The rarest black gemstone. Precious stones: the most expensive and rare

Our planet is very rich in a variety of minerals that play vital role in the daily life of all organisms on Earth. People have learned to use these stones and metals in construction, the transport industry and for many other purposes. We have become almost completely dependent on certain natural resources, without which even the most simple machine and it will not be possible to create a reliable shelter. Economy, medicine, industry and many other areas of our life are unthinkable without some very rare and valuable minerals. They are considered precious and incredibly expensive due to the fact that they are not easy to obtain, or because there are very few of them in nature. In this list you will learn about the rarest and most valuable minerals on Earth.

Rhodium
Rhodium is a very rare mineral, and due to its demand and scarcity, this noble metal is highly valued. It has excellent catalytic properties and is therefore ideal for automated processes in industrial plants. In addition, rhodium is used in the production of mirrors and in jewelry. Russia and South Africa are the leading producers of the highest quality rhodium on the planet. Now this unique mineral is valued at an average of $56 per gram.

Painite
Just 1 carat of painite costs as much as $60,000! This mineral is so expensive for a fairly simple reason - it is one of the rarest in the world. The British were the first to discover painite, as recently as the 1950s. Discovered amazing mineral a gem dealer named Pain, after whom the find got its name. Painite can be red-orange or red-brown, and its color is due to the presence of iron in its composition. They say that painite is the most expensive mineral not used in industry. 1 gram costs 56 dollars.

Diamond
Diamond is another very valuable stone that plays a vital role in many areas of human life, although it is most often associated with jewelry. 1 carat usually costs about 55 thousand dollars. Diamond is the hardest substance in the world, and that is why it is actively used in the manufacture of the strongest drills. Natural diamond is formed under the influence of very high temperatures and extremely high pressure, and it gets closer to the Earth's surface during volcanic activity.

Black opal
Opals are very different. Black opal is different from all its other counterparts, because it is extremely rare and therefore a very expensive stone. Green opals are much more common and therefore not as valuable. Australia is famous as the country where the most black opals are found. Among other leading countries in the extraction of this precious stone is Ethiopia.

Platinum
This mineral is valued all over the world. It is very rare, but we still manage to use it in a variety of areas. For example, people have learned to use platinum in the production of high-quality cables that conduct electricity, because platinum does not rust and lasts a very long time. Did you know that platinum-based drugs are actively used in the treatment of cancer? There are many other areas of application of this expensive mineral, the list can be continued for a very long time.

Gold
Most people believe that gold is the most expensive and precious mineral in the world. In fact, there are at least 3 other types of minerals that are more expensive than gold. Gold is mined in mines all over the world, and it is used in many different areas, although we all most often see it in jewelry. 1 gram of gold costs approximately $56.

Rubies
Rubies are precious stones. They are considered practically the most expensive stones in the world. The attractive red color of this mineral is due to the presence of chromium in its composition. Myanmar is the main supplier of rubies (90% of world production), and stones from this country are most valued.

Jade
Outwardly, it strongly resembles jade, but jadeite still has a more granular structure. In addition, it is much rarer, and this stone is not so easy to obtain, which explains its high cost. The only known birthplaces of this emerald green mineral are Guatemala and Mexico. The price of jadeites continues to rise, and now they are asking as much as 3 million dollars for 1 carat!

Blue Garnet
This mineral comes in a variety of colors, including purple, blue, brown, yellow and red, but blue garnets are considered the most expensive of all their garnets. It is one of the most recently discovered minerals in the world, having been discovered in 1990 in Madagascar. Since then, the mineral has been found in only a few countries around the world. The USA, Türkiye and Russia were among them. Currently, the gem is valued at $1.5 million per carat.

Lithium
Our rating will be completed by a mineral that was discovered by the Swedish chemist Johan Arfvedson in August 1817. Lithium is an extremely popular metal that is actively used in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries, in metallurgy, nuclear energy, lubricants, medicine, pyrotechnics, electronics, flaw detection and many other areas.

