The largest gems in the world. The most expensive stones in the world: description, names and reviews

The most expensive stones have fascinated people from time immemorial. Such things are passed down from generation to generation in the form of various jewelry and amulets. Many believe that energy is concentrated in the most precious stones, which makes it possible to protect the wearer from evil spirits... For example, Indian shamans believed that some stones are the patrons of man. In their opinion, they are able to influence the fate of a person. Nobody knows how right they are. Our task is to describe rare gems, the cost of which is shocking.

Top most expensive stones in the world

Opens the ranking of the most expensive stones on the planet Noble Pearls. Unlike other gems, it appears in a unique, rare way. Pearls are caused by the ingress of a grain of sand into the shell of a mollusk. The phenomenon is not very common. The most expensive species is sea, as it is located at the depths of salt waters. Riverboat is much cheaper. Moreover, of all the variety of Noble Pearls, the most valuable is formed in Tahiti. Currently, one such natural fossil adorns Elizabeth Taylor's necklace and is worth $ 12 million.

Ruby belongs to a variety of corundum minerals. A rare and very valuable gem originates in the bowels of the Earth. For a gem to appear, the temperature must rise above 450 degrees. Therefore, to find a ruby, it is necessary to go underground to a depth of 10 to 30 meters. Currently, there are rubies of different colors:

pink;
yellow;
brown;
blue, etc.

It is worth noting that the final cost of the fossil largely depends on the color. The most prized are blue rubies. One of these was sold in 2015 for $ 30 million.

The most expensive stones in the world include the emerald. This type of gem is a derivative of minerals. As a rule, emeralds have a greenish tint. Even under artificial light, this stone retains its color. Extracted from the bowels of the planet. The stone requires complex processing. The mined fossils are covered with a dense mesh that protects them from dents and cracks.

The most expensive emerald is the Fura stone, which was found in Colombia. Its cost is estimated at one hundred and fifty million dollars. To the record holders should also be added the stone "Theodora", which was found in a mine in Brazil. Its weight exceeds the "Fura" 5 times. Before processing, it weighed 28 kilograms and was sold for $ 150 million.

Currently, the most expensive sapphires are mined in Kashmir. They are distinguished by their cornflower blue color and unusual durability. The most expensive sapphire in history is the Millennium stone, weighing 62 kg. It is currently on sale for $ 180 million. 134 successful people have been carved into the facets of this unique stone. The composition was created by the famous artist Alessio Boschi. It is worth recalling that it was the sapphire that was first presented by Prince Charles to his future wife. Before the engagement, he ordered a ring not made of diamond, but sapphire, in order to surprise his darling. This is how it appeared new tradition among the elite of society.

The second place in the list is occupied by Almaz. It contains only one chemical element - carbon in pure form... Currently, no one knows for sure the nature of this product. There are several hypotheses:

Diamond deposits formed in the planet's mantle under tremendous pressure;
Diamonds appeared as a result of the "explosion tube";
As a result of the release of magma.

Our ancestors made even more assumptions about the nature of diamonds, connecting the stone with magic. This product is known to be over 2.5 billion years old.

The most expensive stone in the world- a diamond called "Star of Africa". Also known as Cullinan. The weight is 530 grams or 3106 carats. It is currently valued at $ 7.5 billion. It was first found by miners in South Africa in 1905. The stone had no defects, except for one spot in the center. The black dot has survived to this day. Different nations refer to magic power and the specific purpose of the most expensive stone on the planet.

In this article:

The most expensive gemstone found in nature is the red diamond. But there are also a number of minerals that differ not only in cost, but also in rarity; they cannot be found in a jewelry store. The stones are put up for auction - and this is an event. Millions dream of seeing the next wonder of the world, but only a few can afford to purchase one or another gem.

Red diamond

What is nature rich in?

Many people believe that the most expensive stones in the world are diamonds. But this is not at all the case. Fortunately, our planet is fraught with many secrets, and the next discovery in the world of stones can become a sensation. There are several minerals in nature that fall under the term "rare". Such gems are a priori expensive, but despite the price, there will definitely be a buyer for such a mineral.

The stones that experts consider the rarest and most expensive:

Red diamond.
Very rare grandidierite.
Padparadscha lotus sapphire.
The most mysterious jadeite in the world.
Perfect clarity diamond.
A pigeon-blood ruby.
Paraiba, or tourmaline blue.
Alexandrite, named after Emperor Alexander II.
A variety of beryl.
The emerald is native to Colombia.

