When you hear the words “rare gemstones,” which one comes to mind first? Chances are, you just thought about diamonds.
But here’s the thing: Diamonds aren’t really that rare at all. A few years ago, a report revealed that diamonds might be about 1,000 times more common than people previously thought. There are apparently about a quadrillion tons of diamonds sitting somewhere below the surface of the Earth just waiting to be found.
That’s probably not going to get people to stop buying diamonds anytime soon. But it does show that diamonds aren’t the rarest gemstone or the most unique gemstone in the world.
There are rare gemstones that are just as enticing as diamonds and even harder to find. Here are eight cool, rare gemstones that should be on your radar.
- Tanzanite
Even though tanzanite is much rarer than sapphire, you can actually buy this rare gemstone for a fraction of what sapphire will cost you. And some people will argue that its violet-blue hue is prettier than what sapphire has to offer.
As its name might suggest, tanzanite is only found in a very small section of Tanzania. But since it was first found way back in the 1960s, it has quickly risen in prominence in large part because of its association with Tiffany & Co.
Tanzanite might not be the most valuable gemstone around. But it is one of the most beautiful rare gemstones you’ll ever lay eyes on.
- Jadeite
More often than not, jadeite will have an electric green color that’ll really bring it to life. But it’s worth noting that it can also be found in many other colors, including yellow, black, lavender, and blue. It can be colorless in some cases, too.
This rare gemstone has earned its rightful place in the Chinese and Mayan cultures, and while it can be a valuable gemstone to some people, those within these cultures consider it to be invaluable. There is a lot of folklore behind it that makes it such a revered gemstone to so many people.
- Tourmaline
While some rare gemstones like jadeite come in a cornucopia of colors, there aren’t many that come in as many colors as tourmaline. There is an old Egyptian legend that touches on how tourmaline must have passed over a rainbow at some point to come in all the colors that it does.
Tourmaline can be found in a few places throughout the world, including Brazil and Sri Lanka. But the bulk of it is situated near the Mozambique Belt in East Africa.
Read more on tourmaline to learn all about what makes it so special and unique.
- Red Beryl
Red beryl is closely related to other gemstones like aquamarine, emerald, and morganite. But it’s a unique gemstone in its own right in that it features a very deep, rich, dark red color that is the result of the manganese in it.
Red beryl is also ridiculously hard to find since the only place you can get it is in the Wah Wah Mountains of Utah. Good luck getting your hands on it!
- Alexandrite
Alexandrite is a rare gemstone that was first discovered back in the 1830s in the Ural Mountains in Russia. The really cool thing about this gemstone is that it can take on any number of colors throughout a given day.
During the day, alexandrite might appear to be blue or green. But at night, it might look like it’s red or purple. The color-changing properties of alexandrite help separate it from all the other rare gemstones listed here.
- Benitoite
Benitoite is California’s state gem and for good reason. The only place it can be found is in San Benito County, California.
Benitoite has been praised for being both rarer than diamonds and for having better dispersion than diamonds. It usually takes on a sapphire-blue color, but it can also be a lot lighter than that depending on the dispersion of specific gemstones.
- Natural Pearl
We know what you’re thinking right now: “Pearls? Are they really that rare?”
Cultured pearls are pretty much a dime a dozen at this point. You can find them in most jewelry stores.
But we aren’t talking about those types of pearls. Instead, we’re referring to natural pearls that are almost impossible to find in the ocean these days.
These pearls aren’t perfectly round like cultured pearls, and they also aren’t always the perfect “pearl” color, either. They have their imperfections, and that’s what makes them so unique.
- Ammolite
Of all the rare gemstones on this list, ammolite is the one that was found most recently. It only emerged in the early 1980s in the Rocky Mountains.
But at the same time, there isn’t anything especially new about ammolite. It originates from the aragonite shells that mollusks had somewhere between 60 and 70 million years ago.
Ammolite is a rare gemstone that can showcase any number of colors, and in some instances, you’ll see all the colors of the rainbow in one stone. It makes it one of the most gorgeous rare gemstones around.
Each of These Rare Gemstones Are Very Unique
Diamonds are forever, as they say, so we wouldn’t expect to see them go anywhere in the near future. But as you’ve seen here, diamonds aren’t the rarest gemstones around by any stretch of the imagination.
Each of the rare gemstones on this list is much rarer than diamonds. They’re also more unique than diamonds in both their appearance and the number of them in the world