Gemstones Rarer and More Valuable Than Diamonds
Red Diamonds (Argyle Red Diamonds)
Red Diamonds (Argyle Red Diamonds)
Red Diamonds (Argyle Red Diamonds)
Pure red diamonds are so rare that only a handful have ever been discovered, mostly from the now-closed Argyle Mine in Australia.
Red Diamonds the rarest diamond color on Earth
Red Diamonds (Argyle Red Diamonds)
Red Diamonds (Argyle Red Diamonds)
Indicative value:
⭐ $1,000,000–3,000,000 per carat for top stones
(Record: Argyle Phoenix ≈ $2.7M per carat)
Why they are more precious than white diamonds:
- Extremely limited natural supply
- Prices far above traditional diamonds
- Highly demanded by collectors and investors
PAINITE
Painite once considered the rarest gemstone in the world.
Painite once considered the rarest gemstone in the world.
Discovered in Myanmar in the 1950s, Painite remained nearly impossible to find for decades.
What makes it exceptional:
- For years, only three known specimens existed
- Deep red-brown color
- Extremely limited availability even today
Painite once considered the rarest gemstone in the world.
Painite once considered the rarest gemstone in the world.
Painite once considered the rarest gemstone in the world.
Painite is still extremely scarce.
Modern estimates place gem-quality Painite in the range of about $50,000–60,000+ per carat, with some recent analyses suggesting values above $60,000 per carat for top material.
Imperial Jadeite (Imperial Green Jade)
Imperial Green Jade more valuable than diamonds in top grades
Imperial Green Jade more valuable than diamonds in top grades
High-quality Burmese Imperial Jade can command prices higher than diamonds per carat.
Key features:
- Vivid, translucent “emerald green” color
- Treasured for centuries in Chinese and Asian royalty
- Extremely limited natural sources
Imperial Green Jade more valuable than diamonds in top grades
Imperial Green Jade more valuable than diamonds in top grades
Imperial Green Jade more valuable than diamonds in top grades
Indicative value:
Top “Imperial Green” jadeite: $20,000–30,000+ per carat, with exceptional historical pieces much higher.
Alexandrite (Fine Natural Alexandrite)
The color-change phenomenon prized by collectors
The color-change phenomenon prized by collectors
Rare natural alexandrite shows a dramatic color change: green in daylight, red under warm light.
Why it surpasses diamonds in value:
- True color-change specimens are extremely rare
- Strong collector market
- Historically sourced from Russia’s Ural Mountains
The color-change phenomenon prized by collectors
The color-change phenomenon prized by collectors
The color-change phenomenon prized by collectors
Natural alexandrite with a strong green-to-red color change is extremely rare.
Auction records and specialist guides indicate that the finest stones can reach $30,000+ per carat, and in some cases estimates go up to around $70,000 per carat for exceptional large gems.
Indicative value:
High-end alexandrite: roughly $15,000–70,000 per carat, depending on size and color change.
Burmese “Pigeon Blood” Rubies
The rarest diamond color on Earth
The rarest diamond color on Earth
The finest rubies from Mogok, Myanmar—known as “Pigeon Blood”—often sell for several times the price of diamonds per carat.
What makes them extraordinary:
- Intense red fluorescence
- Exceptional purity in rare specimens
- Increasingly scarce due to limited mining
The rarest diamond color on Earth
The rarest diamond color on Earth
The rarest diamond color on Earth
The most famous example, the Sunrise Ruby (25.59 ct), sold for about $30.3 million, setting a record of around $1.18 million per carat.
Indicative value:
Top Burmese pigeon blood rubies can range from about $30,000–50,000 per carat for smaller fine stones, up to hundreds of thousands of dollars per carat for exceptional larger gems, with record pieces above $1,000,000 per carat.
Musgravite
One of the world’s rarest gemstones
One of the world’s rarest gemstones
Discovered in Australia in 1967, Musgravite remains incredibly rare, with only a small number of gem-quality stones ever found.
Why it is more valuable than diamonds:
- True gemstone-size material is extremely rare
- Highly prized by collectors
- Unique grey-purple hue
One of the world’s rarest gemstones
One of the world’s rarest gemstones
One of the world’s rarest gemstones
Recent market analyses place high-quality stones at approximately $20,000–40,000 per carat, with some exceptional pieces reported closer to $35,000+ per carat.
Indicative value:
Fine musgravite: about $20,000–40,000 per carat, potentially higher for exceptional clarity and color..
Grandidierite
A rare blue-green rarity from Madagascar
A rare blue-green rarity from Madagascar
Transparent gem-quality Grandidierite is exceptionally scarce and commands high prices.
Key points:
- Unique blue-green color
- Almost no transparent specimens available
- Increasing global demand
A rare blue-green rarity from Madagascar
A rare blue-green rarity from Madagascar
A rare blue-green rarity from Madagascar
Transparent, faceted grandidierite is extremely rare.
Specialist sources estimate that fine quality stones can reach $8,000–20,000 per carat, with the very best examples exceeding this range. STARLANKA+2gemselect.com+2
Indicative value:
Fine grandidierite: approximately $8,000–20,000 per carat.