According to experts, the most expensive stones found in nature are red diamonds. Fancy, that is, colored diamonds are rarely found.

But only a few red ones can be found per year. Minerals are rarely large in size, for this reason the price of red diamonds over 1 carat is high. They are mined in one place - at the Argyle mine, which is located in Australia.

Grandidierite is distinguished by its high cost, from $ 30 thousand per carat. For the first time, the gem was described by a scientist from France named Alfred Grandidier. It is a mineral that is blue-greenish, bluish-green in color. The first gem was found on the island of Sri Lanka. In total, there are no more than 20-30 grandidierites in the world.

The color of the most expensive sapphire in the world resembles a sunrise or a lotus flower. Padparaja (this is the name of the stone) is mined only in Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and also in Tanzania. Today, sapphires of this shade are rare; in order to achieve the desired color, corundums are heated, that is, they are ennobled. Naturally, processed sapphires are cheaper. Today, the price of padparadscha is about $ 30 thousand per carat; collectors value minerals weighing more than five carats.

Jadeite is one of the rarest stones with a rich in green... Jadeites are mined on the territory of several countries, Russia is not among them. The mineral is also classified as one of the most mysterious, its average cost per carat is about $ 20 thousand.

The fifth place is occupied by an ordinary diamond; deposits of this stone have been found on all continents, except for Antarctica. Diamonds are mined for the purpose of creating chic and expensive jewelry; before it becomes a diamond, the diamond will be cut and evaluated. The largest and most expensive stone in the world is Koh-i-noor.

$ 15,000 per carat is the price of a pigeon blood ruby. Native to Asia, these ideal stones are red in color with a purple hue. Despite the fact that there are deposits of ruby, like diamond, on all continents, only stones from Asia are especially valued, since they are inherent in the desired shade.

In 1987, in the state of Paraiba, Brazil, a unique blue gemstone deposit was discovered. These were blue tourmalines, nicknamed Brazilian sapphires. For a long time, only one deposit was known, but today blue tourmalines are mined not only in Brazil. Deposits have been discovered in Madagascar and Sri Lanka. The price for one carat of this stone ranges from $ 12,000 to $ 15,000. But high quality minerals can cost two or three times as much.

The next on the list is alexandrite, it was discovered at a deposit near Yekaterinburg, where emeralds were mined, this happened in 1833. They decided to present the stone as a gift to Emperor Alexander II and named the gem in his honor. Alexandrite has one feature, it can change color: during the day it has a shade from olive to blue-green, and in the evening it becomes crimson, purple or even red. Today, stone mining has been suspended. For this reason, alexandrite is expensive; you will have to pay from $ 10,000 to $ 15,000 per carat.

Bixbit, or red beryl, is mined only in America, deposits are located in the mountains, in two states - Utah and New Mexico. It is difficult to accurately determine the value of the mineral, the fact is that this stone has been known only to a limited number of collectors for many years. High quality red beryl was rarely put up for auction; according to experts, a medium-sized mineral can cost from $ 12,000 per carat.

Paraiba is a mineral of extraordinary color

The last on the list in terms of rarity and value is the emerald from Colombia, it is a high purity stone that has a rich green hue. The cost of such minerals is about $ 8,000 per carat. Despite the fact that there are enough emerald deposits in the world, they are still considered rare, jewelry with this mineral is in incredible demand.

Celebrities in the world of stones

The most expensive gems in the world are not necessarily large or rare. There are crystals that fall under this definition due to the fact that they have interesting story... Often the owners of these gems were monarchs or celebrities. The brilliance of the stones bewitches and attracts, for this reason they cause genuine admiration and envy among the inhabitants.

the great and terrible Koh-i-noor;
sapphire decorated with portraits of famous personalities;
aquamarine called Don Pedro;
a pearl from the province of China;
Lawrence Graff's pink diamond;
the largest paraiba tourmaline;
the diamond is native to South Africa;
blue diamond;
a giant emerald from Brazil;
red musayif diamond.

The most expensive gem in the world is the Koh-i-noor diamond. A flawlessly cut mineral weighing about 106 carats. Koh-i-noor was accidentally discovered by a mine worker who saw a ray of sun reflecting off the ceiling. He called the workers of the mine and with their help removed the largest diamond that has ever seen the light. The stone was not very clean and had defects in the form of small cracks.

