Although diamonds are often valued and sought after as one of the rarest kinds of gems, compared to some other stones, they are actually somewhat abundant. Certain gems may have only a dozen or
r so specimens in the entire world, so their price range is often extremely high. It’s true that most people
will never wear jewelry made from these gems, let alone see the mineral in person, but it’s interesting to discover what kind of rare gems exist in the world.
Alexandrite is one attractive material that is also extremely rare. It’s especially sought after because it responds to light in a unique way; depending on the kind of light that shines on its surface, it actually changes color. This is much different than the usual gemstones that sometimes change color based on your viewing angle. For example, under a lightbulb, alexandrite seems purple, but under sunlight, it looks green!
Black Opal is another rare and prized gem, as it’s typically only found in one place: Lightning Ridge, Australia. The background color of these gems is dark, but it features rainbow-colored inclusions that reflect beautiful light as the stone is turned. Benitoite is another equally rare gem that has its own special feature: it glows fluorescently under UV light and emits a beautiful blue color. It’s also California’s state gem and one of the only known deposits is around the San Benito River in California, which is how it got its name.
Finally, Tanzanite is another exquisite gem that also gives off a brilliant blue color, ranging from light blue to dark violet. As the name suggests, it’s only found in Tanzania, Africa. It’s expected to increase much higher in price as supplies of the gem dwindle. In the late ’60s, Tiffany and Co. made this gem famous with some elegant jewelry.
Although the price of these gems is extremely high, it’s nice to just appreciate their intense beauty and radiance. These gems will only get rarer over time, but we can still admire their unique appearance and traits.
