What are the most expensive gems in the world: a detailed overview. The most luxurious gems

AT modern world Approximately 200 varieties of natural gemstones are known. Along with such popular gemstones as diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald, there are many semi-precious stones, some of which are so incredibly rare that their value exceeds many of the most valuable gems in the world.

1. Tanzanite

Tanzania
Tanzanite is a beautiful blue variety of the mineral zoisite, and it was named so because it can only be found in a small area at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The stone was not discovered in commercial quantities until the 1960s, and since then its popularity has grown significantly, thanks in large part to the efforts of Tiffany & Co. During heat treatment of tanzanite, very high temperatures, its blue color may improve.

2. Black Opal

Australia
Opals are typically creamy white in color and have iridescent inclusions that reflect light as the stone is moved. Black opals are much rarer because almost all of them are found in mines in Lightning Ridge, Australia. The darker their color and the brighter the inclusions, the more valuable stone. One of the most valuable black opals of all time is Aurora Australis, which was sold in 2005 for $763,000.

3. Larimar

Dominican Republic
Larimar is a very rare blue variety of the pectolite mineral that is found in only one small area of ​​the Dominican Republic. The locals have been aware of the existence of the stone for generations, as the stones were periodically washed up on the seashore, but it was not until the 1970s that they were found. enough in the ground to open a mine.

4. Tourmaline Paraiba

Brazil
Tourmalines of various colors are found throughout Brazil, but the Paraiba tourmaline is the only stone with a bright turquoise hue due to its copper content. A very rare gem was discovered in 1987 by Heitor Dimas Barbosa, who was convinced that the Paraiba hills were hiding completely different gems (and he turned out to be right).

A feature of this stone is that when passing light through itself, Paraiba tourmaline will create something like a neon glow. In 2003, very similar turquoise tourmalines were discovered in mines in the mountains of Nigeria and Mozambique.

5. Grandidierite

Madagascar
Grandidierite was first described in 1902 by the French mineralogist Alfred Lacroix, who found it in Madagascar and named it after the French explorer Alfred Grandidière. This extremely rare blue-green mineral has been found in a number of places around the world, but only in Madagascar and Sri Lanka are stones found. gem quality. Majority famous stones are translucent, but the rarest, and therefore the most valuable stone that has been found, has been transparent.

6. Alexandrite

Russia
An amazing stone that can change its color was discovered in 1830 in the Urals in Russia and named after the Russian Tsar Alexander II. Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl and sunlight looks like blue-green, but under incandescent light becomes red-violet color. The cost of this gemstone weighing up to 1 carat is $15,000, but a stone weighing more than one carat will cost $70,000 per carat.

7. Benitoite

USA
Benitoite is mined in only one small area of ​​California, near the San Benito River (hence the name), but the mine closed to commercial mining in 2006, making this gem even more rare. The gemstone was first discovered in 1907 by geologist George Lauderbeck. It has a deep blue color which shows particularly interesting qualities when exposed to UV light - the stone begins to glow with a fluorescent glow.

8. Painite

Myanmar
Painite was first discovered by the British mineralogist Arthur Charles Paine in 1951 and was recognized as a new mineral in 1957. For many years there was only one specimen of the dark red crystal, which was kept in the British Museum in London, making it the rarest in the world. precious stone. Later, other specimens were discovered, although until 2004 there were less than two dozen painites. In 2006, another mine was discovered in Myanmar, where more than 1,000 stones have already been mined, but they are of lower quality.

9. Red beryl

Mexico
Red beryl, also known as bixbite or red emerald, is so rare that the Utah Geological Survey says only one in every 150,000 gem-quality diamonds is mined. Pure beryl is colorless and acquires its shades only from impurities: chromium and vanadium give beryl green color, forming an emerald; iron adds a blue or yellow tint, creating aquamarine and golden beryl, while manganese adds a deep red color, forming red beryl.

Red beryl is found only in the US states of Utah, New Mexico, and also in Mexico, but most of the stones found are only a few millimeters long (i.e., too small to be cut and faceted).

10. Taaffeite

China
The Austrian-Irish mineralogist Count Edward Charles Richard Taaffe bought a box of cut stones from a jeweler in Dublin in the 1940s, thinking he had acquired a collection of spinels. But on closer inspection, he noted that one of the pale lilac stones did not respond to light in the same way as the rest of the spinels, so he sent it in for analysis. The results showed that the Count had discovered a previously unknown gem.

Over time, the source of taaffeite was found in Sri Lanka, although a few stones have also been found in Tanzania and China. Less than 50 stones are believed to exist, making it so rare that a common person unlikely to ever encounter it.

