Top 10 Most Expensive Jewelry in the World
For thousands of years, people have been enchanted by the beauty and sparkle of jewelry.
These stones are meant to be special, and are even depicted as fragments of the stars of the gods and tears. They were part of human history and ancient culture as amulets or ornaments to the nobility. Gemstones continue to be of great value today.
Rarity, size and hardness are just some of the factors that determine the value and value of a gemstone.
These mineral crystals are carefully polished and polished by artisans to reveal their unique beauty and color.
Some are considered more valuable than others that museums or collectors seek to raise a ton of money for.
10. Taaffeite – $2,500 per carat
Taaffeite is unfamiliar to many people because it is rare. In fact, it is considered rarer than a diamond because it is so rare. It was discovered in 1945 by a gemologist named Richard Taaffe in a jewelry store in Dublin, Ireland. Prior to his discovery, it was mistaken for a spinel until he discovered discrepancies, such as refracting light unlike spinel.
It is only known to be found in two regions, Tanzania and Sri Lanka, some of which are not suitable for making cotton, which makes the supply more limited. The pale purple, almost transparent gemstone is the only one found in the rock that was initially peeled off.
Buying Tip: The Mohs Scale of Hardness means you can trust its durability and is rated 8 to 8.5. Finding one can be time consuming and expensive.
9. Demantoid Garnet – $3,300 per carat
Demantoids are green gemstones with a “diamond-like” adamantine luster. Seductively, its brilliance and dispersion actually exceed that of diamond.
Golden “horsetails” containing cat’s eye jewels are one of its hallmarks. It was identified as a variety of gray iron garnet by the Russian 19th century mineralogist Nils Gustaf Nordenskiöld, long known as the exclusive source of rare garnets. While new sources have been discovered, demantoids remain very rare.
It is also difficult to find stalactites larger than 10 carats because these stones are usually small in size. Due to the low supply they are usually only found in antique jewelry pieces.
Buying Tip: It has a Mohs scale of 6.5, is durable in any environment, and fairly scratch-resistant.
8. Black Opal – $3,500 per carat
Opal gems have a different evaluation process than other gems, and each gem has its own unique personality. Compared to the other operands, black is considered the rarest and most popular.
The body is black and has sparkly patterns that look dazzling against the dark background. Most of the worldwide supply comes from Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia.
Buying Guide: Opal in general is very sensitive to shock and temperature changes, so it should always be handled with care. It is important to deal with a reputable seller as there are synthetic opals offered as treatments that can be difficult to determine.
7. Benitoite – $3,800 per carat
Considered one of the most beautiful gemstones, Benitoite has a blue body color with a higher dispersion than diamonds. As its name suggests, it was found upstream of the San Benito River in San Benito County, California. Here it is now declared a state gem. It has high dispersion, but the intense blue color can mask it.
Thus, worshipers will either place their diffuse display for the stone’s dark blue color, or opt for a lighter display with a more pronounced dispersion. Besides, under ultraviolet light, it has the charm of fluorescing a dazzling blue chalk color.
Buying Tip: It’s worth searching for benitoites that strike a good balance between striking dispersion and rich blue body color. A collector’s jewel that can be worn at an altitude of 6.5.
6. Padparadscha Sapphire – $8,000 per carat
The world’s rarest sapphire, Padparadscha is a beautiful pink-orange color mixed with ruby and yellow sapphires. Its name comes from the word “Aquatic lotus blossom” which comes from Sanskrit/Singhalese. Most of this stone is mined in Sri Lanka, but can also be found in Madagascar and Tanzania. However, in Sri Lanka, the ones in Madagascar are pink, so they are cheaper.
Buying Tip: As it is designed with a material that is more transparent than ruby, buyers should check for stones that are opaque to the naked eye. Being rare, the shape of the stone can be unusual because the cutter does its best to make the most of its weight.
5. Red Beryl – $10,000 per carat
Red beryl (also known as bixbite, “scarlet emeral” and “red emerald”) is a very rare type of beryl. Despite its name, it’s not an emerald, it’s a completely different gem. It was first discovered by Maynard Bixby in 1904. Meanwhile, the gem can only be found in Utah’s Wah Wah mountain range. It is so rare that the rare gem ruby is said to be 8,000 times more abundant than red beryl. That way, any size of this stone rated for transparency and color would easily win improvised buyers. Most fine crystal specimens are also protected and undamaged by mineral collectors.
Buying Tip: Red beryl has a hardness of 7.5-8, making it comfortable to wear, but due to its rarity, it is found more often in mineral collections than jewelry collections.
4. Alexandrite – $12,000 per carat
Alexandrite is a very rare variety of gemstones. It is popular because of its remarkable optical properties. It undergoes dramatic color changes depending on lighting conditions.
It is caused by a combination of rare minerals including chromium, iron and titanium. This means that it changes color as you spin it in your hand with strong polychromaticity.
What’s more, an artificial light source allows the color to change regardless of the viewing angle. It turns blue under natural light and then turns reddish-purple in a soft incandescent lamp.
Alexandrite was discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia in the 1830s, and was named by Count Lev Alexsky in 1894 to commemorate the Russian Emperor Alexander II of Russia.
Buying Tip: Alexandrite has a durable hardness of 8.5, making it a great stone for low-maintenance jewelry settings.
3. Jade Jadeite – $ 20,000 per carat
Jade is the most expensive, beautiful and rare mineral of jade. Although it can be found in a variety of colors, its association with the rich emerald color of “topaz” continues to be highly valued. The best stones of this color can be found in Myanmar.
Translucent materials are priced at a premium, and colors such as Marv, Lavender and Apple Green are also popular with buyers.
In Chinese, Maori, and Mesoamerican cultures, this is a large part of their historical weapons, jewelry, carvings, and religious and medicinal uses. It is valued more than gold even by the Aztecs, Mayans, and Olmecs.
Buying Tip: Jadeite pieces are extremely hard, comfortable to wear, and have great resistance to breaking. The value is determined by considering the depth and transparency of the color.
2. Musgravite – $35,000 per carat
Nearly the highest level is musgravy, an extremely rare gemstone similar to tarphate. The mineral was first discovered in the Musgrave Mountains in southern Australia. It has been found in very limited quantities in other areas such as Antarctica, Greenland and Madagascar.
The first significant amount of gem-quality musgravy specimens were discovered in 1993. This was the first one large enough to be cut and shaped. As of 2005, there were only eight known specimens of this stone.
Buying Tip: You’re unlikely to find it on the open market right now. However, if you stumble upon one, it’s a good idea to submit it to gem lab testing because of its similarity to taaffeite.
1. Blue Diamond – $393 per million carats
The most expensive gem in the world is a colored diamond. Not only are they rare, they are also known for their spectacular brilliance, and they are some of the most difficult substances on the planet. Of all the other gemstones, they are arguably the most popular among people. Also the most advertised and romantic person.
Available in a variety of colors including black, blue, champagne, chocolate/brown, cognac, green, pink, red and yellow. Its value reaches an entirely different level, and it costs a lot.
Two of the most striking examples are Oppenheimer Blue and Pink Star. The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond is the largest vivid blue diamond at auction, weighing 14.62 carats and selling for $57.5 million, worth $3.93 million per carat.
Meanwhile, the world record holder, the Pink Star Diamond, sold as the most expensive gemstone for a total price of 59.6 carats ($1.2 million per carat).