For this reason, they could not give it a cut as a whole, the diamond was split into 10 parts. Since it belonged to Prince Albert, it was he who took over the selection of a jeweler. The prince chose a craftsman from Holland, who was famous for his impeccable reputation. But even he could not split Koh-i-noor into several parts the first time. Having hit the stone, the jeweler fell unconscious. Later, he nevertheless came to his senses and completed the work.

After being cut, the most expensive diamond in the world ended up in the hands of the British crown. Prince Albert liked Koh-i-noor so much that he generously thanked the jeweler. Today the stone adorns the royal crown.

The second most famous and perhaps the most expensive is the Millennium sapphire. A stone weighing about 90 thousand carats was discovered in Madagascar in 1995. Processing of the mineral took almost two years, it ended in 2000. The stone is notable for the fact that portraits of celebrities, including Beethoven, Shakespeare, Einstein, and others, are carved on its surface.

Sapphire the size of soccer ball weighing 61.5 thousand carats, according to experts, it costs about $ 180 million. Today it is owned by a group of investors led by Daniel McKinney.

Next on the list is aquamarine weighing about two kg. It is a stone in the form of an obelisk with the name "Don Pedro". The mineral was mined in Brazil, for this reason it was named after the first two emperors of this country. Aquamarine was discovered in the 1980s and today it is in a museum in Washington DC. The exhibit is located next to earrings that belonged to Marie Antoinette and the Hope diamond.

In the Hainan province of China, the world's largest pearl, weighing almost six tons, was exhibited in 2010. In China, pearls are in great demand, they are valued more than diamonds. For this reason, the pearl, which glows green in the dark, made a splash. It was valued at $ 301,197,000, or 2 billion yuan.

In 2010, the world saw an incredibly beautiful diamond color pink... The stone was put up for auction at Sotheby's. Naturally, the lot attracted everyone's attention, rich people from all over the world were ready to bargain for it. But the diamond went to Lawrence Graff, one of the largest gem dealers in the UK. For the stone, Mr. Graff paid $ 45 million, thereby setting a new record.

Lawrence Graff is famous not only for his impeccable reputation and good condition, but also for the habit of giving the purchased stones his name. The $ 45 million pink diamond was named the Graff Pink.

Paraiba tourmaline is the sixth most famous. This is a rare and valuable stone that is mined only in Brazil. In honor of the province where tourmalines are mined, the mineral got its name. In total, about 50 kg of such tourmalines were mined. Divine "Ethereal Carolina" - one of the largest Paraiba tourmalines, the cost of the stone ranges from $ 25 to $ 125 million. Today tourmaline is in the hands of the private collector Vincent Boucher.

Not so long ago, a 478-carat diamond was found at a mine called Listing in South Africa. It is of high quality and entered the twenty largest diamonds. Experts say that this stone has a chance to produce a diamond weighing about 150 carats, which is able to outshine Koh-i-noor.

What is the most expensive stone? This is a blue diamond, as the founders of the Sotheby's Hong Kong auction thought in 2007. The 6.04 carat mineral has a deep blue hue and an emerald cut. The jeweler's impeccable work and the rare shade resulted in a cost per carat of $ 1.32 million. And the total price of the stone is almost $ 8 million. Previously, the diamond was an exhibit in a private collection, the new owner of the gem was the jewelry house Moussaieff Jewelers.

The emerald from Brazil, weighing almost 2 million carats, is ranked ninth. The rock nearly went under water during Hurricane Katrina, as it was in storage in New Orleans. After the gigantic mineral, they decided to transport it to Los Angeles. The emerald was placed in storage, from where it was stolen.

Rounding off the list is a red Musayif diamond from Brazil. Stones of this shade are rarely large. The weight of this specimen barely exceeded the five-carat mark, it was discovered in the 1990s, the stone was given a classic brilliant cut. In 2003, he became an exhibit at the Smithsonian Exhibition.

The more difficult it is to get a nugget, the fewer its locations on the planet, the more expensive it will be. Limited inventory makes the price of the gem inconceivably expensive. But demand is high, and while it continues to grow, the value of the rarest stones on the planet will grow with it.

List of rare stones

They can be precious and semi-precious. The first list contains stones that are very rare in nature, and they acquire their best decorative qualities after jewelry processing... And the greater the weight and decorativeness of the stone, the more valuable it is. Consider the most expensive (in value) gems on the planet.

Red diamond. It is distinguished by a rich crimson color. It cannot be obtained anywhere in the world except Australia ( it comes about large locations). The gem is found in small quantities in Brazil. The cost of the red diamond is approximately $ 1 million.

