The Five Most Expensive Types of Gemstone in the World

When you think about the world's most expensive stones, Diamonds usually come to mind. You might be surprised however to find out that Diamonds don't even make the top five most expensive stones. They are still one of the most popular and expensive stones but five other stones make the top five list. The following are the five most expensive rocks you will find in the world.

Jadeite – $3 Million Per Carat

Jadeite comes from the family of minerals that are more commonly known as Jade crystal. What makes this type of Jade so much more expensive is its rarity. The most highly valued Jadeite stone is an intense green color that is mostly found in California and Guatemala. Jadeite sells at a high price of $3 million per carat. In 1997 a Jadeite bead necklace known as the Doubly Fortunate was sold at Christie’s auction house in Hong Kong for a staggering $9.3 million.

Serendibite – Up to $2 Million

The hefty price tag of this prized stone is because it is not very common, most people have never even heard of the stone before. Serendibite is an extremely rare blue gemstone that comes from Sri Lanka and the Mogok area of Myanmar. As of today, there are only three Serendibite faceted minerals in existence. All three of the stones are around a half-carat, and range in value from one point eight to two million dollars each. The gemstone is slightly translucent in appearance.

Blue Garnet – $1.5 Million Per Carat

Garnets are a gemstone that comes in a variety of colors. You'll find Garnets in green, pink, purple, red, orange, and yellow. Blue Garnets are so expensive because blue is the rarest and most expensive color of garnet. The first Blue Garnet was found in Madagascar in the 1990s, since then they have also been found in Russia, Turkey, and the United States. Blue Garnet also can change color according to the light that the stone is exposed to.

Rubies – $1 Million Per Carat

Rubies are a gemstone that is plentiful, however, it’s the quality of each stone that gives them their high value. The most valuable Rubies will be large in size, blood-red in color, a lustrous sheen, and ave clean cuts. Rubies are classified similarly to Diamonds, according to their grade, quality, and color. A Ruby gemstone without any flaws can be priced as high as a million dollars a carat.

Red Diamonds – $500,000 per Carat

A Red Diamond is one of the most expensive diamonds in the world due to the gemstone being the rarest type. There are only a few Red Diamonds mined each year at the Argyle Mine in Australia. Every couple of years, the mine puts the most beautiful, rare Diamonds up for auction. While colorless and flawless Diamonds are popular for engagement rings, Red Diamonds are the rarest color of diamonds with only a handful of the stones ever being mined, and all coming from the Argyle mine in Australia.