In the world of gems, the rarest stones are more than just beautiful—they’re extraordinary treasures with price tags to match. Across the globe, there are gemstones so rare and precious that they are considered the ultimate symbols of wealth and status. Let’s explore the most expensive gemstones on Earth.
Red Diamond
Very few of these diamonds have been found. They remain the rarest diamonds in the world, and that is reflected in their price tag, which is $1 million per carat. One reason people offer for the coloration is gliding atoms in its structure as it goes through heavy pressure when being formed.
Pink Diamond
Although there have been debates on why they are pink, most people seem to think it’s because of the plastic deformation they undergo during formation. Other theories blame it on seismic shock and radiation exposure. The price tag for a carat of this gemstone is $700,000.
Blue Diamond
This kind of diamond is blue due to trace impurities of boron. It’s a fancy-colored diamond that is not considered beautiful when it’s purely blue but still holds more value than a green-blue or grey-blue diamond. You can buy a crate for $52,000-$300,000 or even more.
Painite
The discoverer of Painite misidentified it as ruby, but when it was found to be a new gemstone, it was named after him—Arthur C.D. Pain. Vanadium and chromium in trace amounts give it its common orange-red to brownish-red color range. A carat of this gem costs about $50k to $60k.
Jadeite
Jadeite is hard, dense, and tough. It is mostly found in green or white shades, but those are not all the colors it comes in. A carat of jadeite will cost a buyer about $20,000. Jade, in its most valuable form, has jadeite as its principal material content.
Grandidierite
Discovered in 1902, it was named to honor Alfred Grandidier, a French explorer who studied the natural history of Madagascar. Depending on your viewing angle, you may see its color as dark blue-green, colorless, or dark green. This rare gemstone is worth about $20,000 per carat.
Emerald
The gemstone emerald is a variety of beryl. Due to its many inclusions, its toughness is quite poor. Emeralds are green, and this hue may be bluish or yellowish. Trace amounts of chromium or vanadium cause the green color. Top-end emeralds can be up to $18,000 per carat.
Clear Diamond
When you hear clear diamonds, exceptional transparency should come to mind. Because of their transparency, light can pass through it with minimal obstruction. The clearer the diamond, the more expensive it is, so a buyer can expect to get a carat of a clear diamond at $18,000.
Serendibite
In 1902, Dunil Palitha Gunasekera discovered Serendibite, a rare mineral named after Sri Lanka’s old Arabic name—Serendib. One carat of this mineral can fetch $18,000. Serendibite may be black, blue-green, greyish blue, or pale yellow and is a 6.5-7 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Taaffeite
Taaffeite gets its name from Richard Taaffe. He found the first sample in a Dublin jeweler’s shop in 1945. Before then, some pieces of this gem were misidentified as spinel due to certain identical structural features. A carat of taaffeite can go for $15,000.
Alexandrite
This gemstone is a member of the chrysoberyl family and has been found in Russia, Brazil, India, and other places. Different kinds of light give it different colors—daylight may make it appear green, and incandescent light can make it look purplish-red. One carat may sell for $12,000.
Paraiba Tourmaline
Paraiba Tourmaline were discovered in the Brazilian state of Paraiba. Not too long after that, similar tourmalines were found in another Brazilian state—Rio Grande Do Norte. In the 21st century, more have been found in Nigeria and Mozambique. A carat of this stone can be between $10,000 and $50,000.
Red Beryl
Red Beryl’s former name is Bixbite. Its market names are scarlet emerald or scarlet emerald. Its biggest crystals are roughly 5 cm long, but most are shorter than 1 cm. Getting a carat of red beryl larger than 1 carat can cost $10,000.
Padparadscha Sapphire
Unlike blue sapphires, this variety is pink and orange-toned. On the Mohs scale, it’s a 9. Although it has also been seen in parts of East Africa, it’s usually found in Sri Lanka. Padparadscha sapphires are rarer than the other type and may sell for up to $8,000 per carat.
Musgravite
This oxide mineral is of the taaffeite family. Its rarity is one reason it’s costly to possess. A carat can sell for as high as $6,000. On the Mohs scale, its hardness is 8 to 8.5. Musgravite can range from grey-green to green and may be translucent or transparent.
