Gemstones that are Rarer than your Diamond Engagement Ring

We are all told that diamonds are among the rarest and most valuable stones, and it is this rarity that makes the diamond engagement ring such a popular choice. However, generally unknown to the majority of the general public, there are far rarer gemstones than diamonds.

Alexandrite

Alexandrite is an extremely rare and genuinely incredible gemstone, owing to the fact that it can actually undergo dramatic shifts in colour, depending on what kind of light it’s in. This colour change is independent of the angle when viewed under an artificial light source, which makes it different from pleochroic gems which only shift colours when you rotate them in your hand. A variety of chrysoberyl, this rare gem actually belongs to the same family of gemstones as the emerald.

Tanzanite

It has been said that tanzanites are about 1000 times rarer than diamonds, and this may very well be true, given that this particular gem is found almost exclusively in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro and is in extremely limited supplies. Just like alexandrite, tanzanite exhibits dramatic colour shifts that are dependent upon crystal orientation and lighting conditions.

Red diamonds

Technically red diamonds are diamonds, but they highlight the little known fact that diamonds actually come in a wide variety of colours. Diamonds occur in all shades, such as yellow, orange, brown, blue, green, black, pink and red – and these fancy colour diamonds are even rarer than traditional colourless diamonds. All you need to do is compare the largest red diamond on Earth, the Moussaieff Red, which weighs about 5.11 carats, with the largest traditional diamonds which weigh well over 500 carats. So you might want to consider a fancy colour diamond engagement ring if you want a truly rare and priceless stone.

Red Beryl

Red beryl, also known as ‘red emerald’ or ‘scarlet emerald’, was first described in 1904, and while it is closely related on a chemical level to both emerald and aquamarine, it is considered much rarer than both of them. The mineral is limited to parts of Utah and New Mexico and has proven exceptionally difficult to mine. As such, estimates suggest that rubies of similar quality – which if you remember, are very rare gems themselves – are roughly 8000 times as plentiful as any given red beryl specimen. Consequently, prices of red beryl have been known to reach as much as $10,000 per carat for cut stones, which is considerably more expensive than a diamond engagement ring.

As you can see, if you desire something a little unconventional but still rare and prized, then you might want to consider one of these rare gems as an alternative to the classic diamond engagement ring – but be prepared to pay for it.

Frederick Holm writes for the F&L Designer Guides, which hosts a thriving community of independent engagement ring designers in the UK. Inspired by their journey of discovery in search of a distinctive, one-of-a-kind diamond engagement ring, F&L now celebrates the works of their favourite designers and helps promote the notion of "Go Bespoke" as a more imaginative and interesting alternative to the limitations of High Street shopping.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.