Which stones are not very expensive. The most expensive gems in the world (20 photos). Other gems

From India's famous British Crown Diamond to a sapphire the size of a football, discover the world's most perfect gemstones:

1. Koh-i-Noor Diamond, gem british crown

The Kohinoor is a 106-carat diamond that was once the largest diamond in the world. It was previously owned by various rulers in India. Today it is in the possession of the British royal family and is part of the Crown Jewels.

When the Kohinoor Diamond came into the hands of the British royal family, it weighed 186 carats (37 grams). Prince Albert carefully sought out a diamond cutter of very good reputation and went to the Netherlands, where he entrusted the diamond cutting mission to a certain Mr. Cantor, who undertook the difficult task. The diamond was then presented to Queen Victoria.

It became one of the jewels in the Queen's crown and was last worn by Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Queen Mother) at her coronation to celebrate her becoming Empress of India.

2. Millennium Sapphire, an engraved sapphire the size of a football

The Millennium Sapphire, about the size of a football, is a gemstone carved with famous historical figures. The sapphire is for sale if someone decides to spend $180 million on it and promises that this 61,500-carat wonder will be placed in a place open to the public.

Designed by Italian artist Alessio Boschi, the Millennium Sapphire was conceived as a tribute to human genius and features 134 figures, including the faces of Beethoven, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, Albert Einstein, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Millennium Sapphire is owned by a consortium of investors led by Daniel McKinney. In the past 15 years, the impressively chiseled sapphire has been on public display only twice - at the 2002 Academy Awards, and two years later on the maiden voyage of the Sapphire Princess cruise ship.

The 28cm Millennium Sapphire was found in Madagascar in 1995. In its raw state it weighed about 90,000 carats, but lost about a third of its weight during the processing process, which took two years and was completed in 2000.

3. Aquamarine Don Pedro, the largest aquamarine in the world

The world's largest aquamarine, carved from whole piece, is on permanent display in Washington next to the Hope Diamond and Marie Antoinette's earrings.

Extracted from Brazilian pegmatite in the 1980s, and named after Brazil's first two emperors, the Don Pedro Aquamarine holds a special place in the National Museum of Natural History, part of the Smithsonian Institution.

The green-blue obelisk-shaped gemstone was cut by the famous German cutter, Bernd Munsteiner, known as the “father of the fancy cut.” The height of the stone is 35.5 centimeters and it weighs 10,363 carats, or two kilograms.

4. The largest pearl in the world


The largest luminous pearl in the world was shown on November 21, 2010, in the city of Wenchang, Hainan Province, South China. Weighing six tons and measuring 1.6 meters in diameter, the pearl is the largest ever discovered and is valued at $301,197,000. In China, pearls are valued more highly than diamonds.

The stone, formed primarily from the mineral fluorite, glows green in the dark. Those who found this miracle had to spend three years honing it into the shape of a pearl.

5. Graff Pink, the most expensive pink diamond in the world


Laurence Graff is the world's premier diamond and gemstone dealer, and in 2010 he lived up to his reputation with the purchase of a stunning, rare 24.78-carat pink diamond.

He is also the UK's richest living art buyer, easily shelling out $24.1 million in New York for Warhol's two best works, Elvis and Campbell's Soup Can. Laurence Graff also owns five luxury homes in England, France, Switzerland and New York, as well as a personal Mediterranean yacht. He also owns his own diamond mine outside Johannesburg, along with half a dozen properties in Mayfair. (Mayfair).

Striking 'potentially flawless' pink diamond staged new record at auction price, surprising workers at Sotheby's. The auction was filled with gasps as bids continued to rise. Pink diamonds had never caused such excitement in Britain. Ultimately Britain's 36th richest man, a diamond-mad eccentric , paid $45 million, the largest amount ever paid for jewelry.

6. Ethereal Carolina Divine, the world's largest processed Paraiba tourmaline


Montreal financier Vincent Boucher is the owner of the Divine Ethereal Carolina Paraiba, an approximately 192-carat Paraiba tourmaline that is estimated to be worth between $25 million and $125 million. Divine Ethereal Carolina has set a new world record for the largest processed Paraiba tourmaline.

Paraiba Tourmaline is one of the rarest gemstones in the world, highly prized by connoisseur collectors and jewelers, and displayed by elite jewelers around the world. For every 10,000 diamonds, there is only one Paraiba tourmaline (named for the Brazilian region where most tourmalines, including Boucher's, were mined) and Boucher noted that only 50 kilograms of it in total have been found to date. precious stone.

7. Huge 478-carat rough diamond

A huge 478-carat diamond was found in the Letseng Mine in Lesotho, a small kingdom in South Africa. It is the 20th largest diamond ever found, and was found in a mine that has already produced three of the world's largest diamonds: the 603-carat Lesotho Promise, the 493-carat Leteng Legacy) and 601-carat Lesotho Brown. A similar but smaller stone was recently valued at $12 million. It is believed that this stone will produce a 150-carat cut gemstone, which will reduce the significance of the current largest Kohinoor diamond.