Gems have always captured people's imagination. They were always able to captivate anyone with their play of light. Fascinated by the beauty of the stones, people began to use them as amulets against the evil eye. Sorcerers and priests used them to predict the future. And only much later, precious stones began to be used as decoration and their value was determined depending on color, brilliance, beauty, purity, and hardness.

The most expensive gem

So far, the most expensive diamond in the world is considered. Of course, there are other more valuable minerals, but it just so happens that diamond is both the hardest and most revered by jewelers.

The structure of diamond is very simple - it consists entirely of carbon. Carbon, located at great depths underground, has been subjected to great pressure and heat over many millions of years. As a result of pressure and temperature, the carbon was compressed and turned into crystals. After the diamond is cut by the jeweler, he becomes a diamond.

And, although a huge number of diamonds are produced annually in the world, it is impossible to call them mass production. Each diamond differs from its other counterparts in color, quality, shape, and therefore in price.

In jewelry, precious stones are usually measured in carats. Even in ancient times, they began to measure the weight of pebbles this way. It was difficult to measure such a small object, so they began to use carob seeds for weighing. The carat value was set as 1/5th of a gram.

The cost of a diamond is directly proportional to its weight - the more it weighs, the higher the price per carat. The shape and type of cut can also affect the price of a diamond. In general, a processed diamond weighing 1 gram is considered a real diamond.

Shapes can be different, but the most common is round. A classic diamond must be transparent, weigh 1 gram, and have 57 facets.

If you come across colored diamonds, they can be several times more expensive than transparent ones.

Cullinan - the name of the king diamonds. It belongs to the British Crown, to which it was presented as a gift by the Transvaal government. Its weight is 3106 carats or 621 grams. The stone was donated in 1907, and a year later it was split into pieces during cutting. More than a hundred pebbles were made from it: 9 large and 96 smaller. The largest, weighing 530.2 carats (“ Big Star of Africa"), set into the scepter, and a smaller stone - into the crown of the English monarchs.

Other famous gems

The number of varieties of gems mined in the world does not stand still. Most minerals are a derivative product of what already exists. Among the expensive stones, the following should be highlighted:

Rare stones found in the world

The prices for such stones are so high that it is not always possible to name their real value. They are not even found on the world jewelry market, as they are stored in museums, storage facilities, and private collections.

Gems minerals and crystals

At the beginning of the 21st century, in Burma, already famous for its gems, unknown crystals of beautiful purple. After studying and cutting the crystals were assigned to Powderitt, known since 1987. Thus a new gem was born. Its value today ranges from $2,000 to $10,000 per carat, depending on clarity, color and size. The most common weight is 3 carats.

Grandidierite stone named after the naturalist Grandidir. Found in Madagascar. The stones are bluish-green in color. First cut and explored in 2000. Eight grandidierites are currently known to exist.

Rarely found all over the world gem Serendibit. It got its name from the ancient name of Sri Lanka - Serendibi. The existence of 1000 pieces can be officially confirmed. Color can be: black, blue, light yellow, bluish-green. The stones are so small and rare that there are only three light blue stones and they weigh no more than 0.55 carats. The price for the smallest (0.35 carat) is set at $14,300 per carat.

Purple garnets rarely found in nature. Such a garnet was first found in 1970 in Australia and was named after the garnet researcher Majorite - Majorite. Majorite can form at very great depths underground or as a result of a meteorite impact.

Perhaps there are more majorite reserves on the Moon or Mars than on Earth, since there is more meteorite impact there. Majorite is found all over the world, but remains unique. The most expensive gem of this type was sold at auction for $6,800,000. Its weight was 4.2 carats, that is, $1,600,000 per carat.

Precious crystals and gems

Painite

It was found in Burma in the 50s of the twentieth century by the Englishman Pine, in whose honor it received its name. Previously, this stone went through a testing procedure, after which it was recognized hitherto unknown and named after its discoverer.

For fifty years, the number of specimens found did not exceed three. Only at the beginning of the 21st century their number reached twenty-five.