Especially for those who are not indifferent to expensive stones, we have collected more.

According to federal law of our country, it is customary to consider precious stones natural diamonds, rubies, alexandrites and emeralds, pearls and sapphires, as well as amber, both raw and processed. Let's see what is the most expensive stone in the world, and how much does it cost in 2017-2018.

A gemstone is a complex composition of chemical elements in nature. The gem is evaluated according to the following criteria:

• By color;
• By purity;
• By weight;
• By the location of the deposit;
• By durability.

Crystals are divided into organic and inorganic. The second are compounds of special strength, in which chemical structure unchanged. About a hundred minerals are mined in the world, and only twenty to thirty of them are classified as precious, among which is the most expensive stone in the world. precious minerals durable, rare and very beautiful.

organic gems, such as amber or pearls, are created by animals or plants.

Stones have always attracted attention due to the bewitching appearance, as well as the properties that they have on a person. What is the most expensive stone in the world? The diamond has long been considered the most expensive gem.

But the secrets of nature are unknown, and some time ago another beautiful gem was discovered, which is much more expensive than its counterparts. This most expensive stone in the world is called and is the most expensive of the diamond family, as well as among other gems of the world. In nature, there is only one deposit of this mineral, and it is located in Australia. And, despite the fact that the mine has existed for many years, for the entire time of its existence, a person has mined only a few copies of the red diamond. Wherein maximum size stone did not exceed half a carat. Specialists of gemological centers claim that the color of the gem is purple-red. This most expensive stone in the world, the photo of which you will see below, costs $ 1 million and you can buy it mainly at auctions.

What is the most expensive stone in the world? Top ten!

Crystals that possess nearby valuable qualities are highly valued in the jewelry market, as well as among collectors and lovers of presentable jewelry. Some copies are sold exclusively from hand to hand, not getting on the shelves of ordinary stores.

Below you will see a list of gems, and their approximate cost. The most expensive stone in the world is discussed above, and therefore, is not included in this list.

• Grandidierite from 100 thousand.
• Padparadscha from 30 thousand.
• Jadeite (imperial) from 20 thousand.
• Diamond - 15-17 thousand rubles
• Ruby from 16 thousand rubles
• Alexandrite from 12 thousand.
• Tourmaline "Paraiba" - 13-14 thousand rubles
• Bixbit - 10-12 thousand.
• Sapphire from 9 thousand.
• Emerald from 8 thousand rubles

Other gems known to mankind

In addition to those stones that we talked about above, there are others that delight a person with their beauty and positive properties. Among them you can find: pearls and coral, aquamarine and heliodor, garnet and chrysolite, beryl and chrysoprase, topaz and opal, amber and many others. We will consider in our article the most beautiful and famous crystals.

Delicate pearl

This mineral, which is of organic origin, is a waste product of mollusks, which is formed as a result of a foreign body entering their shell. The extraction of stone is carried out from the sea or river bottom, it can also be grown in conditions created artificially.

The advantage of pearls is that they do not need to be specially processed. Nature has made it beautiful, it has the right shape.

This most expensive organic stone in the world comes in a variety of colors.

• On the Indian coast, in the Bahamas or in the Gulf of California, pink pearls are mined;
• Panama gives the world stones of golden color, sometimes with brown inclusions;
• In Mexico, a red mineral is mined;
• In Japan or Australia, white and silvery stone is found;
• In the Red Sea and in the Persian Gulf there are deposits of yellow and cream pearls;
• Tahiti is famous for its black pearls.

Also, people have learned to extract river pearls. It can be found in China, Russia and Germany.

It is believed that this is not the most expensive stone in the world, the photo of which you will see below, protects against infections, accumulates vital energy and promotes longevity.

If you want to prolong the life of pearls, you need to take care of them properly and on time. Avoid contact with cosmetics and household chemicals on their surface, do not dry the stones or expose them to excessive moisture. The value of this gem depends on how smooth and even it is, as well as the size of the pearl and its color-brightness.

Previously, it was believed that pearl jewelry could only be worn unmarried girls. They are allowed to wear daylight hours days.

Bewitching Ruby

This stone belongs to the class of corundum and differs from the rest in red. Its value is determined by the antiquity of origin. Crystals are formed due to the movement and interaction of tectonic plates: magma and the earth's crust. Currently, such a process does not occur, and deposits of rubies can only be found in those rocks whose age is more than five hundred thousand years. Ruby is not the most expensive stone in the world, but it is very beautiful.