8. The world's most expensive gemstone, valued per carat, sold at auction

Defined as one of the world's unique gemstones, the flawless blue diamond was awarded the title of the world's most expensive gemstone in 2007. The 6.04-carat stone sold for $7.98 million at Sotheby's in Hong Kong. The flawless blue diamond was sold for $1.32 million per carat.

The lucky buyer was London-based Moussaieff Jewelers, who were happy to purchase this diamond from a private Asian collector as it would add to their collection of rare gems. Blue diamonds are known for attracting filthy rich moneybags with their brilliant, dark charisma. Although it is not the largest stone, its skillful cut and "vivid blue" color justify the hefty price per carat, which is almost ten times the price per carat of a regular white diamond.

9. Bahia Emerald, the largest in the world


The Bahia emerald is one of the largest emeralds in the world and contains the largest crystal ever found. The stone, weighing approximately 381 kilograms (1,900,000 carats), was found in the Brazilian state of Bahia. It narrowly escaped flooding during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 while being stored in a warehouse in New Orleans. It was subsequently reported stolen from a secure storage facility in South El Monte, Los Angeles, California, in September 2008. While the stone was valued at approximately $400 million, its true value remains unclear. At one point, the emerald was even listed on eBay for $75 million.

After it was transported from Brazil to the United States, numerous unsuccessful attempts were made to sell it, but the sale was prevented by conflicting ownership rights. The emerald was eventually recovered from a Las Vegas gem dealer and taken into the custody of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.

10. Moussaieff Red Diamond, the most famous red diamond


Once known as the Red Shield Diamond, the Musaev Red Diamond is the largest red diamond in the world, measuring 5.11 carats. Discovered in Brazil in the 1990s, the diamond has a triangular brilliant cut (also known as a trillion cut) and was most recently put on public display at the 2003 Splendor of Diamonds exhibition at the Smithsonian. museum.

The most expensive stones have fascinated people since time immemorial. Such things are passed down from generation to generation in the form of various jewelry and amulets. Many believe that the most precious stones contain energy that allows them to protect the wearer from evil spirits. For example, Indian shamans believed that some stones were the patrons of humans. In their opinion, they are able to influence the fate of a person. Nobody knows how right they are. Our task is to describe rare gems, the cost of which is shocking.

Top most expensive stones in the world

Opens the ranking of the most expensive stones on the planet Noble Pearl. Unlike other gems, it appears in a unique, rare way. Pearls are formed when a grain of sand enters the shell of a mollusk. The phenomenon is not very common. The most expensive looking is marine, as it is located at the depths of salty waters. The river one is much cheaper. Moreover, of all the variety of Noble Pearls, the most valuable is formed in Tahiti. Currently, one of these natural resources adorns Elizabeth Taylor's necklace and is worth $12 million.

Ruby is classified as a type of corundum mineral. A rare and very valuable gem originates in the depths of the Earth. The temperature must rise above 450 degrees for the gemstone to appear. Therefore, to find a ruby, you need to go underground to a depth of 10 to 30 meters. Currently, there are rubies of different colors:

• pink;
• yellow;
• brown;
• blue, etc.

It is worth noting that the final cost of the fossil largely depends on the color. Blue rubies are the most prized. One of these was sold in 2015 for $30 million.

Emerald is one of the most expensive stones in the world. This type of gem is a derivative of minerals. As a rule, emeralds have a greenish tint. Even under artificial light, this stone retains its color. Extracted from the bowels of the planet. The stone requires complex processing. The mined minerals are covered with a thick mesh that protects them from dents and cracks.

The most expensive emerald is the Fura stone, which was found in Colombia. Its value is estimated at one hundred and fifty million dollars. The Teodora stone, which was discovered in a mine in Brazil, should also be added to the record holders. Its weight exceeds the “Fura” by 5 times. Before processing, it weighed 28 kilograms and was sold for $150 million.

Currently the most expensive sapphires mined in Kashmir. They are distinguished by their cornflower blue color and unusual strength. The most expensive sapphire in history is the Millennium stone, which weighs 62 kg. It is currently on sale for $180 million. 134 portraits of successful people are carved on the edges of this unique stone. The composition was created by the famous artist Alessio Boschi. It is worth recalling that it was the sapphire that was first given by Prince Charles to his future wife. Before the engagement, he ordered a ring not made of diamond, but of sapphire, to surprise his chosen one. This is how it appeared new tradition among the elite of society.

Almaz ranks second on the list. It contains only one chemical element - carbon. pure form. Currently, no one knows for sure the nature of this product. There are several hypotheses:

1. Diamond deposits formed in the planet's mantle under enormous pressure;
2. Diamonds were created as a result of a “pipe explosion”;
3. As a result of the release of magma.

Our ancestors made even more assumptions about the nature of diamonds, linking the stone with magic. It is known that this product is more than 2.5 billion years old.

