Most Precious Color Gemstones of the World

Gemstones are precious and rare pieces of rocks that are found in many parts of our world. These gemstones are used to decorate jewelry pieces, some of them are a symbol of luxury and some of them were even used as currency in ancient times.

The origin and color of a gemstone are the two key factors that make a gemstone precious. Still, you should know that every gemstone that looks colored is not precious but many other factors are together responsible for making a gemstone precious. Let us understand what makes gemstones precious and which color gemstones are the most precious ones.

Factors That Make a Gemstone Precious

1. 4Cs- This includes:

Cut- It is a shape into which a gemstone is cut to yield maximum brilliance and minimum inclusions.

Carat- It implies the weight of a gemstone. 1 carat is equal to 0.2 grams. The price of a gemstone increases with the carat weight, but after a point, it does not remain directly proportional to the carat weight. This is because it is hard to find a gemstone with good clarity and high carat weight.

Clarity- Gemstones are graded based on inclusions and surface imperfections. A gemstone with fewer inclusions is the most precious one.

Color- In the first place, the color of a gemstone should be uniform. In some gemstones the darkest shade is considered the rarest one and the most precious one, while in others lighter shade is the precious one. For example, tanzanite in its darkest hue is the most expensive one but in the case of aquamarine optimum color tones are more expensive than the darker ones.

Origin:

Origin is an important factor that decides the worth of a gemstone. Some gemstones, such as tanzanite, occur in a very small area in the world. Similarly, some color variants of popular gemstones are hard to find.

Precious Color Gemstones of the World:

1. Tanzanite:

You probably would have heard about tanzanite if you are even slightly acquainted with the gem world. This violet-blue color gemstone is found just in the 4.3x1.2 miles of mining area in northern Tanzania.

2. Black Opal:

Opal is already a valuable gemstone, and black opal is very rare to find. The stone is dark but has a surprising array of colors. Most of the black opals occur in the Lightning Ridge area of New South Wales, Australia. The largest black opal weighs 306-carat and is valued at approx. $3 million.

3. Musgravite:

This gemstone is valued at nearly $35,000 per carat. It was named because of its discovery in the Musgrave Ranges of Australia. Color of musgravite ranges from translucent olive green to greyish purple.

4. Red beryl:

The gemstone mainly consists of beryllium, aluminum, and silicate. It is found in Utah’s Wah Wah Mountains. Red beryl is found in shades of red but coloration is determined by the minerals present in the stone.

5. Alexandrite:

Alexandrite is a well-known precious gemstone known for its color-changing properties. It was first discovered in the early 1830s. It is commonly found in Russia, India, and Srilanka.

It is also called emerald by day and ruby by night. Made of the mineral chrysoberyl, alexandrite changes its color because of the presence of chromium in the mineral.

Other than these 5 most precious gemstones of the world, some varieties of diamonds can also be considered rare and precious. If you are planning to buy a loose gemstone from an investment point of view, these gemstones can give you good returns, but it is not a good idea to put all the eggs in one basket and so you should go for multiple gemstones of low carat weight rather than going for one gemstone of high carat weight.