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10.03.2023 The most expensive and valuable gemstones in the world
The most expensive and valuable gemstones in the world
Lessing’s famous parable from the drama Nathan the Wise centers on a ring set with an opal. The comedy-mystery film The Pink Panther owes its name to an unusual pink diamond. Shirley Bassey’s Diamonds Are Forever is one of the best-known James Bond theme songs.
Gemstones have always fascinated people. Even in the Stone Age, our ancestors adorned themselves with beautiful minerals. Even today, gemstones remain extremely popular as jewelry, collector’s items, and investments.
We present you the most valuable and most expensive gemstones in the world.
The Value of Gemstones
Unlike gold coins, whose value is primarily determined by the current price of gold, gemstones are valued based on the unique characteristics of each piece. Color, cut, clarity, carat weight, and rarity all determine a gemstone’s value.
Gemstones are suitable not only for engagement rings and necklaces but also as an attractive financial investment. Due to their easy storage and transport, high demand, and stable value, investing in gemstones is worthwhile. Since the mid-nineties, the market prices of natural-colored, untreated gemstones have at least tripled.
Since 1995, market prices for natural-colored, untreated gemstones have tripled.
THE BIG FOUR: TOP 4 PRECIOUS STONES IN THE WORLD
According to theInternational Mineralogical Association,, there are more than 5,000 known minerals worldwide as of 2023. The diamond, emerald, ruby, and sapphire are especially well-known:
Ruby
The red ruby (from the Latin “rubeus” meaning “red” or “the red one”) is made of corundum, the second hardest mineral after diamonds. A ruby’s value is determined by the intensity and uniformity of its color. Pigeon blood red rubies, which have a strong red color with a bluish tint, are particularly sought after. High-quality rubies usually come from Asia and East Africa.
Emerald
An emerald is a green stone made from the mineral beryl. For a long time, all green gemstones were called emeralds (from the Greek “smáragdos” meaning “green stone”), but today, only the green variety of the beryl group bears this name. High-quality emeralds are found in Colombia, Brazil, and the Ural Mountains. The only significant emerald deposit in Europe is in the Habachtal region of Salzburg, Austria.
Saphir
Like the ruby, the sapphire is a variety of corundum. Most sapphires are blue, but there are also other colored and colorless stones. Pink to orange-colored Padparadscha sapphires and star sapphires are particularly valuable. These sapphires exhibit a six-pointed star, known as “asterism,” due to embedded minerals.
Diamond
The classic among gemstones is the colorless or white diamond. Due to its hardness, it was primarily used as a tool in ancient times and is still used today in the grinding industry. Diamonds are made of pure carbon and form at high temperatures and pressures deep within the Earth. Rare colored diamonds, known as “fancy diamonds,” are particularly popular.
THE TOP 5 MOST EXPENSIVE GEMSTONES IN ORDER
Time and again, records are broken at auctions of precious stones. In the following list, we list the five diamonds that have sold for the highest prices ever achieved. Here are the five most expensive gemstones ever sold:
1. Pink Star
This pink diamond is the most expensive gemstone in the world. It was purchased at a Sotheby’s auction by the Hong Kong jewelry company Chow Tai Fook for an astonishing $71.2 million. Mined in South Africa, the stone weighs 59.60 carats.
2. Lesedi La Rona
The “Lesedi La Rona” is considered one of the world’s largest rough diamonds. In 2017, the white stone sold for $53 million. At 1,111 carats, it is nearly the size of a tennis ball.
3. The Constellation
Along with the Lesedi La Rona, the Constellation is one of the most expensive rough diamonds in the world. This 813-carat gemstone from Botswana was auctioned for $63 million.
4. Oppenheimer Blue
The 14.62-carat “Oppenheimer Blue” is the largest blue diamond ever sold at auction. It was sold by Christie’s in 2016 for $57.6 million. The stone belonged to the Oppenheimer family, who dominated the global diamond trade for many years.
5. Pink Legacy
The “Pink Legacy” diamond was also originally owned by the Oppenheimer family. This 18.96-carat jewel is the world’s most expensive pink diamond in terms of price per carat. American jeweler Harry Winston acquired it for 50 million Swiss francs.
Dr. Thomas Schröck
The founder and managing partner of THE NATURAL GEM has been active in international gemstone trading for 30 years. As a doctor of economics and a certified gemmologist in Switzerland, Germany and the USA, among other countries, he is one of Europe’s leading experts on naturally-coloured, untreated gemstones and investments in them.