The most expensive stone in the world– a diamond called “Star of Africa”. Also known as "Cullinan". Weight is 530 grams or 3106 carats. Currently valued at $7.5 billion. It was first discovered by miners in South Africa in 1905. The stone had no defects except one spot in the center. The black dot remains to this day. Different nations refer to the magical power and specific purpose of the most expensive stone on the planet.

1. Kohinoor, the crown jewel of British rulers

The Kohinoor is a 106-carat diamond that was once the largest diamond in the world. Previously owned by Indian rulers, today it is in the hands of the British royal family and is part of the crown jewels.

When Kohinoor came into the possession of the British royal family, it weighed 186 carats (37 g). Prince Albert specifically looked for a jeweler with an excellent reputation and personally went to Holland to entrust the processing of the diamond to a certain Mr. Cantor. He got to work, and after some time the diamond was presented to Queen Victoria.

The diamond became part of the royal crown and was last worn by the Queen Mother during her coronation ceremony when she became Empress of India.

2. Millennium, a sapphire the size of a football

The Millennium Sapphire is the size of a football, a jewel with portraits of famous historical figures carved into it. The sapphire is currently selling for $180 million, but the buyer must place the 61,500-carat wonder where people can look at it.

Created by Italian artist Alessio Boschi, the Millennium Sapphire is a tribute to human genius. There are 134 portraits carved on it, including Beethoven, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, Albert Einstein and Martin Luther King Jr.

Millennium is now owned by a consortium of investors led by Daniel McKinney. Over the past 15 years, the sapphire has been on public display only twice - at the Oscars in 2002 and on the Sapphire Princess during its maiden voyage in 2004.

A 28-centimeter sapphire was found in Madagascar in 1995. In its natural form, it weighed about 90 thousand carats, but lost about a third of its mass during the processing process, which lasted two years and was completed in 2000.

3. Don Pedro, the world's largest aquamarine

The world's largest processed aquamarine is in a museum in Washington next to the Hope Diamond and Marie Antoinette's earrings. Mined in Brazil in the 1980s, the pegmatite is named after the first two Brazilian emperors. Aquamarine Don Pedro occupies a place of honor in the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution.

The blue-green gemstone, reminiscent of an obelisk in shape, was created by the famous German jeweler Bernd Munsteiner, known as the “father of carved fantasies”. Don Pedro is 35.5 cm tall and weighs 10,363 carats (or two kg).

4. The world's largest pearl

On November 21, 2010, the world's largest luminous pearl was shown to the public in the Chinese province of Hainan. The pearl, weighing almost six tons and with a diameter of 1.6 m, is estimated at two billion yuan ($301,197,000) - in China, pearls are valued higher than diamonds.

The stone, composed primarily of fluorite, glows green in the dark. It took almost three years to perfect the stone round shape pearls.

5. Graff Pink - the world's most expensive pink diamond

Lawrence Graff is the world's largest gem dealer. In 2010, his reputation was confirmed by the purchase of a stunning rarity - a pink diamond weighing 24.78 carats. Graff owns five luxury mansions in England, France, Switzerland and New York, as well as a personal Mediterranean yacht, a diamond mine outside Johannesburg and half a dozen private properties in Mayfair.

A flawless pink diamond set a new price record at Sotheby's as bids continued to rise, tensions grew, and the diamond eventually went to Britain's 36th richest man for $45 million - the most ever paid for a piece of jewelry.

6. Divine Essential Carolina - the largest Paraiba tourmaline

Financier Vincent Boucher from Montreal is the owner of the Divine Ethereal Carolina, a Paraiba tourmaline weighing approximately 192 carats. The stone is valued at between $25 million and $125 million, a world record price for Paraiba tourmaline.

Paraiba tourmaline is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. The stones are named after the Brazilian region where they are mined, and that is where the vast majority of these stones are found. For every 10,000 diamonds found, there is one Paraiba tourmaline, and in total, only 50 kg of these gems have been mined to date.

7. Uncut 478-carat diamond

The massive 478-carat diamond was found at the Letseng mine in Lesotho, a small kingdom in South Africa. It is the 20th largest rough diamond ever found, and the mine has previously yielded three of the world's largest diamonds: the 603-carat Lesotho Promise, the 493-carat Letseng Legacy and the 601-carat Lesotho Brown.

A similar but smaller stone was recently valued at $12 million. There is a chance that this diamond could be turned into a 150-carat diamond that could outshine even the Kohinoor.

8. The most expensive gem in the world

One of the most unique gemstones in the world, the flawless blue diamond was awarded the title of the most expensive gemstone in the world in 2007. A 6.04-carat diamond sold for $7.98 million at Sotheby's in Hong Kong. The flawless diamond was valued at $1.32 million per carat.

The lucky owner of the stone was the Moussaieff Jewelers jewelry house in London. The diamond was previously in a private collection and will once again be an addition to a rare gem collection. True, it is not the world's largest blue diamond, but the perfect workmanship and deep blue color justify the enormous price, which is ten times the price per carat of ordinary white diamonds.