The color palette of the mineral ranges from light pink with a hint of raspberry to fiery red. The rarest representative of rubies is a stone of bright red color with a purple tint. In our country, the mineral is mined in the polar Urals. Other countries are India, Burma, Ceylon and Thailand.

The stone helps a person to strengthen those qualities that are given to him by nature. It is believed that it is impossible to wear a ruby ​​all the time, as it can turn into an energy vampire.

Back in the nineteenth century, the ruby ​​was the most expensive stone in the world, and was worth more than a diamond. Today, the cost of low-quality minerals that are mined in Burma is no more than three tens of dollars per carat, while elite specimens cost $100,000 per carat.

Mysterious emerald

When answering the question of what is the most expensive stone in the world, one cannot ignore the mysterious emerald belonging to the beryl group. Its color varies from light green to green-blue, light or dark. Mining is carried out in countries such as:

Brazil, Russia, Colombia, Egypt. The darker the stone, the higher its value, so it is the color that has a decisive role in determining the value, and not transparency.

Emerald is a very fragile precious crystal. Quite often, small defects can be found on natural stones, which easily disappear after various synthetic processing.

Sapphire

Another not the most expensive stone in the world, but at the same time worthy of attention is a sapphire. It is also a type of corundum. It has high hardness and high gloss. In nature, blue, white, yellow, pink, as well as black and star-shaped colors of this stone are found. The last color is characterized by an optical effect, when a small star is visible on an opaque background.

Sapphires are mined in bulk, in the following mines of the planet:

• In India. This is where the minerals are mined. blue tint. Now you know which is the most expensive stone in the world among the "sapphire" family;
• In Australia. The largest stone mining is carried out here, moreover, stones of any color are found here;
• Sri Lanka produces pink and blue sapphires;
• In Thailand (greenish, not best quality), Russia and the USA.

Sapphires are actively used by people for the production jewelry as well as for industrial purposes.

This crystal is a symbol of purity and purity, it helps to reveal positive features human nature, it can be worn even by a child.

precious diamond

Another most expensive stone in the world is a diamond, which is very popular. After cutting, it acquires a different name - a diamond. It is the oldest among known to mankind gems.

The first diamond deposits appeared in India, and then in Brazil. Today, about twenty tons of this gemstone are mined every year, in countries such as Africa, Russia and Australia.

It should be noted that large stones quite rare, usually Weight Limit is less than one carat. Diamond differs from other minerals in a diverse spectrum colors, in nature you can find: black, red, white, yellow, green, orange, blue, pink and even brown diamonds.

Due to the fact that the described crystal is characterized by increased strength characteristics, it is widely used in industrial business.

There are more than a thousand species in nature. jewelry diamonds and they are all flawless.

The average price of a 2-carat stone in Russia is about 120 thousand rubles.


The largest diamonds in the world:

• "Kullian" - equates to 94 tons of gold;
• "Hope" - costs 350 million dollars;
• The Century is valued at $100 million.

By the way, it is diamonds and precious metals used to create the most expensive phone in the world

What stones are rare in the world?

The rarest stones:

Eremeev. It comes in light yellow, white and blue. First discovered in Russia ( Zabaykalsky Krai). The name was given in honor of Pavel Eremeev, a mineralogist. There are 100 products in the world that include faceted stone. It looks like aquamarine. Worth $1,500 per carat.

blue pomegranate . It changes hue depending on the lighting, in daylight it has blue, cyan and green tints, and in artificial light it has red or purple tints. It was found in Madagascar at the end of the last century. It is currently mined in Norway and Tanzania, as well as Sri Lanka.

Demantoid. It is a variety of pomegranate and has a yellow-green or green color. This most expensive stone is found among the rare ones in Russia, Kenya, Iran and Pakistan. Until quite recently, it was known only among collectors, and in jewelry stores he was not for sale. To date, the crystal is gaining more and more popularity, which contributes to the increase in its price, which is already more than $ 2,000 per carat.

Taaffeite. Shimmers in all sorts of shades of pink. It was accidentally discovered by Eduard Taaffe, who drew attention to an interesting specimen, located among the crystals of other stones that were cut. Stone deposits are located in China, Sri Lanka, South Tanzania. The cost ranges from two to five thousand dollars per carat.

Powdery. There are about six hundred gems of various texture, quality and saturation in the world. All of them Pink colour. The first deposits were discovered in Canada, in the eighties of the twentieth century. The mine is owned by the Poudret family, however, there are no more gems (hence the name). At present, the main places of extraction of this stone have been exhausted, and it is no longer mined. The cost ranges from three to five thousand US dollars.

