10 of the rarest gems in the world (11 photos)

There are many gemstones in the world that are rarer than diamonds. However, few people know what kind of minerals these are and what determines their exclusivity. The rarity of precious stones is often determined by their geographical availability and quality limitations, because not all finds can be turned into a full-fledged product or decoration in the future.





Some stones are extremely small, some have many foreign impurities and inclusions. Therefore, all precious stones undergo strict selection before going into the hands of a jeweler.

Let's see which stones are the rarest today.

Tanzanite



Approximate price per carat: $1,200

Tanzanite is found only in a small area in Tanzania, in the Arusha province. This is a beautiful blue-violet stone. It is often subjected to additional heat treatment to improve color and add brightness. Experts believe that its reserves will be exhausted in the next few decades, so the stone will be even more valuable.

Jade





Approximate price per carat: 20-30 thousand dollars

An amazing mineral that is often confused with jade. However, it is found much less frequently, which is why it is valued higher. Especially revered in Asian culture.

Burmese ruby



Approximate price per carat: 4-6 thousand dollars

Rubies of superior quality and color are found only in the Mogok region of Upper Myanmar. Minerals that are close to ideal are extremely rare, which explains their high cost.

Alexandrite



Approximate price per carat: 6-20 thousand dollars

The mineral was first discovered in 1820 in the Ural Mountains. Its main feature is its ability to change color from emerald green to bright blue (in daylight) and from ruby red to violet (in lamplight). This effect is achieved due to the presence of a small amount of chromium in the crystal structure of the stone.

Paraiba tourmaline



Approximate price per carat: 5-30 thousand dollars

In 1980, the world learned about the existence of such an amazing mineral as Paraiba tourmaline. Its discovery took place in the Brazilian state of Paraiba.

Ammolite



Approximate price per carat: $1-150

In 1981, the World Jewelry Confederation declared ammolite a new organic gemstone. Ammolite is not a typical mineral. It is found in limited deposits in the Rocky Mountains and consists of fossilized marine mollusk shells over 65 million years old that have very bright iridescent colors.

Kashmir sapphire



Approximate price per carat: 10-100 thousand dollars

Kashmir sapphires are famous for their rich yet soft blue and purple hues. These gemstones contain very small inclusions of rutile, which give this appearance. The mines that produced them in the Himalayas dried up in the 1930s. As a result, the price of these extremely rare stones is rising higher and higher.

Natural pearls



Approximate price per carat: 1-10 thousand dollars

Natural pearls are extremely rare. The deficiency of the mineral is caused by ocean pollution, which is why getting jewelry not made from cultured stone is a great success.

Red beryl or bixbite



Approximate price per carat: 10 thousand dollars

Red beryl is considered one of the rarest gems. The mineral was discovered in the Wah Wah Mountains of Utah in 1904. Only about 5% of mined stones are of gem quality.

Benitoite



Approximate price per carat: 3-4 thousand dollars

This is a very rare blue gemstone composed of barium silicate and titanium. It was discovered near San Benito County in California in 1907. It was initially mistaken for sapphire, but was later identified as a new mineral.