Grandidierite. it transparent nugget with a lot of iron, which is able to shine in three shades at once - white, pale blue and greenish. There are only 8 such stones in the world, equal in value to the characteristics presented to the nugget. The cost of the stone reaches at least 100 thousand dollars.

Padparadscha. The romantic name translates as "sunrise". If the gem is cut, it will shimmer with a red, pinkish, and salmon tint. There are only 2 stone locations. It costs about 30 thousand dollars.

Jade. A green sacred stone revered by the ancient Aztecs. The figurine of the Buddha, the symbol of Thailand, is made from this stone. He is also known as the mascot of Jade (hence the name), the main character of the internationally popular telenovela "Clone". The cost of the stone is about 20 thousand dollars.

Diamond. It is known as the hardest stone on the planet. The price is influenced by the properties of a particular instance. The highest quality ones will cost about 15 thousand dollars.

The list goes on, and there will definitely be a sapphire and an emerald in it. Sapphire has a bright blue color, while emerald has green. Their price fluctuates in the range of 6-8 thousand dollars. The same list will include alexandrite, paraiba tourmaline, ruby.

Semi-precious stones are less elite than their counterparts. Hence, they are more affordable. An example of such a stone is aquamarine, for one carat the cost will be $ 30-60. Amethyst it is also considered the most expensive among the quartz.

This also includes turquoise, grossular, cat's eye.

The largest minerals

They become "superstars" - they are sold at major auctions, their fate is monitored by the media and jewelry specialists, art dealers, etc. Let's talk about the famous large minerals.

Mogul... This is one of the largest emeralds on Earth, it was sold at the beginning of the millennium for $ 2.2 million at Christie's. The weight of the stone is 217.8 carats, the height is 10 cm. There are lines engraved on it muslim prayer, as well as an oriental pattern in a floral form. The name of the owner of the stone was not disclosed.

Yellow diamond "Tiffany"... It is a very large stone, its weight before cutting was 287.42 carats. The stone was mined in South Africa, bought in 1878 by the American jeweler Charles Tiffany. A golden bird inlaid with diamonds and rubies was placed on the already cut stone. The decoration was worn only 2 times, one of them - scenes of the world hit "Breakfast at Tiffany's" with Audrey Hepburn.

Cullinan White Diamond (or "Star of Africa"). It originally weighed 3,026 carats. Found it at the beginning of the century in South Africa, it was assumed that the stone is a fragment of an even larger crystal. In 1908, it was split, several diamonds were made from the stone, and only one piece of 69.5 carats was left uncut. One of the "shards" of the stone is inserted into the crown of the British Empire.

The largest unnamed ruby found in Greenland... It weighs 440 carats and has an integral structure. In terms of hardness, ruby is the second after diamond, although it is 140 times softer than the "stone of stones".

Diamond "Regent". In 1701, a 410-carat stone was found in the mines of Golconda. Many misadventures and human deaths are associated with it. Today the "accursed" diamond is kept in the Louvre.

Sapphire "Lonely Star". Its weight - 9179 carats, had another name - Harol Roper. Among sapphires, in principle, there are many well-known large stones. For example, the famous "Eye of Allah" adorned the throne of Shah Nadir, and the 62-carat "Logan" sapphire was adorned in the ring of John Rockefeller.

It is worth mentioning here the stone, which is known even to those who have little interest in jewelry. Remember that huge pendant, the color of the deep sea, that the heroine of the Oscar-winning "Titanic" Rose wore? By the way, the jewelry had its own prototype, the fatal Hope diamond.

And it was called fatal because of the misfortunes that it allegedly brought to its owners.

For example, the jeweler who originally sold the stone to Louis XIV was torn apart by a pack of dogs. The king himself later wounded himself on a rusty nail and died of blood poisoning. The next owner of the stone was Marie Antoinette, who was known to have been awaited by the guillotine. The new owner of the stone, Henry Hope, died of a very strange illness, his son was poisoned, his grandson lost his fortune. And there are a few more terrible tragedies on this list.

There is an opinion, though not 100% confirmed, that some other owners of the diamond, married couple, died in the crash of the Titanic.

When James Cameron was looking for an "actor" for the role of a blue diamond, he went through many expensive, unique, beautiful options... But he rejected everything. He found the real blue diamond very dark, the sapphires seemed to him too dull. But the tanzanite conquered Cameron immediately. And this is also a very expensive stone, because it is mined only in African Tanzania. Best Romantic Scenes the tanzanite itself was worthy of an Oscar, after all, after the success of the film, thousands of fans were waiting for a copy of Rose's necklace on sale.

