Diamonds may be celebrated for their beauty, but gems come in various hues that span the spectrum – some rare, while others feature multiple hues in one stone, like opals and moonstones. The actual Interesting Info about Natural gemstones.
Taaffeite features a hexagonal crystal formation and ranges in color from green to blue, while alexandrite and paraiba tourmaline also change colors when exposed to ultraviolet rays.
Taaffeite
Taaffeite is one of the rarest gems and prized among collectors. A lavender kite-shaped taaffeite sold for $20,000 at auction last year at Bonhams; Larson said that in seven years at Pala International, he has only seen approximately 20 taaffeites; most are light in color and small – “those of high quality sell very quickly,” said Larson.
Once discovered in 1945, Taaffeite was initially misidentified as spinel until a gemologist noticed its distinctive refractivity. Taaffeite can be found in both Tanzania and Sri Lanka, but only rare gem-grade pieces have ever been discovered; one carat of facetted Taaffeite could cost anywhere between $10,000-15,000 depending on its quality and color saturation.
Benitoite, another blue-to-purple gemstone, was initially mistaken for sapphire due to its similar hue before it was properly examined. Found primarily in Madagascar and Sri Lanka, however, its original mine closed during the 2000s, almost guaranteeing that this rare stone will always remain one of the rarest on Earth. As one of August’s birthstones, it can fetch prices as high as $10,000 per carat when cut properly and sold through well-cut dealers.
Alexandrite
Alexandrite is one of the world’s most prized gems, boasting one of the fastest color changes among gemstones – appearing bluish-green under daylight and reddish-purple under artificial illumination (such as light bulbs). As part of the Chrysoberyl family along with Emeralds and Cat’s Eye, this color change occurs due to trace amounts of Chromium present which gives beryl its green hue; Alexandrite was first discovered in Russia’s Ural Mountains in 1830 and later was mined commercially from Sri Lankan, Brazil, and Eastern Africa countries.
Due to its rarity and beauty, Alexandrite gemstones have great worth, making them a highly desired alternative to diamonds due to their history with Russian royal families.
Alexandrite can be found both natural and lab-grown. While lab-grown alexandrite has many of the same properties as its natural counterpart, it doesn’t hold as large of a market share due to low purity levels. If you want genuine alexandrite, ensure it comes with a reliable lab report before purchasing.
Benitoite
Benitoite (pronounced ben-ee-toe-ite) is one of the rarest gemstones on Earth, both expensive and beautiful. Benitoite is a barium titanium silicate gem, the Official State Gem of California, known for its bright ocean blue tones and unique hexagonal crystal formation. Additionally, this gemstone boasts vitreous luster with blue fluorescence under shortwave ultraviolet lighting; gem-quality benitoite can only be found in San Benito County in California!
In 1907, prospector James M. Couch discovered Benitoite at what has since become known as the Benitoite Gem Mine in San Benito County, California. At first, he believed it might be sapphire, but upon consulting a mineralogist at the University of California, it soon became apparent that it was indeed an entirely new gemstone!
Benitoite mesmerizes collectors thanks to its higher dispersive quality than diamond and luxurious hues that rival sapphires, mesmerizing collectors with its unparalleled dispersive quality and luxurious hues. Most commonly found as blue specimens, rarer specimens may feature yellow, pink, or even colorless zones zoning; its exact source remains elusive, but scientists speculate it could have something to do with iron impurities that go through charge transfer processes and ultimately change color.
Paraiba Tourmaline
Paraiba Tourmaline holds an exquisite place in many gem enthusiasts’ hearts as one of the rarest gemstones on the market. Its intense blue and neon green hues are caused by an alloy of boron and copper, giving this gemstone its signature hues. Furthermore, its high concentration of copper sets it apart from other tourmalines with green or blue-green tones.
Heitor Dimas Barbosa discovered these exquisite stones in Brazil, and their discovery sent shockwaves through the gem industry. Some questioned their authenticity; therefore, these gems were sent to some of the largest stone laboratories worldwide for authentication – they were later confirmed as accurate!
Today’s tourmalines can be found in shades of green and blue; however, those with intense saturation and medium tone remain highly sought-after gems. Such gems should have no secondary hues or inclusions and be free from secondary hues or inclusions that reduce value; furthermore, it would be wise to avoid those that come in pink, violet, purple, and other non-blue colors as these tend to be less rare and don’t command higher prices.
Poudretteite
Poudretteite (pronounced pyo-dree-tt-ee) was named for the family that owned a quarry near Mont Saint Hilaire, Quebec, where it was discovered as tiny crystals during the 1960s. Not recognized as a mineral until 1986, Poudretteite can range from colorless to purple-pink depending on manganese presence; its rare and precious specimens with vibrant hues may fetch as much as $35,000 per carat!
Tanzanite can only be found in Tanzania at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. It is the blue variety of zoisite and was first sold commercially by Tiffany & Co immediately upon discovery. Tanzanite stands out among gems because its trichroic properties allow different hues to emerge under various lighting conditions – although heat treatments are sometimes done to increase its color further. Untreated tanzanite has recently become increasingly popular.
Jeremejevite (yer-ah-meh-YAY-vite) is an exquisite mineral discovered first in Russia. Resembling amethyst in color and having piezoelectric properties that produce electricity when pressure is applied, this rare and stunning stone is highly prized due to its beauty and rarity. However, locating can be challenging because it is not very hard and cracking easily.
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