Gemstones were one of the first resources humans learned how to use. In modern days gemstones have been incorporated into many industries. They are used not only as decorations and in jewellery, but in construction, medicine and watchmaking. As we all know, the Earth’s crust is full of minerals, each more rare and valuable than the next. Though you might be familiar with the most common ones such as quartz, diamonds and sapphires, below we have listed the 10 rarest gemstones in the world. The list contains both minerals that are only mined in very limited areas and others that have less than 100 specimens discovered. Take the time to discover these gemstones which are all unique in their own way.
Tanzanite
Tanzanite is only found in a very small area in Tanzania. The gemstone is incredibly rare and highly valued in the jewellery industry. The name of the crystal was given to it by Tiffany & Co. after they decided that its scientific name wasn’t marketable enough. Tanzanite is a blue/violet variety of zoisite. The mineral is trichroic, meaning it appears to be a different colour in different lighting. In order for tanzanite to get its much sought-after colour, the gem needs to be heat-treated.
James Moore TH 9k White Gold Teardrop Diamond Tanzanite Halo Stud Earrings ED248WT
These stud earrings are a fantastic example of tanzanite jewellery. The gemstone has a classic pear cut. The cut is specifically chosen in order to highlight the brilliance of the Tanzanite. The stone is surrounded by a halo of diamonds, that only accentuate its shine. The backing of the studs is made of 9-carat white gold.
Black Opal
Precious opal in itself is rare. The mineral is a hydrated amorphous form of silica. Opal has a high water content so in its raw form, it needs to be kept submerged in water, as it can dry out and lose its iridescence. Opal comes in many different colours, from milky white to black. Black opal is the rarest amongst its kind. It’s characterized by its dark background colour, though in a natural black opal you should still be able to see the colourful iridescent flakes, which pop against the background.
Elements Gold 9ct Y/g Opal Diamond Twist Bail Pend GP2233W
Though black opal is the rarest of the opals, if you would still like to wear this gorgeous gemstone at an affordable price, we suggest this white opal jewellery piece from Elements Gold. The gemstone is set in the middle of the pendant, surrounded by a cluster of small diamonds. Due to the way the diamonds are set, the pendant has an appealing rounded rectangular shape. The pendant also features a polished twist bale. The backing of the piece is made of 9-carat yellow gold.
Taaffeite
Taaffeite is a gemstone with an interesting history. It became the first and only gemstone ever to be identified from an already cut and polished stone. In 1945 Richard Taaffe bought some gemstones from a jeweller and upon discovering inconsistencies between one of the gemstones with the other spinels, he sent the gem for identification. Taaffeite was discovered to be an intermediate stone between spinel and chrysoberyl. Since, the gemstone has primarily been found in Sri Lanka and Tanzania, as well as in parts of China. Only less than 50 samples have ever been found of this incredibly rare gemstone.
Poudretteite
Another stone deserving to be on our list of the 10 rarest gemstones in the world is Poudretteite. Poudretteite is a faded pink crystal. Incredibly small fragments were found in Quebec, Canada in the 1960s. The gemstone was named after the Poudrette family which owned the mine where the stone was found. Poudretteite and Taaffeite are tied for, world’s rarest gemstone, as Poudretteite also has less than 50 specimens found.
Larimar
Larimar is a mineral rock only found in the Dominican Republic. The crystal has a beautiful blue colour, reminiscent of the Caribbean sea. The colour of the stone varies from white to dark blue. The gemstone is a variety of pectolite. Though the crystal is soft, with a hardness of 4.5 to 5 on the Mohs scale, locally it is often sold set into jewellery. The colour of the stone is photosensitive, similarly to amethyst, and if exposed to sunlight for too long it could begin fading.
Alexandrite
Alexandrite is a variety of the chrysoberyl mineral. Chrysoberyls have a hardness of 8.5 on the Mohs scale making them suitable choices for use in jewellery. Alexandrite stands out with its colour-changing properties, which depend on the nature of the ambient lighting. The most sought-after stones present a bluish-green colour in daylight and a deep pink to red in incandescent light. Due to these properties, gemstone quality alexandrite is extremely difficult to find. The gemstone is most commonly found in the Ural Mountains, but larger deposits have also been discovered in Brazil.
Benitoite
Benitoite is a rare blue coloured gemstone. When the gemstone was unearthed in the early 20th century, it was believed it was part of the corundum family, due to its colour similarities with sapphire. After some deeper investigation however it was discovered Benitoite is a completely different mineral due to its varying properties to sapphire. With only a hardness of 6 to 6.5, Benitoite is a soft mineral and is unsuitable for jewellery. The stone gets its name from the area in which it’s found near San Benito River. Gemstone quality Benitoite has only been found in the Californian Benito Gem Mine. Because of this in 1985 Benitoite became California’s official state gem. Benitoite has also been identified in Japan, Australia and Arkansas. It, however, appears to grow in small quantities and in slightly different conditions to the original Californian stone.
Paraiba tourmaline
Tourmaline is a semi-precious gemstone. The secret behind the rarity of Paraiba tourmaline is its colour. Though tourmaline can be found in a large variety of colours in the US, Brazil and Africa, the Paraiba tourmaline gemstones are of much higher quality with intense colours due to the copper present in the mineral. The first Paraíba Tourmaline was discovered in 1989 in the state of Paraiba, Brazil.
Red Beryl
Beryl varieties are already relatively rare. Examples are emeralds and morganite. Red beryl however is the rarest. The gemstone has only been found in several locations in Utah and New Mexico. What makes red beryl so rare is its intense red hue. Red beryl is formed due to the replacement of aluminium atoms with manganese. A feature of the gemstone is that it’s usually found highly included, similarly to its cousin stone emerald. This incredibly rare gemstone is valued as highly as a 40-carat diamond. In comparison, the largest red beryl ever found was 8 carats.
Musgravite
Musgravite is another incredibly rare gem. It is closely related to Taaffeite, with their main difference coming from the level of magnesium content. The gemstone was named after the Musgrave Ranges of Southern Australia where it was first discovered. Musgravite has an appealing array of colours, from light olive to deep violet.
Which one of the 10 rarest gemstones in the world do you wish you could have? Let us know in the comments below.