And today replicas of the famous jewelry are in great demand.

Hard stone rating

To measure the hardness of a mineral, the Mohs scale is used. Friedrich Moos - German geologist, crystallographer, developed a scale for comparing metals by hardness using the scratch method. This means that scratches and grooves were created on the surface of the mineral by another mineral (or other material). What was included in the list of the strongest and strongest stones?

Diamond. Formally, he deservedly leads on the Mohs scale (10). The hardness of a stone depends on its purity. And even the purest and hardest diamond can be scratched, but only with other diamonds. And although the diamond retains the primacy in the hardness scale, this is a little outdated data. Imagine how many minerals a person might not have studied yet. And relatively recently, researchers said that there are 2 more stones that have managed to surpass diamond in hardness. It is wurtzite boron nitride, which naturally forms as a result of a volcanic eruption. It is 18% stronger than diamond. Lonsdaleite is a hexagonal diamond, with 6 atoms in its grid, not 8 (as in a diamond). It is 58% harder than diamond.
Corundum. It is a crystalline form of aluminum oxide with traces of various inclusions. Blue corundum is known to us as sapphire, red as ruby, orange-yellow as padparadscha. On the Mohs scale, the hardness is 9.
Topaz. Hardness 8 on the Mohs scale. It is a silicate mineral of aluminum and fluorine, which is actively used in jewelry, and is popular with customers. It is considered semi-precious.
Quartz. Gets 7 on the Mohs track. It is the second most abundant mineral after orthoclase. It is widely used in industry.
Orthoclase. An important mineral that is involved in glass production, ceramics, porcelain, can be found in cleaning powders. Gets 6 on the Mohs track.

Following these stones go apatite, fluorite, calcite, gypsum and talc.

Top known unusual options

And now about the stones, the names of which you might have never heard before.

Musgravit. In Australia, in the area of the Musgrave mountain range, the mineral was first discovered. Then he was found in Madagascar, Greenland, Tanzania, even in Antarctica. Green and purple musgravites are of particular value.
Painite. It was discovered in Burma in 1956. Mineralogist Arthur Payne saw a strange mineral, and the find was named after him. Today, bright red gems are of particular value, while brown ones are cheaper. In recent years, the price of the gem has grown dramatically.
Eremeevit. The stone found in Siberia is named in honor of the Russian academician Eremeev. It can be transparent, and maybe sky blue and pale green. Solid stone(you definitely can't call it fragile) with a bright shine, it costs $ 10,000 per carat.
Taaffeite. The peculiarity of the stone is that it was discovered after processing. The gem is very rare, ranging in color from pale pink to lavender.

Rubies have long held the palm as the most expensive colored gemstones. Earlier this year, the Sunrise Burmese ruby went under the hammer for a record $ 30 million, or more than $ 1 million per carat. Even the rarest colored diamonds do not always succeed! took place at the May Sotheby’s auction in Geneva, and on that day, not one, but three records were set: the highest price for a ruby, the highest price per carat and the highest price for a product from. In the last nomination, the Sunrise ruby broke the record held by Barbara Hutton. The stone weighs 25.59 carats and thus costs almost $ 1.2 million per carat.

Price records at auctions have not been held for very long lately. In the nomination for the most expensive ruby, Sunrise broke the record set just six months ago - in November 2014. On that day, an 8.62-carat Burmese ruby was auctioned off at Sotheby’s Geneva. Its price was 8,600,410 dollars, and it lacked some two thousand dollars to the price of a million per carat. Such a fierce struggle for a new record once again testifies to the fact that high-quality rubies will continue to grow in price further. What's more, 6 of the 10 most expensive rubies in the world have been auctioned in the past year and a half.

10. Burmese ruby weighing 12.46 carats in a ring with diamonds

$ 3,721,415 ($ 298,669 per carat)

9.Diamond ring with an 8.99 carat ruby from Harry Winston

$ 3,935,105 ($ 437,720 per carat)

The 18-karat platinum and gold ring features a magnificent Cushion-cut ruby surrounded by triangular diamonds. Attached to the ring is a letter from the American Gemological Laboratory, according to which the stone has the rich rich color inherent in specimens mined in the Mogok deposit. Traditionally, this color of ruby is called "the color of pigeon blood". Skillful cutting favorably emphasizes the richness of the color of this stone, creating a unique play of light inside the ruby.