9. The Bahian emerald is the largest in the world

The Bahian emerald is the largest emerald nugget ever found. The stone weighs 1.9 million carats and was discovered in the state of Bahia in Brazil. It narrowly escaped flooding during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 while being stored in a warehouse in New Orleans. In September 2008, news reports reported that the stone had been stolen from a secure storage facility in Los Angeles, California. The stone is valued at $400 million and recently appeared for sale on eBay - it was offered to purchase for “only” $75 million.

After the stone left Brazil and arrived in the United States, numerous attempts were made to sell it, but without success. Ultimately, the stolen emerald was recovered from a dealer in Los Angeles and taken into the custody of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.

10. Musayifa red diamond

Formerly known as the Red Diamond Shield, the Musayif Red Diamond is the world's largest red diamond, weighing 5.11 carats. Discovered in Brazil in the 1990s, the diamond has a triangular brilliant cut and was recently brought to public attention at the Smithsonian Exhibition in 2003.

: https://www.publy.ru/post/6221

“Thank you again for the nice and necessary initiative (from the author. Cheers :-)) And tell us about the largest minerals - diamonds, rubies, etc. You can talk not only about natural ones, but also about grown ones. "

Let's start with the most popular ones, and at the end very rare minerals await you; to be honest, I have never even heard of many of them!

Emerald "Mogul"

On September 28, 2001, in London, at one of the largest auctions in the world, Christie's, one of the largest emeralds - the famous "Mogul" - was sold for $2.2 million.

The sides of this 217.8 carat, 10 cm high gemstone are engraved with five lines of Muslim prayer and oriental pattern in the form of flowers. There are protrusions on the four sides of the Mogul to secure the stone to clothing or a turban.

It is believed that "Mughal" was brought to India by the Spanish conquistadors in the 17th century. "Mogul" belonged to the Mughal dynasty and was cut during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb, in the middle of the 17th century. early XVIII century.

Weight 217.80 carats. Originally belonged to the 1st emperors of the Mughal dynasty. It was cut between 1658 and 1707. during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb. The texts of prayers are engraved on one side of it, and flower patterns on the other.

The name of the person who bought one of the most beautiful and largest emeralds is still kept secret.

The weight before cutting was 287.42 carats. Mined in South Africa in 1878 and purchased by New York jeweler Charles Tiffany. On the cut stone sits a bird made of gold and platinum, encrusted with rubies, white and yellow diamonds. The jewelry has only been worn twice in history, including once by Audrey Hepburn when she starred in the film Breakfast at Tiffany's.

THE LARGEST WHITE DIAMOND “CULLINA” (“STAR OF AFRICA”)

The largest cut diamond in the world Its original weight was 3026 carats, dimensions 100x65x50 mm. It was found by accident in 1905 in South Africa and, according to experts, was a fragment of an even larger crystal that was never found. In 1907, the Transvaal government presented it to the English King Edward VII. In 1908, it was split into several pieces, from which 9 large diamonds were made, 96 small ones, and one piece of 69.5 carats was left uncut. Its “shards” are kept in the Tower (London). “Cullinan-1” is embedded in the scepter of King Edward VII. "Cullinan-N" is inserted into the crown of the British Empire.

About the largest diamonds

THE LARGEST RUBY

It doesn’t have a name yet, but most likely it will be called “The King of Rubies.” Weight is 440 carats. Found in Greenland. The stone has an integral structure. This means that it will not need to be sawed into several parts, but can only be given a perfectly round shape. Now Canadian jewelers are doing this. After finishing work, the ruby ​​will weigh up to 380 carats.

Ruby, being one of the precious stones, is very loved by jewelers, and its rich red color goes well with the color of gold.

Translated from Latin, the word “ruber” translates as “red”. It was not until 1800 that it was discovered that ruby ​​and sapphire were varieties of corundum. Before this, both red spinel and garnet were called ruby ​​(all three minerals were also called carbuncles). The color of rubies varies both from different deposits and within one deposit, so it is impossible to judge its origin by the shade of a ruby. The most valuable are rubies of the “pigeon blood color” - pure red, with a slight purple tint. The coloring is often distributed unevenly: in spots or stripes. Rough stones have a dull or greasy shine, but a cut ruby ​​sparkles almost like a diamond.

In terms of its hardness, ruby ​​is second only to diamond (brilliant), although it is 140 times softer. Rubies often contain inclusions. They are not at all a defect of the stone; on the contrary, they speak of its natural origin.

Large rubies are rarer than comparable diamonds. The largest gem-quality ruby ​​found in Burma weighed 400 carats. The most beautiful world-famous rubies include the 167-carat Edward Ruby. It is kept in the British Museum of Natural History. The 138.7-carat Riva star ruby ​​is located in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. De Long star ruby ​​- 100 carats. It is kept in the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Numerous rubies adorn royal regalia and ancient family jewels. However, many of them were subsequently “exposed”, turning out to be red spinel. Among them, the "Black Prince's Ruby" in the British Crown and the "Timur's Ruby", today owned by Sheikh Nasser Ab-Sabah of Kuwait.

