Imagine wearing a piece of jewelry that is worth more than your house, your car, and your bank account combined. A piece of jewelry that sparkles with the rarest and most exquisite gemstones in the world. A piece of jewelry that makes you feel like royalty living in your luxury mansion house.
This is the kind of luxury that many people in history have sought and enjoyed, especially those who belonged to the elite and powerful classes of society. They have invested huge fortunes in acquiring and collecting the most expensive gemstones in the world, and have used them as adornments for their bodies and their luxury mansion houses. They believe that high-quality gemstones can enhance their beauty, prestige, and influence.
But what are these gemstones that have fascinated and mesmerized so many people throughout the ages? How are they formed, valued, and traded? And what are the stories and secrets behind them?
On a more technical note, the quality of gemstones is assessed on various criteria, including how well it has been cut, its clarity and lack of dullness, and the radiance of its color. If you are interested in knowing the most valuable and most expensive gemstone you could decorate yourself or your significant other with, then this blog may be useful to you.
Blue Diamond
The Blue Diamond’s appeal lies in its deep blue color, apart from its existence as a diamond. Its rarity and status as one of the most expensive gemstone in the world is evidenced by how a Blue Diamond is a gemstone that can only be mined in particular regions such as South Africa, Australia, and India. It is a diamond whose blue color is stated to be caused by concentrations of the element Boron found in the lattice structure within the diamond. The price of the Blue Diamond averages at USD 3.93 million per carat. Its history can be traced back to when it was first found in India and turned into an ornament fit for royalty, and it is deemed one of the world’s most expensive gemstones. Another diamond that comes close to this pricing is the Pink Diamond with its USD 1.19 million per carat average price.
Emerald
When associating the color green with luxury, the gemstone Emerald is the one that typically comes to mind. Categorized as a member of the beryl mineral family, the green hue of the Emerald has been adored since early history to have a quality worthy of being one of the most expensive and most valuable gemstones in the world. Some state that the Emerald was used as jewelry as far back as 1,500 BCE in Egypt. At present, Emerald is depicted as the birthstone for the month of May and is mined particularly from the regions of Colombia, Brazil, and Zambia; It is said to also be found in the Ural Mountains. Its price averages at 100,000 USD per carat. If, perhaps, you would like to give a luxurious gift to someone born in May, then an Emerald may be a nice option.
Painite
The rarity of Painite can be understood further by knowing the difference between a mineral and a gemstone. Minerals are defined to be naturally occurring in the earth’s crust, while gemstones are byproducts of when minerals undergo the cutting and polishing process. Painite, in particular, is stated to be both the rarest mineral and gemstone. Only less than 1,000 of the Painite gemstones exist at present, even though two entire mines in the country of Myanmar were constructed solely to mine Painite. Its price averages at around 50,000 to 60,000 USD per carat. Painite comes in varying hues of red, similar to a Red Beryl,10,000 per carat, gemstone.
White Diamond
Diamonds are popularly associated with the concept of luxury. The gem is even depicted to embody the concepts of purity and eternity; and this may be attributed to the diamond’s appearance as clear, transparent, and sharp-edged – a good addition to store in your luxury mansion house. Another concept that is associated with the previously mentioned ideas is the color white; and with the existence of the White Diamond, this particular gemstone is viewed as an apparent symbol of prestige. Evidence of this can be observed with the Kohinoor Diamond, a white diamond originating from India that is included in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom; a white diamond whose ownership is fought over by several countries. Its prices average at USD 15,000 per carat.
Musgravite
Musgravite is a rare gemstone adored for its metallic luster. It is identified to have a trigonal formation in regards to its structure and is classified as an oxide mineral that is mined from the Musgraves Ranges in South Australia. Although, deposits of Musgravite have been found in regions of Antarctica, Madagascar, and Tanzania. Its price averages at USD 35,000 per carat; however, a Musgravite’s quality can surpass expectations, evidenced by how a 16-carat Musgravite was once sold at Gem Rock Auctions at 800,000 USD.
Serendibite
Serendibite is the type of gemstone that would attract the eyes of those who are allured by gemstones of a darker hue. Particularly, Serendibite can come in colors of dark green, blue, violet, or simply black. Its rarity is evidenced by how Serendibite has only been mined three times in total, with each haul totaling only less than one carat. This rare gemstone was first found in Sri Lanka and has been more recently discovered in Myanmar’s Mogok region. In terms of its composition, Serendibite is composed of elements including Magnesium, Silicon, Oxygen, and Calcium. It is stated that the presence of the element Boron in Serendibite is the cause of how the gemstone shimmers.
Black Opal
Opals are common gemstones, however, the allure of their variations is worth the attention of all. A Black Opal, in particular, is ranked as one of the most valuable gemstones you could choose from. Its price averages at USD 10,000 per carat. With a 10% concentration of water in its composition, the Black Opal is typically mined in New South Wales. In earlier history, one 700-carat Black Opal was said to have been gifted by Emperor Napoleon to his wife; and this specific Black Opal was named, “Burning of Troy” due to the colors spread throughout the Black Opal that looked like a still life of flames. The poetry behind the Black Opal’s history may interest you in adding the gemstone to your collection in your luxury mansion house.
Grandidierite
Grandidierite has its appeal found in its bluish-green hue, with its degree of hardness making it suitable for jewelry. This gemstone is typically found in Southern Madagascar, and Grandidierite of rarer quality typically possesses a more transparent appearance. It is said that only 1 in 1000 stones of Grandidierite can qualify as a high-quality gemstone, which may be due to how the cutting process of such a gemstone takes years. A Grandidierite gemstone’s price averages at around 20,000 USD per carat.