Musgravit. Similar to the stone described above. Mineral deposits are located in Greenland, Australia, Madagascar, Tanzania and Antarctica. This stone is greenish and purple hue. Moreover, green costs from 2 to 3 thousand dollars, and purple is less common, so its price reaches 6 thousand dollars.

Benitoite . It is a deep mineral of blue color. Under the influence of ultraviolet light, a fluorescent glow appears on it. Only one deposit of this stone is known, and it is located in the USA, in California. Considered a gem state importance this state, as it is very rare. In the jewelry market, it is estimated at 4-6 thousand US dollars per carat.

Tanzanite - is a blue crystal and belongs to ziosites. The field is located in Tanzania, on Mount Kilimanjaro. The color of the stone improves with increasing air temperature.

Larminar, which is mined in the Dominican Republic, has a bluish tint. For quite a long time, the stone was not given importance, although it was known for several centuries, as gems were thrown onto the sea coast. Deposits were found only in the 70s of the last century, and the mineral began to be mined.

Bright Turquoise Tourmaline Paraibea. It was found in the late 80s, in the last century, in Brazil. The peculiarity of the stone is that, passing light through itself, it creates a glow similar to neon. At the beginning of the 21st century, turquoise minerals were found in Mozambique and Nigeria.

grandidierite blue-green. Named after the French explorer Alfred Grandidière. It was found in Madagascar. Mineral deposits are distributed throughout the planet, however, the highest quality stones can be found, except for Madagascar, in Sri Lanka. Most minerals are translucent, and therefore the most transparent of them are considered the most expensive.

red beryl Or a red emerald. Forms its shade due to the presence of manganese impurities. Found in the USA and Mexico. It cannot be cut or cut due to its microscopic size.

Alexandrite . It is a chameleon - in the sun it becomes blue-green, and under artificial lighting - red-violet. It was found in Russia and named after Emperor Alexander II. In the event that the weight of the stone is one carat, its price will not be more than 15 thousand dollars. If the mass of the mineral is higher, then its price can reach 70 thousand dollars per carat. The stone belongs to the class of chrysoberyls.

Black opal. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that its surface shimmers different shades, the number of which reaches several hundred. The color of the stone ranges from creamy white to black, and includes all the colors of the rainbow. The most expensive representatives of this mineral are dark specimens with bright inclusions. This stone is mined in Australia, Brazil and Mexico. It costs from 2 thousand dollars per carat.

Painite . It is a dark red mineral. It is considered the one and only, and therefore, is stored in the London Museum. A little later, over a thousand similar stones were found in Myanmar, but they were all of poor quality.

Gems and precious stones

By their properties, as well as by their effect on humans, gemstones are classified by color:

• White minerals are a symbol of perfection, loneliness and composure (pearl, diamond);
• Green are considered a symbol of harmony, wisdom and peace (emerald, malachite, tourmaline);
• Blue - an indicator of practicality and peace, as well as peace (sapphire, topaz);
• Red stones symbolize strength, power and passion (ruby, garnet and others);
• Violet is a symbol of honesty, mysticism and receptivity (amethyst).

Remember that when buying jewelry there is always a risk that you will get a fake, so demand from the seller full information about the stone, its origin and method of processing.
Read it, you will be interested!

What in inanimate nature admires and amazes people more than gems? Precious stones are amazingly beautiful and rare, their possession makes a person wiser and more majestic - in any case, so many legends and beliefs associated with these most beautiful minerals assure. But which stone is the most expensive in the world? We will find out the opinion of experts on the cost of the most expensive stones.

10 Emerald and sapphire

On the average good sapphire(about 6000 per carat) turns out to be more expensive than a not very high quality emerald. This, of course, applies to ordinary, blue or light blue, sapphire. As for the rarest orange gem (it is called padparadscha), we will talk about it ahead. It is definitely one of the most expensive stones in the world.

As for emeralds - stones of a dark green or grassy color - then, despite their relatively a large number of, there are very few pure specimens. They are the ones that are so highly valued.

There are a couple of amazing examples. Firstly, it is the Millennium - a 61 thousand carat sapphire, decorated with carvings - 134 portraits of the most prominent world celebrities of the millennium, including, for example, Beethoven, Shakespeare and Einstein. AT this moment its price is 180 million dollars.

And the largest emerald is the Bahian nugget, which weighs 1.9 million carats and costs $400 million.

This is the rarest red beryl, which is mined exclusively in the states of Utah and New Mexico in the United States. Only a few stones are known, of which the largest weighs just over 3 carats.