It is customary to assign many precious stones magical properties. So, it is believed, for example, that a ruby ​​allows the owner to be completely safe even among enemies and rewards with invulnerability, but for this the stone must be worn under clothing on the body and it is advisable never to part with it. It controls love desires, settles disputes, corrects bad moods, relieves grief and sadness. Ruby increases responsibility in a person and promotes leadership aspirations, relieving the owner of inferiority complexes and uncertainty. It gives rise to love and attraction to the great, be it science or art. Ruby is generally said to give the strength of a lion, the fearlessness of an eagle and the wisdom of a snake. The stone can change color, which will serve as a warning to the owner of danger, but this ruby ​​skill must be observed for a long time, if only because the color does not change too much. Ruby is the stone of those who want to achieve a lot in life, and it supports the owner in this if he does not have vain vanity and understands that great goals are goals of achieving happiness for other people.

THE BLOODEST GEM “REGENT”

The 410-carat stone was found in 1701 by a slave in the Golconda mines. To remove a large stone from the mine, the Hindu inflicted a wound on his lower back and hid the diamond in a bundle. He handed the stone to the English cable, who promised him freedom in exchange, but, luring him onto the ship, killed him. The money the Englishman received for selling the stone was of no use to him. Having quickly squandered them, he hanged himself. The stone was bought by Sir Thomas Pitt, a former pirate and at that time governor of the fortress of St. George. Returning to London, he spent several years in solitude, not parting with the jewel for a minute. Tired of being a slave to the stone, he sold it to the French king. It was taken from the French treasury, pledged to a Moscow merchant and inserted into Napoleon's swords. The diamond is now kept in the Louvre (Paris).

THE LARGEST PEARL “ALLAH”

Although it’s not a mineral, let’s not ignore it. The diameter of the pearl is 238 mm, weight is 6400 grams. It was found in 1934. The lines on its surface resemble the convolutions of the human brain. Stored in the USA, where it came thanks to Wilburn Dowell Cobb. He received it as a gift for saving the life of the first owner of the pearl - the head of the island of Palawan in the Philippines.

Tridacna shells can grow up to 1.5 m in length and reach a weight of about 250 kg. Moreover, the weight of the mollusk itself is no more than 30 kg; the rest of the mass falls on the shell. This oddly shaped pearl was discovered by a pearl diver on the island of Palovan in the Philippines in 1934. The lines on its surface resemble the convolutions of the human brain. The diameter of the pearl is 238 mm, weight is 12,800 carats (6400 g). For comparison, a cultured pearl with a diameter of 7.5 mm would weigh approximately 3 carats (0.6 g). According to the Guinness Book of Records, the gem laboratory in San Francisco valued the Pearl of Allah at $40,000,0000. Exact copies of the pearl are displayed in various museums around the world.

The head of the island, a Muslim, who received the pearl as his property, saw in it a head in a turban and called it the pearl of Allah. Five years later, a man named Wilburn Dowell Cobb saved the life of the island's chief's son, and the pearl was given to him as a gift as a sign of gratitude. In 1980, Cobb's heirs sold it for $200,000 to Peter Hoffman, a Beverly Hills jeweler. He sold part of the rights to the pearl to Victor Barbish from Colorado Springs, leaving himself 33% of the rights to the property. Barbish told reporters that he had received an offer from certain private individuals from Osama bin Laden's group to purchase the pearl from him for $60,000,000 to give to Hussein as an “overture of unity” between al-Qaeda and the Iraqi government. Barbish said he had received other offers to buy the pearl from him for $40,000,000.

He added that the pearl had been in the Denver Bank vault for several years and he would not reveal the secret of its current location. However, the owner is not averse to donating the miracle of nature to some museum or library. “We will donate this pearl,” he said. “We don’t want money for her.” We want to donate it to charity so that everyone can see it, whether in a museum or the presidential library.”

Read more about the history of this pearl.

THE LARGEST SAPPHIRE “LONE STAR”

Among the famous star sapphires, the Lone Star sapphire weighs 9,719 carats. He was also called "Harold Roper" after the owner of the stone. Another sapphire, considered the largest among the star sapphires, weighed 63,000 carats. It was found in Burma in 1966. The Queensland Black Star sapphire was found in Australia. It got its name due to its dark blue, almost black color. After processing, the weight of the stone was 733 carats. A large star sapphire was found in Sri Lanka. The weight of the stone, called the "Star of India", was 563.3 carats. This stone was stolen from the New York Museum, where it was kept. And only two years later it was safely returned to the museum.

Another famous sapphire, the “Eye of Allah,” served as decoration on the throne of Shah Nadir and was distinguished by its extraordinary transparency. The 62-carat Logan sapphire adorned John Rockefeller's ring.

THE LARGEST PLATINUM NUGGET “URAL GIANT”

The largest existing platinum nugget weighs 7 kg 860.5 g and is called the “Ural Giant”. Kept in the Diamond Fund.