Still the price of the mineral has not been determined, since there was never any open bidding. And besides, only three of them were cut.

Today, 330 stones are known in the world. This amount is distributed between private collectors and museums.

In the 21st century, the scale of gemstone mining is growing exponentially. It is not surprising that the range of jewelry on the jewelry market is expanding every day. It is generally accepted that the most expensive minerals are diamonds. However, other organic rocks have been found in the depths of the earth, the cost of which exceeds the price of high-quality diamonds.

Inquisitive site visitors have a question: Which stones are the most expensive? The status of a mineral in the jewelry market is determined by its texture and color, luster and structural composition, transparency and the amount of organic deposits in nature. The uniqueness of a stone is a fundamental criterion for a gemologist in assessing the value of a product.

Precious minerals with high value

We present a rating of precious stones that cost a lot of money and are valuable rocks in the world of mineralogy. However, among the gems listed below there are no “record holders” that occupy leading positions in the jewelry industry.

Stones that cost $1,500 per carat:

Eremeevit. In nature, there are 100 products with a cut stone that is visually similar to aquamarine. Mineral with a light yellow or blue surface.
Blue garnet. The value of the gemstone is its uniqueness, because in nature there are 500 organic minerals with a similar structure. Distinctive characteristic jewelry from garnet - color changes depending on the lighting.

Earrings with diamonds, topaz and emeralds, SL; gold ring with diamonds, topazes and emeralds, SL (prices follow links)

Mineral rocks with a price up to $2,000:

Black opal. It is impossible to determine the color of a mineral, because thousands of shades shimmer on the surface of the stone. In the 21st century, opals are mined mainly in Australia, Brazil and North America.
Demantoid. The number of such precious stones in nature determines the value of the mineral. It is impossible to find products made from demantoid in a jewelry store; they are found only in the collections of connoisseurs of rocks and organic compounds.

Stones worth up to $5,000:

Taaffeit. The mineral is mined mainly on the territory of island states. The color of the gemstone ranges from a thousand shades of pink.
Poudretti. Today, there are no operating mines in which the pink mineral is mined. The deposits in Canada and Myanmar have exhausted themselves, giving the world 600 stones of different textures, richness and quality.

Organic minerals worth US$6,000:

Musgravit. Gems of green and purple shades are rare in nature, so becoming the owner of such a stone is good luck for a true collector.
Benitoite. The official precious mineral of California with a deep blue color. In nature, there are 10 stones with this chemical composition, which are kept in museums and collectors.
Sapphire. The color of minerals found on the jewelry market is blue. The shape is star-shaped, and the price directly depends on the uniform distribution of shades on the surface of the gem.

Gold earrings with diamonds and sapphires, SL; gold ring with diamonds and sapphires, SL (prices follow links)

Gemstones in the price range from $8,000 to $15,000:

Emerald. Stones with various shades of green are mined today in Colombia, because other deposits of the “cosmic” mineral have exhausted themselves, defining high price for a gem.
Bixbit. Red beryl can rarely be found in nature, so the “exorbitant” cost is explained by gemologists due to the uniqueness of the mineral.
Alexandrite. Stones that change color depending on the light can be green-blue, violet, raspberry-pink, purple or red.
Blue tourmaline. The turquoise-blue crystalline Paraiba compound is easy to cut, but it is rare to find minerals without organic “inclusions” on the jewelry market. The cost of high-quality tourmaline exceeds $15,000.
Ruby. A precious mineral with rich shades of red, blue, green or yellow. The value of rubies is determined by the centuries during which visually elegant stones are cut.

Wealthy people are ready to pay exorbitant amounts of money, amounting to millions of US dollars, for such organic minerals.

The rarest stone in the world is painite. In the 21st century, there are only 8 minerals of this type, of which only 2 could be cut.

The rest of the organic compounds have the original appearance that nature “bestowed” on them.”

