Gems are a big part of our history. They were worshipped by pagans, treasured by the royals and venerated by astrologers. These precious stones once believed to be gifts from Gods are now sold at sky-high rates in stores. Over the years, miners have exploited wealth of gems from the core of our planet to keep the demand and supply bar even. But only a handful of times have they stumbled across gemstones that have fetched unbelievable amounts of money for their sellers. Let’s take a look at the world’s 5 most expensive gems ever known to men.
Pink Star
Worth an unbelievable $71.2 million, the Pink Star is a 59.06 carat oval cut diamond. A laboratory graded vivid pink flawless gem, this diamond was sold in Hong Kong for the said price. The Pink star’s place of origin is South Africa where it was mined in 1999. The diamond is the largest vivid fancy pink diamond known. Its sales price set a new record in gem auctions.
Sunrise Ruby
If you thought that the world’s most precious gems are all diamonds, think again. This 25.59 carat Burmese Ruby that goes by the name of Sunrise Ruby for its crimson color is the most expensive ruby on record. In 2015, the stone made a record earning of $30.42 million. Pigeon blood in color, the Sunrise Ruby when sold was set on a Cartier mounting. The gem is named after a poem by the iconic poet Rumi.
Blue Belle of Asia
Once again, a gemstone which is not a diamond made it to the most precious gems on earth, this one a blue sapphire. Weighing an incredible 392.52 carat, this rock is called the Blue Belle of Asia for its dramatic azure color. The stone was sold in 2014 in Geneva where it made $17.3 million. Discovered in the island country of Sri Lanka, the Blue Belle of Asia is the most expensive blue sapphire on record.
Rockefeller Emerald
The Rockefeller emerald is an 18.04 carat stone priced $5.5 million. The stone got its name from John D. Rockefeller who first owned the stone in 1930s. The emerald, now a part of the Harry Winston collection was discovered in Columbia is totally untreated.
The Hope Spinel
The Hope Spinel diamond is a 50.13 carat gem that exhibits a very rare color. It was sold in 2015 for a record price of $1.47 million.