8.30.2 ct ruby set with diamonds

$ 4,265,586 ($ 141,245 per carat)

Sotheby's Auction, Geneva, May 2011

The 30.2-carat cushion-cut ruby has an exceptional color. Its splendor is complemented by two pear-shaped diamonds weighing 2 and 2.02 carats. The stones are adorned with an elegant platinum ring. The product is accompanied by a report from the Gübelin company confirming the origin of the stone and the presence of signs of heat treatment.

7.Mogok Regal Ruby weighing 13.21 carats on a diamond ring

$ 5,967,465 ($ 451,738 per carat)

Christie's Auction, Hong Kong, November 2013

Ring in 18-karat white and yellow gold set with a 13.21-carat oval ruby surrounded by crescent-shaped diamonds. The stone is distinguished by its bright red color, impeccable purity and original cut. Careful examination revealed small inclusions typical of rubies mined in the Mogok valley.

6. The Queen of Burma - Cartier ring with a 23.66-carat Burmese ruby and diamonds

$ 6,084,559 ($ 257,166 per carat)

Christie's auction, Geneva, November 2014

In the center of the composition is an oval ruby weighing 23.66 carats, set with platinum prongs set with baguette-cut diamonds. The ring was made by Cartier London in 1937.

The product is accompanied by a report from SSEF, as well as a letter, which reads the following: “The uniqueness of this ruby ring lies not only in the quality, beauty and origin of the ruby, but also in its historical significance. Thus, the "Queen of Burma" is truly an exceptional treasure. "

5. Ruby Patiño - a 32.08-carat Mogok ruby in a ring from Chaumet

$ 6,736,750 ($ 209,998 per carat)

Christie's Auction, Geneva, May 2012

Cushion-cut ruby, 32.08 carats, on a pedestal of trapezoidal diamonds. The ring is accompanied by a report from the Swiss Gemological Institute (SSEF), confirming the Burmese origin of the stone and the absence of traces of heat treatment.

Also enclosed is a letter stating: "The deep red color of the stone, also known as the color of pigeon blood, is created by nature itself through a unique combination of impurities typical of the finest rubies from the Mogok Valley."

4. Diamond ring from Cartier with a Mogok ruby weighing 29.62 carats

$ 7,379,953 ($ 249,154 per carat)

Sotheby's Auction, Hong Kong, April 2014

The stone is distinguished by its rich color, which is an essential quality of rubies from the famous Burmese valley. A worthy setting for him was a ring from Cartier, one of the most respected jewelry houses in the world. There are no traces of heat treatment on the ruby, and the unique combination of noble color and large size makes it an extremely valuable stone.

3. Mogok ruby weighing 10.1 carats on a diamond brooch from Cartier

$ 8,428,127 ($ 834,468 per carat)

Christie's Auction, Hong Kong, November 2014

In the center of an airy octagonal platinum jewelery set with square, triangular and rectangular diamonds, there is a 10-carat cushion-cut ruby. The product is accompanied by a report from SSEF confirming the authenticity of the ruby color. Also included is a letter describing the outstanding characteristics of the stone. Ruby is distinguished by a graceful cut, impeccable purity and bright, rich color.

2. Ruby Graff weighing 8.62 carats in a diamond ring

$ 8,600,410 ($ 997,727 per carat)

Sotheby's Auction, Geneva, November 2014

An 8.62 carat cushion-cut ruby supported by two triangular diamonds. The ring is also encrusted with smaller diamonds and embellished with the Graff logo. The product is accompanied by reports from SSEF and Gübelin, according to which the ruby is of Burmese origin and does not bear traces of heat treatment.

From a letter from SSEF, which is also attached to the piece: “This stone is distinguished by its good size and clarity, which is successfully combined with a skillful cut. The smallest inclusions found during microscopic examination are a characteristic feature of rubies mined in the famous Mogok Valley (Myanmar) ... The intense red color of the stone, also known as the color of pigeon blood, was formed due to the unique combination of impurities typical of the best representatives of the Mogok Valley rubies. " ...

1.Sunrise ruby weighing 25.59 carats in a ring from Cartier

$ 30,335,698 ($ 1,185,451 per carat)

Sotheby's Auction, Geneva, May 2015

A 25.59-carat cushion-cut ruby is nestled between two Shield-cut diamonds of 2.47 and 2.7 carats. The product is accompanied by a report from SSEF and Gübelin, according to which the ruby is of Burmese origin, does not bear traces of heat treatment, and its color can rightfully be called the “color of pigeon's blood”. Also included are two letters describing the dignity of the stone and its noble origins.

