Gemstones and precious minerals have a way of mesmerizing us with their otherworldly beauty.
Many stones have attained stratospheric popularity over the years due to their striking colors and looks.
Here is a detailed gem information of some of the world’s rarest and most beautiful gemstones.
They are extremely rare and therefore fetch exorbitant prices in the international market.
Tanzanite A Beautiful Gemstone
Tanzanite is a unique mineral that originated in Tanzania. It is a strikingly beautiful variant of mineral Zoisite.
The mineral can be mined only in a very small area close to the foot of the Mount Kilimanjaro which is located in Tanzania.
At one point of time the samples of Tanzanite were so few that it could not be used for commercial purposes.
However, things changed in the 1960s and ever since then these stones have been in high demand.
The Tanzanite gemstone was made popular with the help of Tiffany & Co. Most of the Tanzanite samples are heat treated before they reach the market as it helps to enhance the bright blue coloration.
However, any Tanzanite which has not been exposed to heat treatment, but has a very strong blue color is going to fetch a significantly higher value.
Since there is only one mine in the world that produces this beautiful gemstone, the prices of these stones are likely to go high in the coming years.
Larimar A Beautiful Gemstone
Larimar is one of the most attractive natural gemstones in the world that is only found in the Dominican Republic.
It is a type of extremely rare blue variant of pectolite, a type of mineral that is native to the Dominican Republic. The stone derives its name from the daughter of the man Miguel Méndez who made this stone popular in 1974.
Taking the initial part of Larissa, his daughter’s name, he combined it with “mar”, the Spanish term for sea. Thus, the name of Larimar was invented.
While the locals were long aware of this stone which often washed up on the shores, it was only after 1970s that commercial mining started for this mineral.
Black Opal Gemstone
Among the various gemstone names that are considered sacred in this industry, one that deserves special mention is of course the Black Opal.
Typically, opals are creamy-white in color and are also known for their distinct rainbow-colored inclusions which can reflect light when the gemstone is moved.
However, black opals are quite rare, and they can be found only in mines along the Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, Australia.
It is to be remembered here that the darker is the color of the black opal stone, the greater is its value. The price of the stone is also determined by the brightness of the inclusions.
Aurora Australis is among the most famous and valuable specimens of black opals that was mined in 1938 from Lightning Ridge.
It had the weight of 180 carats and was admired for its huge size and striking harlequin coloration. The stone was valued at about US $763,000 or AUS $1,000,000 in 2005.
Paraiba Tourmaline Stone
Tourmalines have been commonly found across Brazil in numerous colors, but Paraiba tourmalines some of the most sought after stones.
They are known for their bright turquoise hue which is created by its copper content. Originally discovered by Heitor Dimas Barbosa in 1987, these tourmalines are highly valued across the world these days.
Heitor Dimas Barbosa was a highly determined miner who strongly believed that something truly special was lurking under the Paraiba hills.
After many years of futile digging, Barbosa finally came across a tourmaline of amazing neon blue color that completely revolutionized the gem market overnight.
These Paraiba Tourmalines are very rare and fetched great price. In 2003, similar samples of turquoise-colored tourmaline stones were discovered in mountains of Mozambique and Nigeria.
However, some people are of the opinion that these stones are not as beautiful as the original Paraiba tourmalines.
Alexandrite stone
Alexandrite is a strikingly beautiful color changing stone which was first discovered in the year 1830 in Russia’s Ural Mountains.
Named after the Tsar of Russia Alexander II, it is a variant of chrysoberyl mineral. The unique color changing feature of this stone makes it a hot property in the international gemstone market.
When viewed under sunlight, it appears blue-green. However, under incandescent light the stone looks red-purple.
It is important to note that the level of color changing varies from one stone to another.
While some stones only exhibit a slight change of color, others may go through a complete color change.
Over the years, some large samples of these minerals have been found and the largest of them all has been sized at 65.08 carats.
It is now kept in the Smithsonian Museum. Most of the stones are less than one carat though.
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