The World’s Most Expensive Stones: 7 Beautifully Expensive Gems

Gemstones have been prized throughout history. Unearthed in mines, worn by kings and queens and offered as tokens of love, beautiful stones are symbolic of something beyond their monetary value. But can you tell the difference between tanzanite and taaffeite? Black opals and Red Beryls? If not, you might need to work on your knowledge of diamond shapes and sizes, starting with finding out about these seven rare and expensive gems..!

Alexandrite

This gemstone was first found in the cold mountains of Russia in the 1830s, and is named for Tsar Alexander II. Famous for its ability to change colour, this gem appears emerald in light, but ruby red under darkness… making it the perfect match for the two principle colours (red and green) of Imperial Russia. It’s a mineral called chromium in Alexandrite that causes this specular colour change, and the more distinct its transformation, the more it’s worth. Buyers should expect to pay at least £8,000 per carat.

Jadeite

Not to be confused with Jade, Jadeite is much rarer… which of course makes it much more valuable! For the most part, this gem is found in Myanmar and is worth the highest amount when the gem is a deep, translucent green, but the highest quality ‘imperial’ Jadeite can sell for millions of dollars per carat if it’s cut and polished well. If you’ve managed to get your hands on Jadeite rather than Jade, expect to pay at least £13,5000 per carat.

Musgravite

Musgravite is an opulent, purple gemstone and is very rare. The colour of this stone ranges from a brilliant grey to a rich purple, and has been found in Madagascar Greenland, Antarctica and Australia. However, don’t let its global reach fool you: there aren’t many in existence, and so its limited quantity makes every gem extremely valuable. Expect to pay £24,000 per carat.

Painite

Painite is a reddish-brown (and occasionally pink) stone, showing a variety of sumptuous hues depending on the way you angle the gem. For a long time, gemologists believed that there were only a handful of occurrences of painite ever, which would have made it the world’s rarest gemstone if they were correct. However, more have since been found, but the likelihood of finding one on the market is slim, nonetheless. If you’re lucky enough to get the opportunity to invest in painite, expect it to cost you £34,000 to £41,000 per carat.

Ruby

Nicknamed the king of the gemstones, rubies radiate love, passion, vivacity and regality.
It’s one of the hardest gemstones on earth and has a dazzling colour to match. And, the ruby’s desirable characteristics, beautiful appearance and romantic connotations have earned it the title of world record holder for the most expensive Cartier jewel ever auctioned, selling at £19.4 million for 25.59 carats.

The Red Diamond

Red diamonds are the rarest colour of all diamonds, and are therefore worth a huge amount! There are less than 30 red diamonds documented in the world, and most of them are less than half a carat. A heart shaped red diamond (2.09 carats) sold for £3.4 million in Hong Kong in 2014.

The Pink Star Diamond

Diamonds are the most expensive stone of all, but it’s the pink star diamond that has stolen the top spot for the most valuable one in history. Mined in South Africa and cut over 20 months, the pink star diamond was 59.6 carats and sold for £52million in 2013. Put another way, this gem is worth more than £892,000 per carat… the highest price paid for any gem. Ever!