Many people mistakenly believe that the limit for the high cost of precious stones stops at diamonds, but in nature there are other, no less beautiful, but rarer minerals, the price of which often exceeds the cost of diamonds.
Below we present to your attention a ranking of the most expensive gems in the world. The high price is usually determined by a unique combination of rarity, beauty, and high demand. The list shows the average cost of high quality stones available on the world market today, however, it should be noted that some prices are approximate, as especially valuable gems are often sold privately, without disclosing to the general public.

19th place: Eremeevit- a rare gem, first discovered in 1883 in the southeastern part Trans-Baikal Territory... At first, it was mistaken for aquamarine, since the first crystals found were light blue. Over the past century, light yellow and even colorless specimens have been discovered, but blue ones are still the most expensive gemstones on the market. The gem got its name in honor of the Russian mineralogist Pavel Eremeev. It is reliably known that at the moment there are several hundred faceted eremeevites, the average cost of which is $ 1,500 per carat.

18th place: Blue pomegranate- the rarest representative of a number of these minerals, which was first discovered in Madagascar only in the late 1990s. Today, stones of this color are found in Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Norway and the United States. Their main distinctive feature- the ability to change its shade when changing lighting. So in daylight, they acquire blue, blue and green overflows, and with artificial light they become purple or red. Today, the average cost of this high quality gemstone is $ 1,500. per carat.

17th place: Black opal- the most valuable of the group of opals, the bulk of which is mined in the vastness of Australia. Other rich deposits are Brazil, USA, Mexico. Opals of this type can range in color from grayish to black with a rich variety of shimmering overflows in all colors of the rainbow. Although today these gems are no longer considered as rare as they used to be, they are nevertheless quite expensive. High quality black opal costs approximately $ 2,000 per carat.

16th place: Demantoid- a gem from the group of green or yellowish-green garnets, known for a long time only in collector circles. The main deposits of these gems are located in Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Kenya, Namibia and Tanzania. Every year the popularity of the mineral is steadily increasing, along with which there is an increase in its value. Currently, a top-class demantoid carat in the world gem market can be purchased for 2000 USD.

15th place: Taaffeite- one of the rarest gemstones in the world, named after its discoverer Count Eduard Taaffe, who in 1945 accidentally discovered in a purchased batch of faceted gems an unusual specimen that he had never met before. Taaffeite's range of shades can range from lavender to pale pink. Today, a unique mineral is found in small quantities only in some placer deposits in Sri Lanka and southern Tanzania. The cost of high-quality specimens of taaffeite varies between 2-5 thousand dollars.

14th place: Poudrettite / Poudrettite Is a rare pink mineral, first discovered in 1987 in Quebec (Canada). It was named after the Poudrette family, which still owns the same mine in Mont Saint-Hilaire, where the first specimen was found. Quality stones began to appear only in 2000, when several specimens were found in northern Mogog (Myanmar). Since 2005, the mineral has not been found there, and the Canadian deposit has presented the world with only about 300 stones of various qualities. Depending on the color saturation and purity, the cost of poudretteite can range from 3 to 5 thousand conventional units.

13th place: Musgravit- a close relative of the Taaffeite, to whom he is similar in appearance and chemical composition... It was first discovered in 1967 in the Australian Musgrave Range. Later, the mineral was found on the territory of Greenland, Tanzania, Madagascar and even in the bowels of the cold lands of Antarctica. This gem is available in several colors, but the most common are green and purple specimens. Due to the fact that in the entire history it was not found at all a large number of of these precious stones, their price reaches quite the expected size: the cost of a carat of high quality green musgravite is equal to 2-3 thousand dollars, while for one carat of a purple cut mineral you will have to pay about 6 thousand conventional units.

12th place: Benitoite- a gemstone of deep blue color, the only deposit of which is located in San Benito County, (California, USA), where it was first discovered back in 1907. In 1984, it was officially recognized as the state gem of the state. On the world market, the average cost of small benitoite weighing 1 carat, of which there is an extremely limited number (no more than ten) in the world, is 4000-6000 USD.

