Planet Earth is home to a vast number of invaluable gemstones of which have been in it for over millions of years. They number over two hundred and each have their own unique properties.
Gemstones are rocks or minerals that naturally occur in nature and have been cut, shaped, polished and used as decorative items. They are valued because of their extreme rarity, beauty and unique properties or appearance.
Some well-known gemstones are diamonds; which are known for their unparalled toughness, you might’ve come across one while admiring an engagement ring. Ruby is a deep red gemstone and symbolizes love and power, the Sunrise Ruby set a world record at auction where it was sold for $30.3 million. Others include Sapphire, Emerald, Amethyst, Topaz, Opal.
Many gemstones are usually associated with abstract and metaphysical meanings, for example, opal is said to imbue creativity, Amethyst is associated with tranquility, emeralds symbolize rebirth.
Taking the number 5 spot is a gemstone that can only be found on a single mountain in the whole world, Tanzanite Stone, it is 1000 times rarer than a diamond. It was discovered in 1967 in Tanzania and has a unique property of trichroism [ displays different colors when observed from different angles], the colors are blue, violet and burgundy. Unfortunately, this rare gem stone is expected to be mined out in the next 30 years.
The Red Beryl discovered in the Wah-Wah Mountains of Utah claims its spot as number four, it resides in the same family of minerals with emeralds.it is unique because only a small fraction of them live up to gemstone quality, one in a hundred and fifty thousand.
The number 3 spot goes to the Black Opal, the rarest Variant of Opals and is found in Australia. The colors of the Black Opal mimic the Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis. The Black Opal Tiara was valued at over $500,000. The Opaline queen is a necklace featuring a black opal stone and is valued at over $1 million.
Second runner up is Alexandrite which merges the properties of Emerald and Ruby, it appears blue when exposed to lights of high intensity but emits a purple hue when subjected to lower lights. It was discovered in 1930 and was exhausted within a couple decades of its discovery.
Claiming its spot as the rarest gemstone and rarest mineral on planet earth is Painite and it holds the Guiness world record for it. After it was discovered in 1951, there were only 2 specimens for the next decades.
Gemstones have played a significant role in human history and have influenced society, culture and individual lives, they embody a rich tapestry of significance and have influenced human experiences across cultures and individual lives.
[Source](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunrise_Ruby&ved=2ahUKEwjJl5m9u4mIAxXYVEEAHVubO2YQFnoECBIQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0QMsvR71S6jH4brRCeZlSh https://www.kgkgroup.com/5-rarest-gemstones-earth/)
All images were gotten from pixabay, shutterstock and Pinterest.
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