One carat costs at least 10 or even 12 thousand dollars. This is due not only to beauty, but also to the exceptional rarity of the gem.

Interested in

AT this moment about three and a half thousand faceted bixbites are known, and no new ones have yet been found.

The first gem capable of changing its color was found in the first half of the 19th century near Yekaterinburg (however, as it turned out later, some garnets and sapphires also differ in this ability, which is explained by the presence of chromium oxide in the composition).

And since then, alexandrite has never ceased to amaze people with both its beauty and the ability to look completely different depending on the lighting. Under sunbeams the stone is greenish, and electric (or simply evening) light makes it reddish, purple or violet.

The stone was named in honor of the 16th anniversary of the future Emperor Alexander II, on whose birthday the first alexandrite was allegedly found and described.

The price of alexandrite is from 10 to 37 thousand dollars per carat, although this is not very rare stone. For example, a druse of 22 stones with a total weight of more than 5 kilograms was found in the Urals in the same 19th century.

Nowadays, alexandrites are found not only in Russia, but also in Brazil, Madagascar, etc. Faceted natural gems are not so frequent and are usually small in size.

7 Paraiba tourmaline

It is a unique mineral for a long time found exclusively in Brazil. Paraiba has an incredible turquoise color and even more unique neon glow even in the twilight - this property is not found in any other stone.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to capture this glow in a photo. Currently, Paraiba tourmalines are also found in Africa and Madagascar, but they are valued much lower than Brazilian ones.
Small tourmalines usually cost about 15 thousand dollars, while large specimens can only get into the hands of a real master for cutting, in which case the product will have almost a museum value - and a fantastic price.

Paraiba tourmaline is a rare mineral, such stones are found 10,000 times less often than diamonds. The largest gem weighs 192 carats and is worth up to $125 million.

6 Precious Ruby

The ruby ​​is usually ranked sixth in the ranking of the most expensive stones in the world. This is corundum - a stone related to sapphire. In the Old Russian language, both stones were usually called yahonts. The blood-red stone was known and appreciated in ancient times in India, it was known to both the Greeks and the Romans.

Rubies are mined on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica, but not all of them are valued equally. The most expensive gems are Asian, the colors of "pigeon blood". They are usually sold for 15 thousand dollars per carat.

The most expensive ruby ​​weighing 25 and a half carats was sold last year at auction for $30 million. So far, this is a record.

A diamond (a cut diamond is called a diamond) is certainly one of the most beautiful and beloved gems by rich people. Its brilliance is mesmerizing, and its hardness is very high (due to which it is also used in technology, etc.).

For this reason, a diamond is often considered a "male" stone, a symbol of purity and hardness. The age of some diamonds, according to scientists, is up to 2 and a half million years; among them are minerals of extraterrestrial origin.

The price of a diamond depends on its purity and color (except for colorless, yellow, brown, blue, even black diamonds are known) and can range from $15,000. per carat.

The largest diamond is the Cullinan, its weight is more than 3100 carats; the largest Yakut diamond is called "XXVI Congress", it weighs 332 carats.

4 Clear Jade Gem

Transparent jadeite is called imperial, and it is he who is one of the most expensive gemstones in the world. This is a green gem, quite rare and therefore very expensive.

An imperial carat is valued at $20,000. Among the Aztecs, jadeite was considered a sacred stone, and the famous "Emerald Buddha" - the talisman of Thailand - was also carved from jadeite and decorated with gold.

It is a rare mineral that is currently mined in only two deposits. The name means "Sunrise". The coloring of the stone classic version should consist of three colors: red, orange and pink.

Since there are almost no such stones, they are highly valued, from 30 thousand dollars per carat. It is permissible to call padparadscha and two-color minerals, although this is not entirely true. But an obvious deception is an attempt to pass off an orange or pink one-color sapphire as a padparadscha!

There are many original fakes: the so-called “warmed padparadshes” are corundum heated in special furnaces and changed color because of this. They are also very expensive, but still they are not real padparadschas!

This rarest gemstone is amazingly beautiful. Pale blue, it shimmers in three colors at once: white, blue and green. It is named after the scientist who first described it, Alfred Grandidier.

The beauty and rarity of the stone make it almost priceless. It's worth what you pay for it. Only 8 stones in the world have been proven to meet the standards of grandidierite, so for each of them they pay 100 thousand per carat!

1 The most expensive stone - Red diamond

And finally, the most expensive gem in the world is the red diamond. Its fantastic value (up to a million per carat) is due to the amazing beauty and extreme rarity of the stone.