11th place: Sapphire- one of the most famous jewelry stones, in the mineralogy and jewelry industry referred to as corundum. It has a deep blue color, pink, green and yellowish-orange gems are less common. The rarest varieties include blue star sapphire and padparadscha, an orange and red-yellow stone. The most famous deposits of these minerals are located in India, Russia, Vietnam, Thailand, USA, Australia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, China and Madagascar. The rarest and highest quality copies on the world market can be purchased for about 4-6 thousand conventional units per carat.

10th place: Emerald- a gemstone of the highest quality, bright green or dark green. Last years the title of the main deposit of this mineral is Colombia. Despite the large number of emeralds actively mined all over the world, their prices still remain truly cosmic. Today, pure stones are extremely rare, which, together with their immense popularity, determines their high cost. A green gem of exceptional quality, weighing approximately 1 carat, is sold on the world market for more than $ 8,000.

9th place: Bixbit- a rare variety of red beryl, until recently known only to some collectors. It is mined exclusively in the American states of Utah (the Waho-Waho mountains) and New Mexico. It is extremely difficult to acquire high-class red beryl, while the price of a stone weighing about 1 carat is more than 10-12 thousand US dollars. It is rather difficult to determine the average cost of this mineral due to the small number of high-quality stones offered for sale.

8th place: Alexandrite is a famous gemstone known for its ability to change color. In daylight, its color is characterized by a bluish-green, dark blue-green and olive-green tint, while under artificial light, its overflows can take on a pink-crimson, red, purple or violet-red color. The first crystal was discovered in 1833 at an emerald mine near Yekaterinburg. The cost of this gem, depending on its quality, can range from 10 to 15 thousand conventional units.

7th place: Paraiba (blue tourmaline) is a beautiful and very rare crystal of a bright blue-turquoise color, discovered in 1987 in the state of Paraiba, in the east of Brazil. For a long time, this gem was mined in only one place, but today there are already deposits in Madagascar and Mozambique. Brazilian blue tourmalines are by far the most expensive representatives of the group - their price is 12-15 thousand dollars per carat, and a truly unique gem of the highest quality can be much higher than the indicated figures.

6th place: Ruby- one of the most popular gemstones in the world, known for its rich shades of red: bright red, violet red, dark red. It is found, like diamonds, on all continents, excluding Antarctica. The main exporting countries are Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The most valuable are Asian rubies, especially stones of the color of "pigeon blood" - a pure red with a violet tint. Their limited supply and immense popularity make them extremely expensive gemstones. For a carat of high quality ruby on the world market, you will have to pay about 15 thousand dollars.

5th place: Diamond- a common mineral that has remained one of the most expensive and desirable precious stones for a long time. The reason for this, of course, is the immense popularity (the so-called cut diamonds). Every year the number of manufactured jewelry with these precious stones is growing rapidly. Commercial diamond deposits are known today on all continents except Antarctica. Currently, a perfectly cut D-color diamond sells on average for about $ 15,000. e. per carat.

4th place: Jadeite (imperial) is a green mineral that has long held the status of one of the most mysterious stones our planet. Today, its main sources are found in China, Upper Myanmar, Japan, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Guatemala and the United States. The approximate cost of a carat of high quality jadeite on the world market is 20 thousand dollars.

3rd place: Padparadscha(translated from Tamil "the color of sunrise") are pinkish-orange sapphires that were historically mined in Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Madakascar. Now in Sri Lanka there is practically no padparaji left in its natural form and it is obtained by heating the corundum mineral in a furnace to the desired condition. The last classic (i.e. not heated) padparadscha weighing 1.65 carats was sold in Sri Lanka about 20 years ago for 18 thousand dollars. Now padparadscha weighing over five carats is considered collectible and can be estimated at up to $ 30 thousand for each carat of weight.

2nd place: Grandidierite- a rare mineral of greenish-blue, greenish-blue or bluish-green color, the first sample of which was discovered in Sri Lanka. At the beginning of the twentieth century, it was described by the French explorer Alfred Grandidier, who was engaged in the study of Madagascar, on the territory of which the bulk of these minerals are mined today. Faceted grandidierites exist today in extremely limited quantities - about two dozen. The approximate cost of a unique mineral is more than $ 30 thousand per carat.

1st place: Red diamond- the most expensive members of his family and also the most expensive gem in the world. In the entire history of mankind, only a few specimens of this mineral have been found, and most of them have a very small weight - less than 0.5 carats. The color of natural red diamond is called purple-red by gemologists. The only deposit of colored diamonds is located in the Argyle diamond mine (Australia), where a few stones are mined annually. Gems over 0.1 carats usually only appear at auctions where the price per carat is over one million dollars.