The largest nugget of pure gold

Found in 1869 in the Moliagul area, pc. Victoria, Australia, The Desired Wanderer nugget weighed 70.92 kg and contained 69.92 kg of pure gold.

By the way:

In the constellation Centaurus, at a distance of about 50 light years from Earth, astronomers discovered a star they named Luky, which is a giant diamond. A block of crystallized carbon with a diameter of 1500 km was the core of an ancient star, which was very similar to the Sun, but later died out and decreased in size.

Painite

Painite is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the rarest gemstone in the world... At the beginning of 2005 there were only eighteen known specimens, all numbered and described. Of these, there were only 3 pure red painites, and specimen No. 5 was considered the heaviest. This stone was cut into an oval and weighed 2.54 carats . In 2006, another source of painites was found in Burma, from which about 10 tons of raw material was recovered. The newly found painites turned out to be very dark red, or rather brown-red or red-brown stones, and their value turned out to be a thousand times lower than previously known. QUALITIES), and now the total number of known and confirmed painites does not exceed 330 pieces worldwide (data for July 2009).

In general, the color spectrum of painites ranges from pink to red and brown. Painite has extremely strong pleochroism and fluoresces a magnificent green color under ultraviolet light. The only reliably confirmed deposits in the world are in Burma, in the Mogog and Kachin areas. Painite got its name in honor of the British gemologist Arthur Charles Davey Payne, who first studied and described it.

In recent years, painites have often been offered for sale on the Internet. And if it is difficult to believe in the reality of the very dark brown-red paintites offered, but still possible, then the red transparent paintites offered for a relatively high price for online trading are an absolute deception! Real Red Pure Painite IT HAS NO PRICE - IT IS PRICELESS!!!

It is very easy to distinguish real, even super-dark painite from a fake, even at home. Under the light of an ordinary blue lamp, real painite will noticeably turn green.

SERENDIBIT

Mineral Serendibit (not to be confused with Serandite) is found in various parts of the globe. But the serendibite gemstone remains the rarest in the world. Serendibite has a fairly wide range of colors - blue, bluish-green, light yellow, dark blue and black. Currently, the existence of slightly more than 1000 faceted serendibites, of which the vast majority are black. But for example, there are only 3 copies of light blue serendibites, 0.35 carat, 0.55 carat and 0.56 carat . The first 2 were discovered by the famous seeker of gemological rarities D.P. Gunazekeroy, the larger of them is shown in the photograph. Both stones were purchased by the late Professor Güble of Switzerland, who valued the smaller serendibite at 1 $4,300 per carat.

Serendibit has a very complex chemical composition, which includes calcium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, boron and oxygen. The name Serendibit comes from the ancient Arabic name for Sri Lanka "Serendibi", which Sinbad refers to in the description of his sixth voyage.

All unique pure, light-colored serendibites were found in Sri Lanka, and black serendibites (actually extremely dark blue), from which stones of jewelry and collection quality are cut, are mined only in Burma, in a single mine in the South Mogog region.

POUDRETTEIT

In 2000, in Burma, in northern Mogog, a stone was discovered, which, after cutting, turned into an extremely beautiful purple, clearly precious stone weighing 3 carats . In 2004, nine more similar crystals were discovered in the same mine, including one pale pink, whose cut weight was 9.41 carats.

A comprehensive study of these stones showed that they all belong to the mineral poudretteite, known since 1987. The mineral got its name in honor of the family Poudrette , which to this day owns a small mine located in the depths of the highest mountain in the vicinity of Montreal, in Quebec - in Mount Saint-Hilaire. Since 1987, several dozen small, very pale pink, almost colorless crystals have been found in this mine, which, despite their softness (5 on the Mohs scale), could be cut to high quality.

To this day, poudretteite has no longer been discovered in Burma, and the Canadian miracle mountain has given humanity only about 3 hundred stones of varying quality, of which about 2 dozen exceed the weight of 1 carat. Depending on the quality - purity and color saturation, the cost of poudretteite ranges from 2000 to 10000$ per carat , not counting, of course, a few of the largest and breathtakingly expensive stones.

GRANDIDIERITE

The light bluish-green or greenish-blue mineral was most recently found in Madagascar. Before that, the first grandidierite was discovered in Sri Lanka and was initially mistaken for serendibite. The very first sample, cut into 0.29 carat trillion (pictured), was purchased and first carefully examined in 2000 by Professor Güble in Switzerland.

Grandidireite - a stone with trichroism (blue, green, white) received its name in honor of the explorer, historian and naturalist Alfred Grandidire, including the one who found and dug up the bones of the famous elephant bird fossil weighing more than half a ton in Madagascar. As of In our time, the existence of 8 grandidierites has been reliably confirmed, and about a dozen more stones are suspected of being identified as grandidierites.

