Which birthstone is the rarest?
I guess many of us know about the ‘three C’ rules used to determine value and rarity of gemstones: cut quality, clarity, and carat (size). The following birthstones are so rare that for some of them none of these ‘three C’ rules applies because a large volume of these gems end up in mineral collections and never get cut of faceted.
But there is also the fourth ‘C’ rule, and it definitely has an impact on rarity. It is ‘color’. For example, garnet is a relatively common birthstone, but green uvarovite garnet is not. Seldom crystals large enough to be faceted are found. Another important criteria for us is for the gem to be included in the list of birthstones.
So which birthstones are the rarest? Here is the countdown of very rare gems that are the birthstones as well.
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Please read our full disclosure here. Thank you!
5. Alexandrite
Alexandrite was discovered in Imperial Russia in 1830s in the Ural Mountains. The birthstone was named after the Russian Czar Alexander II and is also called ‘emerald by day, ruby by night’ because it changes color under artificial light. Mines in Russia have been exhausted, and even with discovery of alexandrite in other locations like Brazil and East Africa, it is still scarce. Most alexandrite on the market today are artificial gems. As a birthstone, alexandrite is a symbol of good fortune.
Golden ring set with Alexandrite
4. Black Opal
Most opals have creamy-white background and are somewhat pale. Black opal has a black background and hence displays the most mesmerizing play of colors. This birthstone is found only in some desert regions of Australia. Opal is the birthstone of truth and altruism.
3. Tanzanite
Tanzanite was discovered in 1967 by Tiffany and Co geologists and was named after a country it was found in. Currently it is found only in one small region of Tanzania and the supply is very limited. Tanzanite is one of December birthstones.
2. Red Beryl
Red beryl was also often called bixbite. This rare birthstone was discovered in 1904 in Wah Wah mountains in Utah. Gem quality red beryl crystals are kept in mineral collections and are almost never faceted. According to Utah Geological Survey, only one red beryl is discovered with every 150,000 gem quality diamonds. Beryl is a powerful birthstone with a lot of virtues attributed to it.
Bixbit - a very rare red variety of beryl
1. Red Diamond
Diamonds exist in nature in relatively good quantities, and prices for them are in big part driven by demand and smart marketing of major mining companies like De Beers. But there are varieties of diamonds so rare that very few people saw them. The rarest of them all is red diamond which is arguably the rarest birthstone. It is estimated that there are about 20 to 30 red diamond specimens known with the most famous being the 5.1 carat Moussaieff Red. It is rumored that if this birthstone was offered through the auction it would absolutely crush the current record of the most money paid for a diamond which is $71 million.
There are several interesting stories about diamond, as well as this gem has very interesting virtues and legends.