Top 5 most expensive stones in the world

List of the most expensive organic minerals, known to man in the 21st century:

Red diamond. Gems with purple-red hues are mined only in Australia. Stones weighing over 0.1 carats are sold at auctions, because the cost of diamonds starts from $1,000,000 per 1 carat.
Grandidierite. The bluish-green mineral is found only in Madagascar. Today there are 20 gemstones in the world with this structural composition, so unique gems cost about $35,000.
Padparadscha. Orange-pinkish sapphires are considered collectible stones and are therefore sold only at auctions. The cost of the iridescent mineral is $30,000.
Jade. The most mysterious stone mined in the East has a cloudy green, evenly distributed on the surface of the mineral. The price of gems reaches 20,000 USD.
Diamond. Cut diamonds are mined on all continents with the exception of Antarctica, so there is no need to complain about the lack of minerals. Thanks to the magical sparkle of diamonds, the cost of a category D gem reaches $15,000.

Gold earrings with diamonds and rubies, SL; gold ring with diamonds and rubies, SL (prices follow links)

The most expensive stone in the world has pink tint and weighs 24.78 carats. The price of the diamond is $45,000,000. Surprisingly, the jewelry has an owner who had no doubts about paying such a sum for a mineral with an elegant texture. The stone was found in the mines of South Africa, where a local mining company, due to the cost of the find, changed from a regional organization to a large-scale commercial project.

Based on the cost of jewelry per carat, the most expensive stone in the world is considered to be a diamond, which weighs 6.04 grams.

At an auction at Sotheby's, a blue diamond was sold for a record amount of $7.98 million - that's $1.32 million per carat.

It is impossible to convey the elegance of forms and pristine beauty of precious stones through photographs. Unique minerals are not displayed in jewelry store windows, but are sold exclusively at auctions.

There are minerals on our planet that are much more rare and valuable than diamonds, sapphires and similar jewelry, the names of which are familiar to everyone

Until recently, jadeite was one of the most mysterious minerals on our planet, but gradually the mineral began to be found here and there. Today, the main sources of jadeite are in Upper Myanmar, China, Japan, Guatemala, Mexico, USA and Russia. In November 1997, at Christie’s auction, a record price for jadeite jewelry was recorded - the “Double Luck” necklace, consisting of 27 half-millimeter jadeite beads, was auctioned for $9.3 million

This bluish-green mineral was discovered in Madagascar, and the first and so far only pure faceted specimen of grandidierite comes from Sri Lanka. The mineral is named after the French historian Alfred Grandidier

One of the rarest and most exceptional types of gemstone in the world, it is named after the Austrian Count Eduard Taaffe, who discovered a batch of faceted stones in 1945 unusual stone, different from the others in shade. The range of shades of taaffeite ranges from lavender to almost scarlet. If you put together all the taaffeite found to date, it would hardly fill half a cup

Previously, painite, found in Myanmar by the British Arthur Pyne in the 1950s, was considered the rarest mineral on Earth. When it was confirmed that it was a completely new, hitherto unknown mineral, it was named after Pine. In the second half of the 20th century, only three crystals of painite were known, by 2005 their number had reached 25, of which only two crystals are still perfectly cut. Their cost is unknown, since not a single painite crystal has been sold yet

Natural red diamonds are so rare that most jewelers have never seen them and will never see them. The world's largest red diamond is known as the Red Shield, and weighs only 5.11 carats, which seems negligible compared to the size of ordinary diamonds (the largest diamonds of almost any type exceed 600 carats), but the red color is the rarest for a diamond

Another rare precious mineral - jeremiahite - is a transparent bluish crystal, the first specimen of which was found in Namibia on the ocean coast. In 1999, searches at this site were resumed, but so far only pale yellow crystals had been found. Blue Jeremiahite was found again in 2001, this time in the Erongo Mountains, but the find is also minuscule and the crystals remain priceless

The precious garnet has already been found in many colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, pink and colorless. But the rarest of them all is the blue garnet, discovered only in the late 1990s in Madagascar. Around the same time, blue garnet was also found in the USA, Russia and Turkey. In daylight, such a pebble shimmers with different shades of the blue-green spectrum, and indoors, under lamp light, it becomes dark purple. Such color metamorphoses are due to the large amount of vanadium it contains. The most expensive blue garnet weighs 4.2 carats - in 2003 it was sold for $6.8 million

We also invite you to get acquainted with the most famous diamonds and plunge into the magical world of more ordinary, but no less expensive

The most expensive and rare stones in the world, extracted from the bowels of the earth, they surprise with their beauty. The planet's limited supply and high demand ensure high costs and demand exceeding supply.

