FAMOUS NAMED GEMS

Some gemstones have had names given to them, meaning that there is only one of them in the world. Each such stone becomes a precious gemstone. Here are some of the most famous named stones in the world.

BLACK PRINCE’S RUBY:

Although this beautiful gemstone is commonly referred to as a ruby gemstone, but technically it is a spinel. This means that there is no aluminum oxide in it, instead the red color is imparted by magnesia and iron. This red colored beauty is part of the British crown jewels at present, and weighs in at 34 grams. The first recorded owner was Abu Said, the Prince of Granada, from whom it passed on to Don Pedro the Cruel. Black Prince, the son of Prince Edward III of England made a military pact with Don Pedro as part of which this stone passed to him, and thereafter came to be known as the Black Prince’s Ruby.

STAR OF INDIA:

Blue sapphires are anyway quite attractive to look at. But the uniqueness of the Star of India blue sapphire springs from the fact that it has a star design on both bottom and top. It is more than 100 grams (equivalent to 563 carats). The first recorded history of this gemstone was in 1900, when the expert gemologist Kunz was commissioned by the banker J.P. Morgan to put together an impressive collection of gemstones from around the world for the Paris exposition of 1900. After the event, the gemstone was passed on to the American Museum of Natural History.

PEARL OF LAO TZU:

This is the world’s largest pearl which was first found in the Philippines. It is not a regular gemstone pearl but is a clam pearl weighing more than 6 kgs. This is not a regular nacreous pearl, and therefore is not as glowing as gemstone pearls. This pearl is also referred to as the Palawan Princess, because it was first discovered in the Palawan Sea. It is now held privately under the estate of one of the three co-owners, and because of its huge size, it is a popular and trending gemstone.

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond

The Koh-i-Noor, meaning “Mountain of Light” in Persian, is one of the most storied diamonds in history. Weighing approximately 105.6 carats, it is set in the British Crown Jewels and has a tumultuous history of ownership.

The diamond’s early history is unclear, but it is believed to have been mined in India. Over the centuries, it changed hands many times, moving through the possession of various Indian, Persian, and Afghan rulers. In 1849, the British East India Company acquired the diamond from the Maharaja of Punjab, Duleep Singh, and it was presented to Queen Victoria.

The Koh-i-Noor is currently set in the crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, but its ownership is controversial, with India and several other countries laying claim to it.

The Regent Diamond

The Regent Diamond is a 140.64-carat diamond known for its incredible brilliance and history. It was once owned by French royalty and is currently housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The diamond was discovered in India in the early 18th century and was eventually purchased by the French Regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orléans. It was worn by Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte before becoming part of the French Crown Jewels.

COSTLIEST GEMS

The gemstones in the previous list were famous but they didn’t go through the normal buying and selling process. They were either transferred or snatched. Here are some gemstones which are not diamonds but were still sold for huge amounts of money.

SUNRISE RUBY:

The record for selling price was set by this red colored gemstone in 2015, when it was sold for more than $30 million. This sale was during the Magnificent & Noble jewels sale by the House of Sotheby’s at Geneva. It has very well proportioned cuts, a very attractive pigeon blood red color, and almost no blemishes at all.

BLUE BELLE OF ASIA:

This beauty is of almost 400 carats, and is the most written about blue sapphire gemstone in the world. It comes from Sri Lanka, hence the last part of the name, while the first part of the name is because of its feminine beauty. This best selling gemstone sold for more than $17 million in Geneva in 2014. It has a peacock blue color and very high clarity. It is the sixth largest faceted blue sapphire in the world.

ROCKEFELLER EMERALD:

In 2017, this 18 carat emerald was auctioned for $5.5 million in New York. This emerald gemstone used to be owned by the Rockefeller family. It had been first bought by John Rockefeller Junior for his wife Abby Rockefeller in 1930. Experts believe that this gemstone was mined in Columbia.

The above gemstones are examples of very valuable gemstones who value was measured by the ownership history or by their selling prices. But there are several websites which can offer you gemstones which are not as costly as these. You can easily shop for original gemstone online and choose from the wide variety on offer. There is a wide variety of prices too, and you can choose the one which suits your budget

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