Red diamonds are found exclusively in Australia, and in scanty quantities, just a few stones a year. Moreover, gems weighing already from 0.1 carats are highly valued!
The world's largest red diamond was presented at the Smithsonian. Its weight is just over 5 carats, and the cost is even hard to imagine. To give you an idea of ​​prices, a few years ago a red diamond weighing just under a carat was sold for a trillion dollars.

Precious stones have amazing magic - they conquer a person at first sight. In ancient times, they were used to decorate amulets. It was believed that they can protect a person from diseases and evil spirits. Some believed that stones could predict the future. Later, when they began to study them, it turned out that each gem has its own strength. The most expensive stones in the world are valuable precisely because of this property.

Diamond

Diamond is a gem that has a simple structure. It consists of a single chemical element - carbon. Atoms of matter are located deep underground, where they are subjected to strong heating and pressure for a long time.

It is believed that diamonds are the most expensive stones in the world. Quality just one gram can cost hundreds of thousands of rubles.

What determines the price of a diamond:

• quality;
• the form;
• color.

The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. By the way, very interesting fact: in ancient times, special seeds were called "carat", with the help of which they compared the size of gems. One carat is 0.2 grams.

The most expensive stones in the world have an uneven weight. For example, a diamond of one gram will cost several times cheaper than a stone that weighs 0.99 g. It is believed that such a gem is unique, special. The reviews of those people who managed to get such a stone are enthusiastic. They say that he unprecedented beauty and just "burns" in the sun.

The cost also depends on the cut and color. Most often, a diamond can be found round shape. Of the variety, only a few stones are colorless. The more transparent the gem, the more expensive it will cost. As for colored stones, it is worth noting that they are more expensive than white ones. They may have pink shade, green, yellow or red.

Which diamond can be said to be the most expensive stone in the world? The name is very interesting - "Cullinan". The stone weighs over 600 grams (3106 carats).

Sapphire

This stone is also known as corundum. The structure is crystalline, of the chemical elements it contains only aluminum oxides. According to the hardness scale, sapphire is considered to be the hardest gem after diamond.

One of the main factors that determine the value of a stone is its origin. High-quality sapphires can be found in Kashmir, they have a delicate cornflower blue hue. An interesting fact is that the gem does not change shade even under artificial lighting. That's great rarity.

Most expensive stones in the world - these are those sapphires that are of natural origin. How cleaner shade gem, the higher its value will be. Too dark or pale stones are cheaper.

Emerald

The crystal structure of the stone consists of aluminum and beryllium. Under artificial lighting, the gem retains its natural shade.

The emerald, which has been recognized as the most expensive gem in the world, is about the size of a watermelon. Its weight is 57.5 carats, which is about 12 kilograms. It is believed that it was mined in Brazil. The stone is called Teodora.

Most natural emeralds have internal defects, uneven coloration, and cracks on the surface. The brighter the color of the gem, the higher its base value will be.

Distinguish real stone from synthetic is not difficult. Emerald, which is of natural origin, is not perfect and is not transparent. As for high-quality synthetics, such gems are completely transparent and have a rich green color.

The most expensive gemstones in the world are those whose color resembles the shade of dill. They are extremely rare and are very popular.

Ruby

When the question arises of what are the most expensive stones in the world, the name "ruby" cannot be ignored. The structure of the gem consists of a stone of natural origin, characterized by internal defects that are visible to the naked eye. Color can be brown, red.

The most valuable is the ruby, which has a shade of "pigeon blood" - a pure red color with a slight purple tint.

What determines the cost of a ruby:

• the number of defects;
• clarity and beauty of color;
• purity.

The highest quality ruby ​​is considered valuable regardless of its weight. In Upper Burma, there is a gem with a "pigeon blood" hue. It has 5 carats and costs 10 times more than the exact same stone, but from Thailand.

As for ruby ​​reviews. Jewelry with this stone, the fair sex is very fond of. It is believed that the ruby ​​adorns the girl, reveals her femininity.

Pearl

What are the most expensive stones in the world? The list of gems is large. Pearl takes pride of place. It is formed in the body of the oyster. If an object of foreign origin somehow gets into the shell, for example, the smallest grain of sand, then the mollusk immediately begins to push it out. He highlights mother-of-pearl to cover the “stranger” with it. The thicker the mother-of-pearl layer is, the more elegant and expensive the pearl will be.

By the way, a very interesting fact is that this is a unique stone that jewelers use without pre-treatment.