EREMEEVIT (JEREMEEEVIT)

Eremeevit - an almost colorless, sky blue or very light yellow stone, named after the Russian mineralogist Pavel Eremeev, who first discovered this mineral in 1883 in the Namib Desert, Africa. Discovered to date in several regions of the planet, jewelry-collectible eremeyevites are still mined (no more than 1-3 per year) only in Namibia. In nature, this mineral is found in the form of small prismatic (obelisk-shaped) crystals. At first, these stones were mistaken for aquamarines of rare color and unusual crystallization. In 2005, the largest known faceted eremeyevite weighing in was presented in Switzerland. 2.93 carats . It is reliably known about the existence of several hundred faceted eremeyevites; their cost, including on the Internet, depending on the quality, ranges from 2000 to 20000 dollars per carat.

MAJORITE - PURPLE GARNET

Majorite - the rarest form of purple garnet. Majorites can be formed either under the impact of a falling meteorite, or underground at a depth of at least 400 km! Named after geophysicist Alan Major, who studied the formation of garnets under ultra-high pressure.

Majorite was first found in 1970 in the Koorara meteorite near the town of Yecla, Western Australia. In 1990, several large crystals were found in Madagascar, in the Bequili region. Several specimens were found over the next decade in Russia, Turkey and the United States. The latest discovery dates back to 2004, when about a thousand small mica-like crystals were found in France, in the Chantoneau region, which were subsequently cut and sold at a price of $2,400 per carat. The most expensive purple majorite garnet today, weighing 4.2 carats , was sold in 2003 for 6.8 million dollars.

It can be assumed that as humanity explores the Moon and Mars, majorites will cease to be uniquely rare, since the conditions on the Moon and Mars are much more favorable for their formation.

TAAFFEIT

Taaffeit one of the rarest and most unique collectible stones. A very small number of such stones have been found throughout history, and most of them have been mistakenly identified as spinel. Today, only in Sri Lanka and Tanzania a unique mineral is found from time to time. Since the deposits in East Africa and Sri Lanka are geologically related, our colleagues expect to find Taaffeite in Madagascar as well.

In 1945, Earl Taaffe, a Dublin gemologist, found a pale pink-lilac stone in a box of waste from a goldsmith's workshop. By appearance and the properties of the stone reminded him of spinel, but at the same time showed a clear double refraction. The stone was sent to the British Museum for research, where it was determined that the stone was an unknown mineral. Although its refractive index is approximately the same as spinel, taaffeite is uniquely identified due to its birefringence and uniaxial negative characteristic.

Despite constant searches, another taaffeite was found only in 1949, in a bag with a scattering of stones from Sri Lanka. The third stone was found in 1957 by Robert Crowningshield, a GIA expert. The fourth taaffeite was found only 10 years later.

Since then, gemologists have been more or less aware of taaffeite, and individual stones continue to be discovered. Several years ago, our partners who own mines in Tunduru, Tanzania, discovered several taaffeites in their raw material brought to the surface from the mines. Since then, a constant process has been launched to recheck all materials, especially spinel, to detect the effect of double refraction. In cases of the slightest suspicion or uncertainty, additional research is carried out using the most modern equipment. Thanks to this, several hundred taaffeites have been found in Tanzania alone over the past 5 years. The largest taaffeite known today weighs 9.31 carats.

The world price of Taaffeit ranges from 2000 to 10000 dollars per carat

Tanzanite

The largest Tanzanite ever found in Merelani is a blue-violet stone weighing 16.839 thousand carats (more than 3 kg.) and size 220 mm x 80 mm x 70 mm . The stone was named Mawenzi in honor of one of the peaks of Kilimanjaro, the second highest. The stone is so rare and unique that its commercial and even insurance value has not yet been determined.

MUSGRAVIT

Taaffeite has a very close relative - chemically and optically similar to it musgravite . The mineral was first discovered in the Musgrave Range, which is how it got its name. Later, the mineral musgravite was also discovered in Greencandia, Madagascar, Tanzania and even in Antarctica!!! But all these samples could only be used for wall cladding, which was done by the Sultan of Brunei in one of his bedrooms. But the first sample suitable for cutting into a precious stone was discovered only in 1993. For some time it was believed that taaffeite and musgravite were the same thing, but in 2003, when studying both stones with a Raman spectroscope using a green laser, evidence was obtained that taaffeite and musgravite - different minerals and various stones.

In 2005, the existence of only 8 musgravites was reliably confirmed; now 14 such stones are already known. The biggest one has weight 5.93 carats (shown in the photo).

BENITOIT

The only benitoite deposit in the world was found only in San Benito County, California. Benitoite - intense stone of blue color, with very strong dispersion, comparable to diamond, with intense blue-white fluorescence under ultraviolet light.

The largest known benitoite weighs 15.42 carats, but the stones weigh more 1 carat extremely rare, no more than a dozen are known. In 1974, it was stolen at Zurich airport 6.52 carat VVS drop of benitoite, the loss has not yet been discovered. There is a reasonable assumption that the stone was sawn and recut into 2 smaller ones and subsequently sold at one of the closed auctions.

Since 1984, benitoite has been designated the state gemstone of California. On the world market, the cost of 1 carat of small benitoites varies, depending on the quality, from 500 to 4000 dollars per carat.

