The Five Rarest Gems in the World

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Have you ever wondered what are the rarest gems in the world? Let’s take a look at the top 5!

• Painite is the rarest gemstone. Only discovered in the 1950s, it is only found in a limited number of mining areas and forms under unusual geologic conditions. Painite can be found in red, orange-red, and brownish-red and is strong enough to use in jewelry. Many stones are held in private collections due to its rarity. The price per carat is around $60,000.
• Taaffeite, a soft lavender and violet, mauve, or grayish-purple gem, was discovered when a gemologist purchased what he thought was a spinel. It turned out to be a different gemstone completely. Gem quality stones are hard to find and rarely available in the commercial market. The price per carat is $2,500-$35,000 depending on quality and size.
• Red Beryl, a raspberry-red, crimson red, to purplish-red stone, are more difficult to obtain than diamonds. These are a collector’s favorite and demand continues to rise while supply remains limited. Nearly all fine red beryl comes from just one location in the Wah Wah Mountains in Utah. The price per carat ranges from $10,000–$50,000.
• Musgravite, which is closely related to Taaffeite, comes in greyish-green, olive, violet, gray-purple, muted greenish-blue, and change depending on trace elements and light. Like many of the other gems on this list, musgravite’s scarcity and collector value keep most gem quality specimens in private collections. Price per carat is about $35,000 depending on color, clarity, and size.
• Alexandrite, referred to as emerald by day and ruby by night due to the color change seen with a color of green or bluish-green in daylight and red or purplish-red in incandescent light. Its durability and visual aesthetics make it a wonderful choice for all types of jewelry, but high-quality stones with strong color change are very rare. Price per carat is $15,000–$70,000.

These beautiful gems capture our attention for sure! While many are not available to those who are not collectors, Bridgewaters would love to help you explore options for a new and beautiful gem to add to your collection!