Discovering the largest, most expensive and exceptionally rare gemstones
The “Star of Adam” or the blue star sapphire
The largest sapphire in the world was discovered in 2016 in Sri Lanka. On the counter, it has 1404 carats . The particularity of this precious stone? The sapphire reflects the image of a 6-pointed star when exposed to light. Hence its name "Star of Adam" literally " The Star of Adam ". As for its value, it fluctuates between 100 and 300 million dollars. An overpriced sapphire that remains a dream for all jewelry lovers, whether it is creation or second-hand jewelry. In fact, its value increased sharply when Kate Middleton displayed her royal ring: a jewel set with 12-carat blue sapphire .
The "Guinness Emerald" or the emerald holding a world record
Extracted from the Coscuez mine in Colombia, this 1,759-carat emerald is owned by Fura Gems. It is the largest uncut gemstone on earth. So naturally it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Its value? $500 million once cut and polished. And you know what? The Guinness Emerald is only part of the 10% of the extraction made from the Coscuez mine. There is a very good chance that other emeralds of colossal size are still buried there. While waiting for its future owner, it is at the Banco Nacional de Colombia that the Guinness Emerald is located.
The “Chaiyo Ruby”: the mysterious ruby
Emerging from the lands of a mine in South Asia, this ruby named Chaiyo weighs around 109,000 carats , or the weight of an 8-year-old child. This precious stone is worth around $448 million. At present, the whereabouts of this stone are unknown. According to some rumors, the Chaiyo before disappearing in 2000, was in a safe in Laos. The ruby could currently be either in Myanmar or Thailand. But, whatever the truth, the Chaiyo has entered the legend of the largest, rarest and most beautiful precious stones of the moment.
The “Bahia Emerald”
The Bahia Emerald is the largest emerald ever discovered in a single shard. Its weight? 1.7 million carats (yes, you read that right) . It was mined in a Bahia mine in Brazil. The Bahia Emerald is safely kept in a vault in Los Angeles, United States. Its value is almost $925 million. As for its history, it is shrouded in mystery like the Chaiyo Ruby. Indeed, the emerald was stored in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It was almost swept away by flood waters. It was then stolen to be safely kept in a vault in Southern California in 2008. After legal battles to determine the rightful owner of the Bahia Emerald, the stone has been in the hands of FM Holdings since 2015. The American justice system then seized the emerald. When will we get emerald jewelry from the Bahia Emerald? In 2023, we still don't know what will happen to the gigantic stone.
The “Letseng Diamond”
The largest diamond ever discovered to date is none other than the "Letseng Diamond". This magnificent gemstone was extracted from a diamond mine in Lesotho, Africa. Despite its 910 carats (a grain of sand compared to others), the Letseng Diamond has a high value (400 million dollars to be exact), particularly due to its purity. Free of nitrogen, this rare diamond does not present any impurities to the naked eye.
Precious stones: when rarity turns heads
Through the presentation of these exceptional gems, we realize that beyond their size, their rarity creates many stories, sometimes incredible ones!
