There are literally hundreds of thousands of minerals on earth - most of which we will never see or come into contact with in real life.  In the list below though, you will find some of the most incredible looking or sounding gemstones around, a lot of which are steeped in a deep history of mystery and intrigue.

Each gemstone is listed in terms of value per carat.

Jeremejevite - $2,000 per carat

At first glance, the Jeremejevite doesn't seem like that special of a stone.  It was originally found way back in 1883 in the mountains of Siberia.  It composition is similar to quartz in that it is a hard stone which makes it a great gemstone for jewelry making and design.

Poudretteite - $3,000 per carat

Originally found back in the 1960s in Canada by the Poudretteite Family, the Poudretteite is a little more aesthetically pleasing. It almost has an amethyst kind of hue to it.  One of the biggest Poudretteite's found was in Burma, which was 9.41 carats.

Benitoite - $4,000 per carat

This is a really pretty one! So pretty that it almost looks fake.  It has a bright blue hue that is made up of silica, titanium, and barium.  The Benitoite is found in San Benito County, California.  Not only is this one pretty to look at, but it has an almost magic fluorescent glow that shines off of it in the sun or artificial light.

Alexandrite - $12,000 per carat

This little beauty was first found in Russia in the 1800s.  While the visual color looks like a deep purple, this is one of few stones that actually changes color depending on the light or darkness in a room.  In the light, it is an emerald green, while in the darkness it turns ruby or blood red.

Diamond - $15,000 per carat

Of course, you knew the diamond had to be on this list!  One of the most sought after and common types of gemstones, the diamond is the focus of most engagement rings.  Diamonds are pure carbon which is why they are one of the hardest gemstones around.  Diamonds are often found in cooled kimberlite that was formed 1-3 billion years ago.

Taaffeite - $35,000 per carat

Taaffeite is also a very different looking gemstone.  It offers a purplish hue like that of the amethyst, but  not as bold.  In fact, if you took a quick glance at the Taaffeite, you might actually miss the purple tint of the stone.  The Taaffeite was actually found in Dublin Ireland - already cut, in 1945.  It is said that it was originally mistaken as a Spinel.  It was only during inspection that they realized this was a new and unidentified gem.  This one is found in Sri Lanka and Tanzania.

Red Diamond - $1,000,000 per carat

No, that is not a typo!  The red diamond really is $1,000,000 per carat.  As of right now, there are only 30 known red diamonds in the world.  To say that these are rare is an understatement - which is probably why they are valued so high.  These red diamonds are really stunning.  One of the most well-known red diamonds is the Moussaieff Red diamond which was sold in 2011 for $8M!  Most people think the bright red color comes from an impurity in the stone.  But, actually, the red is formed from a plastic deformation in the crystal lattice of the stone.

If you are interested in purchasing or selling jewelry, or you want to know more about gemstones, visit Ralph Mueller & Associates or call 480.949.9229