity make its price almost exorbitant.
1. Red diamond
Red diamond – the most expensive gem known to mankind. Its value can reach $1 million per carat. This is due to its incomparable beauty and rarity. They are found exclusively on the territory of the Australian continent. Stones weighing over 0,1 carats are especially highly valued.
The largest red diamond weighed just over 5 carats. Experts found it difficult to name the exact price of this nugget – it was so great.
For comparison: a few years ago, a red diamond that weighed just under a carat was valued at a little over a trillion dollars!