The pearls that can be found in stores today are cultured. Its creation takes place with human participation. The bead is placed in the oyster. Properties are the same as natural stone, only now the mother-of-pearl layer is much thinner, and these stones are collected much earlier.

Alexandrite

Everyone knows this gem. Its main feature is the ability to change its shade. If in daylight the gem shines with bluish-green rays, then in artificial light it will show itself as olive or blue-green.

The very first stone was found in Yekaterinburg in 1833. He amazed people with his unusual shape and play of colors. The cost of alexandrite can be different, it depends on its quality and cut - from 9 to 16 thousand conventional units.

blue tourmaline

The first time such a stone was found in the east of Brazil. The gem has a blue-turquoise hue. The most expensive stones in the world are mined there to this day. However, their deposits have also been discovered in Madagascar.

Blue tourmaline is a very rare gem. Jewelry lovers note that the cut, shape and uniqueness of this stone strike with its unique beauty. The price varies from 12 to 15 thousand dollars per carat. However, if the gem has highest quality, it can cost even more.

padparadscha

Translated from this name means "sunrise". This sapphire has an amazing shade - something between pale orange and pink. Once mined in Sri Lanka. However, now there is practically no stone left. The man found another way to get it. In a special furnace, mineral corundum is heated to a certain temperature. The last stone mined in this way in Sri Lanka was sold for 18 thousand dollars. It was over 20 years ago.

Today, the 5-carat padparadscha is considered a collectible gem. Its cost is approximately 30 thousand dollars per 1 carat.

Jade

This mineral is considered the most mysterious of all that have been found on the planet. It has a beautiful smooth green color, round shape. Approximate cost in the market fluctuates within 20 thousand dollars.

Now the gem is mined in Mexico, Japan, China, the USA and Kazakhstan.

Bixbit

Some time ago, the value of this gem was known only to a few collectors. The mineral is considered a variety of beryl, but it is very rare. It has a rich burgundy hue, uneven cut.

You can get the gem only in New Mexico and Utah. It is almost impossible to find a stone for sale. Collectors note that a copy of this mineral is extremely expensive. For one carat, you will have to pay about 12 thousand dollars.

Determining the true value of stones is difficult precisely for the reason that there are very few of them.

Benitoite

This is one of the rarest gems. No more than 10 copies exist worldwide. The average cost per carat is 6-8 thousand conventional units.

The only place where the gem was mined is San Benito County. The stone was first discovered there in 1906. Later it was recognized as the state precious symbol of the state.

red diamond

Many people wonder what is the most expensive stone in the world. This is a diamond. But not simple, but red. It is very rare and is considered the most significant gem. For the entire existence of mankind, only a few copies of this mineral have been found. Most are relatively light in weight - 0.5 carats.

A red diamond is mined at the Argyle mine. Gems that weigh more than immediately are put up for auction. The price of such a stone can reach more than a million dollars. Many collectors of unique jewelry dream of getting a gem for their collection.

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Who is considered best friends girls? That's right, diamonds, because it is about them that they sing in a famous song. But in nature there is such a variety of minerals - beautiful and very expensive - that these pebbles are no match for them. Therefore, we offer you to evaluate the most expensive gems in the world.

This largest blood red diamond has a weight of 5.11 carats. It was first shown to the public at the Smithsonian in 2003.

The stone was mined in the 1990s from mines in Brazil. Jewelers decided to approach its cutting with special care - they gave it the shape of a triangle.

The average price per carat for red diamonds reaches $ 1 million. The high cost is justified by their rarity - today there are only 50 pure copies in the world.

An emerald from the Brazilian province of Bahia is the largest such stone ever mined in the world. It weighs 1.9 million carats - approximately 380 kg.

In 2005, he was in storage in New Orleans (USA) in a warehouse and miraculously escaped disappearance during the rampage of Hurricane Katrina. Later, he was transferred to Los Angeles for detention, where they tried to protect him. But in 2008, it was stolen by a dealer, which was reported in the media.

According to experts, a huge emerald should cost more than $ 400 million. But just recently, an anonymous seller put it up for sale on the eBay online auction for a "ridiculous" price of $ 75 million.

Since there were no people willing to urgently buy the Bahian emerald, the police had the opportunity to detect the thief. Today, the stone has been successfully recovered and is in the possession of the Los Angeles Police Department.

blue diamond

Another representative of the family of the most breathtaking in both beauty and price of diamonds. Such a high price, which was paid for it at the Sotheby's auction, he received thanks to his unique color and impeccable cut.

Such stones are rare in the world, so it was sold for $ 8 million. The most beautiful diamond became the most expensive in the world, if we compare the cost of one carat. This representative was estimated at 1.32 million dollars for 1 carat. Not everyone will be able to pay such an amount for 0.2 g of stone happiness.

