Digg it!Diamond remains the most expensive gemstone around. It may only be topped by the stones from the moon that only NASA has.
However, if you are looking for rare kinds of gemstones that may just be as beautiful and as precious as a diamond but more affordable, check out the stones below. If money is tight but still wants to give your girl a really nice engagement ring, the stones below will do just fine. You can also use this as gifts. The fact that these ones are rare add to their value.
10. Multicolored Tourmaline
About the Stones
Crystals with only one colour are fairly rare. Tourmalines are mixed crystals of aluminium boron silicate with a complex and changing composition. It’s a rather complex mineral group. Even minor changes in composition cause completely different colours. And that is how, on one and the same crystal, although it has grown quite naturally, completely different colours can occur, mostly in elongated columns one above the other, as if Nature had piled coloured rings one on top of the other.
Where to find it
Otjua Mine, Karibib, Namibia
9. Tanzanite
About the Stones
It is a perfect engagement ring for those who don’t like following the convention. Its blue is surrounded by a fine hint of purple. On its discovery in 1967, it was enthusiastically celebrated by the specialists as the ‘gemstone of the 20th century’. They held their breath in excitement as they caught sight of the first deep-blue crystals which had been found in the Merelani Hills near Arusha in the north of Tanzania.
Where to find it
East African state of Tanzania
8. Zultanite
About the Stones
Zultanite’s characteristics make it an excellent jewelry gemstone. While Zultanite is classified by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) as a Type II gemstone (gems that typically grow with some inclusions that may be eye-visible), only faceted Zultanite eye-clean (no visible inclusions when the gem is examined approximately 6 inches from the naked eye) is available on the market. This stance significantly reduces our yield, increasing marketplace rarity, but ensures consumers never have to worry about the beauty of Zultanite being anything else but crystal clear. Relatively new to the jewelry world, Zultanite is one gemstone whose amazing natural color changing abilities makes it well suited to savvy jewelry connoisseurs. Its colors change from kiwi to champagne to raspberry,
Where to find it
Russia’s Ural Mountains
7. Alexandrite
About the Stones
The most sensational feature about this stone is its surprising ability to change its colour. Green or bluish-green in daylight, alexandrite turns a soft shade of red, purplish-red or raspberry red in incandescent light. This unique optical characteristic makes it one of the most valuable gemstones of all, especially in fine qualities.
Alexandrite is very scarce: this is due to its chemical composition. It is basically a chrysoberyl, a mineral consisting of colourless or yellow transparent chrysoberyl, chrysoberyl cat’s eye and colour-changing alexandrite (also in cat’s eye varieties). It differs from other chrysoberyls in that it not only contains iron and titanium, but also chromium as a major impurity. And it is this very element which accounts for the spectacular colour change. Rarely, vanadium may also play a part. According to CIBJO nomenclature, only chrysoberyls displaying a distinct change of colour may be termed alexandrite.
Where to find it
Tokovaya River in the Urals
6. Agate
About the Stones
Agate is a relatively inexpensive stone except for some varieties with unusual banded or scenic markings. In recent years, Montana agate has gained wide acceptance in jewelry and well cut stones with nicely defined patterns often exceed the price of some of the more well known gemstones. Plume agate is another that often brings high dollar. So aim for those ones.
Where to find it
Africa, Asia, Brazil, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, and the USA
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the large pendant looks atqunie..it has a good elegant vintage look but agate and jasper beads are the best bead i have ever seen it looks fresh and cool..-= Anne @ Mother Of Pearl Beadsb4s last blog .. =-.
This is a very nice bracelet. I own a lot of CZ and am ifraly picky this has a nice heavy weight, quality clasp, sparkly stones, and would look great with a dress or jeans. Thank you Amazon for a nice, high-quality piece, fast shipping and a good price. Would have given 5 stars except that is is stamped RCZ 925 Made in China on the clasp and I’m trying to buy items made in the USA these days. I didnt see that it was made in China in the description before ordering.