There are very few of them in nature. Deposits are located only in a few places on our planet, and reserves are limited. Their cost is sometimes amazing.

Precious

As a rule, such stones are rarely found in nature and acquire the best decorative qualities after skillful jewelry processing: cutting and cabochoning (polishing). The greater the weight and decorativeness of the sample, the higher its price.

List of the most expensive gemstones in the world (cost per carat):

1. Red diamond. It has a rich crimson color. It is mined only in Australia - its large deposits are not found anywhere else on Earth. Found in small quantities in Brazil. The cost of the rarest gemstone is fantastic: about $1 million.
2. A transparent stone containing a lot of iron shines in 3 shades at once: snow-white, soft blue and greenish. So far, only 8 specimens have been found in the world that 100% correspond to the characteristics of the species. Price – from 100 thousand $.
3. Padparadscha. The name translates as “sunrise”. The faceted gem shimmers in soft red, pink and salmon colors. It is mined in only 2 places in the world. It is quite expensive - $30 thousand.
4. . The green sacred stone of the ancient Aztecs and the material from which the Thai talisman, the Buddha figurine, is made. Costs 20 thousand $.
5. Diamond. Numerous research papers proved that it is the hardest stone on the planet. Its price largely depends on the properties of the specimen. The highest quality ones cost from $15,000.
6. Ruby. It has a well-recognized bloody color. It sells for $15,000.
7. Paribas tourmaline. Found only in Brazil. Different bright color turquoise, and in the twilight it glows with a neon haze, this is its unusual property. Estimated from $15,000, but after skillful processing the amount increases.
8. Alexandrite. Changes its color depending on the lighting. Its price varies from 10 to 37 thousand $.
9. Bixbit- reddish beryl mined in the USA. You will have to pay $10,000 for it.
10. Sapphire and emerald. The first is distinguished by its bright blue color, the second by green. They are valued at approximately the same $6-8 thousand.

Separately, it is worth mentioning pearls, which are considered the most valuable. Some classifications do not classify it as a precious stone due to its organic origin. The most expensive type is “South Sea”. It is distinguished by a thick (up to 6 mm) layer of mother-of-pearl, which determines its uniqueness and monetary value.

Semi-precious

Semi-precious stones are more widespread in nature than their “elite” counterparts. At the same time, they are more affordable and are also in demand among jewelry lovers and mineral collectors.

• Aquamarine– $30-60 per carat. Transparent with a bluish or greenish tone. Its beauty is fully revealed after cutting and polishing.
• Amethyst- the most expensive of all quartz. The most valuable variety is “Siberian”. The cost of her sample with a pronounced purple color starts at $10 per carat.

Aquamarine

• - known to man since ancient times and loved by him throughout history. The assessment of value depends on the color: preference is given to bright blue specimens without a pattern or with very thin veins. They charge from $25.
• - an emerald stone from the garnet group. 1 carat is estimated at $100–500.
• Grossular similar to demantoid both in color and origin. Its price starts from $700.
• cat's eye with a light stripe in the middle, which changes its position depending on the light and viewing angle. A very hard stone, not inferior in strength to ruby. Costs from $40 per carat.

The cost of other semi-precious specimens is much cheaper - no more than $10.

The most beautiful stones in the world (video)

The rarest minerals and their deposits

In addition to stones that are actively used to create jewelry, there are lesser-known minerals that are rare. The number of finds of some is limited to a dozen.