The weight of the diamond is 6.04 carats. Previously, it belonged to a private collector. But in 2007, at an auction in Hong Kong, it was purchased by a representative jewelry house Moussaieff Jewelers, headquartered in London.

Rough but very valuable diamond

The stone was discovered in a mine in Lesotho, in the south of the African continent. Its deposit is considered one of the most "lucky" in terms of finds. large diamonds. Previously, minerals were mined here, weighing 600 and 500 carats each.

very rare and beautiful stone Paraiba tourmaline called Ethereal Carolina belongs to Vincent Boucher, a Canadian financier. Experts value the stone, weighing 192 carats, at $125 million.

Neon blue minerals are mined in Brazil at the Batalha mine. Therefore, the stone was named after the province where the most tourmalines are found. The rarity of the mineral is confirmed by statistics - in the entire history, only 50 kg have been found in the world. such jewels.

In 2001, a new tourmaline deposit was discovered and it is located not in Brazil, but in Nigeria. The stones are small in size, but due to their rarity, they are very expensive.

Diamonds themselves are very expensive stones. At the same time, minerals with a unique color are especially valued in the world.

One of these is the pink diamond Graff Pink. Its cost reaches 45 million dollars. At the same time, the stone weighs only 24.8 carats.

The stone was sold at Sotheby's in 2010. British billionaire gemstone connoisseur Lawrence Graf became its happy owner. He became the first person in the world to pay such a high amount for a precious stone.

pearl fluorite

The largest pearl in the world is called a faceted round stone made of fluorite. The public was able to see the jewel, weighing 6 tons, in China at the end of 2010.

In order to make a “pearl” from an uncut mineral, jewelers from Hainan province worked for 2 years. It is noteworthy that the diameter of the stone reaches more than 1.5 m and it glows green in the dark.

Until now, there has not been a person who would want to possess this jewel. Most likely, those who wish do not have the required amount - the stone was estimated at $ 300 million.

Don Pedro

The precious crystal that opens the top three in our ranking is a 35.5 cm long aquamarine. You can admire it at the Washington Museum of Natural History, which belongs to the Smithsonian Institution. Next to it are exhibits such as earrings with precious stones that once belonged to Marie Antoinette, and with a magnificent Hope diamond.

Previously, the mineral belonged to Florida businessmen J. Bland and J. Mitchell. They wished to donate the jewel and donated it to the museum in 2011.

The stone was found in Brazil in early 1980. Initially, it was an uncut beryl crystal, weighing 27 kg.

It was named after the first Brazilian rulers of the 19th century - Don Pedro I and his heir Don Pedro II. The stone was cut by a talented jeweler from Germany, Bernd Münsteiner, who gave the stone the appearance of an obelisk. The total weight of the jewel is 10.3 thousand carats. This is a unique aquamarine - there is no other like it in the world.

Millennium

The place of his discovery was the island of Madagascar. There, in 1995, the searchers discovered a huge stone that weighed 90 thousand carats. Naturally, after cutting, its dimensions decreased, but this fact still does not affect the fact that the Millennium is the largest sapphire in the world.

The mineral got its name due to the skillful cutting that lasted for 2 years. On its surface famous jeweler from Italy, Alessio Boschi decided to engrave images of personalities who made a special contribution to the development of mankind. There you can see Michelangelo, Beethoven, Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr. and a number of other figures who have become legends of past centuries. In total, 134 portraits are carved on it.

The general public was able to admire the gem only twice. It was put up for inspection in 2002 and 2004.

Koh-i-Noor

This mineral has no price, but it has rich history. At one time it belonged to the Indian rulers, while still weighing 186 carats. But the more and more expensive diamond, topics more people who wish to become their owner.

Today, among other similarly expensive jewels, it belongs to the British royal family. In 1852, Prince Albert became the first owner of the koh-i-noor, but he was not satisfied with the cut of the stone. Therefore, he personally went to Holland to the skilful master jeweler Kantor. After cutting, the stone lost some of its weight, but it became much more beautiful. After that, the prince presented it to his wife Victoria, who in the future wished to include it in the decoration of her crown.

Collectors, royalty and just the rich often become the owners of the most expensive things on the planet. But only precious stones that have been created over millions of years by nature can be so valuable.

For a small stone that fits in the palm of your hand, the buyer can shell out millions of dollars. But this is an excellent investment of finances, because precious stones only become more expensive over time, and more and more people want to become their owners.

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