10 Most Rare and Valuable Gemstones

3. The Millennium Sapphire – est $180 million

As the largest sapphire on record you would expect the Millennium Sapphire to impress with its glitter and shine. But in fact, the stone drops jaws for another reason: its design. Uncovered in Madagascar in 1995 it was certified in Bangkok before winning a Guinness World Record in 2001 as the largest carved sapphire. Carved you say? Yes, the owners of the Millennium Sapphire didn’t want to break the stone into pieces. Instead, they had artist Alessio Boschi design a carving for the stone that celebrated human ingenuity throughout time.

2. Bahia Emerald – est $400 million

When the Bahia Emerald was discovered in Brazil in 2001 it was clear this find was going to challenge ideas of value. Valued as high as $900 million (although most experts accept the more reasonable $400 million) the Bahia Emerald is the largest single shard of emerald ever discovered. Weighing around 381 kilograms the Bahia Emerald was recently listed as officially owned by FM Holdings after a period of unknown ownership that involved a smuggling and several thefts.