• Painitis. It was first found in 1956 in Burma and named after the scientist who discovered it. It is notable for being included in the Guinness Book of Records (2005 version) as the rarest mineral. Changes color from brown to blood-red, there are inclusions of black-brown color. Rare pink specimens have been found. It is mined in the towns of Mogok and Kachin (Myanmar). After cutting, its cost becomes $5–9 thousand per 1 carat.
• It is found 1,000 times less frequently than diamonds. It has a characteristic blue-violet color. Tanzanite became famous all over the world after the designers of the Tiffany jewelry house drew attention to the mineral. They developed a whole collection of tanzanite jewelry that became popular. The mineral is mined in Merelani Hill (Tanzania). Its price starts at $500 per carat.

• Benitoite. When it was first discovered, it was mistaken for a sapphire. They are similar in their rich blue color, making it an attractive material for fine jewelry. But a detailed analysis showed an error. In 1906, benitoite became an independent and expensive mineral. The rarest specimens have the original purple color. There is very little benitoite in nature. Deposits suitable for development on a large scale are found only in California. Other discovered deposits in Belgium, New Zealand, Japan and Texas are very small and of no interest to jewelers. The cost range of benitoite is very large - from $1 to $4,000 per carat: it depends on the intensity of the color of the mineral and its transparency.
• Poudretteitis. The pink mineral was named after the owners of a quarry in Canada, where it was first discovered in the 60s of the last century. It was later discovered in Myanmar. The study of the mineral began only in 1987, after which it became famous throughout the world as a rarity. Only 30 mined and cut samples are known. In addition to pink, they are lilac or almost colorless. Moreover, after cutting, its color improves. The cost of a sample weighing less than 1 carat ranges from $2,000 to $10,000. Larger samples cost several times more, depending on weight.

Gallery: rare and expensive stones (58 photos)

Rare stones of Russia

Russia is a storehouse of minerals, including precious stones. Usually their clusters are located in the Urals, Siberia or Far North. Each deposit also has its own lists of what is hidden in its depths.

There are also unique places: for example, Utochkina Pad in Buryatia. There are 30 types of unique minerals there. These are precious and semi-precious varieties.

According to Russian law, precious stones include naturally mined (not artificially synthesized) alexandrites, diamonds, emeralds, pearls, rubies, and sapphires.

Rare stones Russian Federation 5 minerals are considered.

• Majorite. This is a garnet colored bright purple. These gems appear on Earth from space along with falling celestial bodies. In the Earth, majorite is formed only under conditions that are created at a depth of 400 km. This determines its high cost: a carat costs $1.2 million. Only a few specimens were found in the Urals.
• Eremeevit. An unusual looking mineral. Its colors come in different colors: blue, yellow and even almost completely transparent. At the same time, eremeevit cannot boast of the intensity of color: it is pale. The only deposits of the mineral in Russia are in the east of Transbaikalia, not far from Nerchinsk. Cost – from $600 per carat for a sample of not the best quality.
• The most original variety of topaz. If he is under sun rays, its surface loses its color. In this case, the color never returns. The main deposit of changeable stone in Russia is located near the town of Plast in the Chelyabinsk region. For 1 carat you will have to pay from $500. Large specimens with bright colors cost tens of times more.

• Xenotime. Cannot boast of bright colors. It ranges from brown to black, and is due to the presence of uranium in the composition. In Russia, xenotime is mined only in 2 deposits: Astafievskoye and Miaas. The cost of the most decorative crystals is calculated individually for each sample.
• Tazheranit. A red or orange colored mineral that is mined in several places around the world. In Russia, its deposits are located in the Baikal region. The sizes of gems are so small that they are almost never used in jewelry. Mineral collectors are mainly interested in tazheranite. The popular cubic zirconia is an artificial analogue of this gem. Original tazheranite is sold in narrow circles at an individual price.

Rare precious and semi-precious stones are the wealth of our planet. Each of them is beautiful and unique in its own way. Despite the high price, there will always be buyers willing to pay a large sum for them.