RED DIAMOND

Only a few red diamonds have been found in the entire history of mankind, and very few people have had the good fortune to see and hold them in their hands. Natural color Red diamonds are described by gemologists as purplish-red, that is, not pure red (ruby). Regardless of size, red diamonds, along with natural black diamonds, are among the rarest and most expensive gemstones in the world. The world's only industrially developed colored diamond mine in Argilles, Australia, produces a small number of red and near-red diamonds annually, in some years only a few carats. Red diamonds weighing more than 0.1 carat are usually sold only through auctions, and their value amounts to millions of dollars per carat.

In connection with the above, regular offers of red diamonds on the Internet, including on e-bay, do not lend themselves to any serious comment...

Here I can also suggest two interesting blogs about minerals.

Precious stones have always captured people's imagination. They were always able to captivate anyone with their play of light. Fascinated by the beauty of the stones, people began to use them as amulets against the evil eye. Sorcerers and priests used them to predict the future. And only much later, precious stones began to be used as decoration and their value was determined depending on color, brilliance, beauty, purity, and hardness.

The most expensive gem

So far, the most expensive diamond in the world is considered. Of course, there are other more valuable minerals, but it just so happens that diamond is both the hardest and most revered by jewelers.

The structure of diamond is very simple - it consists entirely of carbon. Carbon, located at great depths underground, has been subjected to great pressure and heat over many millions of years. As a result of pressure and temperature, the carbon was compressed and turned into crystals. After the diamond is cut by the jeweler, he becomes a diamond.

And, although a huge number of diamonds are produced annually in the world, it is impossible to call them mass production. Each diamond differs from its other counterparts in color, quality, shape, and therefore in price.

In jewelry, precious stones are usually measured in carats. Even in ancient times, they began to measure the weight of pebbles this way. It was difficult to measure such a small object, so they began to use carob seeds for weighing. The carat value was set as 1/5th of a gram.

The cost of a diamond is directly proportional to its weight - the more it weighs, the higher the price per carat. The shape and type of cut can also affect the price of a diamond. In general, a processed diamond weighing 1 gram is considered a real diamond.

Shapes can be different, but the most common is round. A classic diamond must be transparent, weigh 1 gram, and have 57 facets.

If you come across colored diamonds, they can be several times more expensive than transparent ones.

Cullinan - the name of the king diamonds It belongs to the British Crown, to which it was presented as a gift by the Transvaal government. Its weight is 3106 carats or 621 grams. The stone was donated in 1907, and a year later it was split into pieces during cutting. More than a hundred pebbles were made from it: 9 large and 96 smaller. The largest, weighing 530.2 carats (“ Big Star of Africa"), set into the scepter, and a smaller stone - into the crown of the English monarchs.

Other famous gemstones

The number of varieties of gems mined in the world does not stand still. Most minerals are a derivative product of something that already exists. Among the expensive stones, the following should be highlighted:

Rare stones found in the world

The prices for such stones are so high that it is not always possible to name their real value. They are not even found on the world jewelry market, as they are stored in museums, storage facilities, and private collections.

Gems minerals and crystals

At the beginning of the 21st century, in Burma, already famous for its gems, unknown crystals of a beautiful purple color were found. After studying and cutting the crystals were assigned to Powderitt, known since 1987. Thus a new gem was born. Its value today ranges from $2,000 to $10,000 per carat, depending on clarity, color and size. The most common weight is 3 carats.

Grandidierite stone named after the naturalist Grandidir. Found in Madagascar. The stones are bluish-green in color. First cut and explored in 2000. Eight grandidierites are currently known to exist.

Rarely found all over the world gem Serendibit. It got its name from the ancient name of Sri Lanka - Serendibi. The existence of 1000 pieces can be officially confirmed. Color can be: black, blue, light yellow, bluish-green. The stones are so small and rare that there are only three light blue stones and they weigh no more than 0.55 carats. The price for the smallest (0.35 carat) is set at $14,300 per carat.

Purple garnets rarely found in nature. Such a garnet was first found in 1970 in Australia and was named after the garnet researcher Majorite - Majorite. Majorite can form at very great depths underground or as a result of a meteorite impact.

Perhaps there are more majorite reserves on the Moon or Mars than on Earth, since there is more meteorite impact there. Majorite is found all over the world, but remains unique. The most expensive gem of this type was sold at auction for $6,800,000. Its weight was 4.2 carats, that is, $1,600,000 per carat.

Precious crystals and gems

Painite

It was found in Burma in the 50s of the twentieth century by the Englishman Pine, in whose honor it received its name. Previously, this stone went through a testing procedure, after which it was recognized hitherto unknown and named after its discoverer.

For fifty years, the number of specimens found did not exceed three. Only at the beginning of the 21st century their number reached twenty five.

Still the price of the mineral has not been determined, since there was never any open bidding. And besides, only three of them were cut.

Today, 330 stones are known in the world. This amount is distributed between private collectors and museums.