Gemstones, immortalized in literature, coveted by man, fought over by many, and the cause of wars, can be worth quite a lot of money. This is especially true when particularly rare gems are found. The question you might be asking yourself is how experts actually manage to put a price on gemstones. If you are interested in knowing what these methods are, then you are in the right place, as this guide has been created to give you a complete overview. It’s definitely worth reading on now in order to get the best possible understanding.
Through X-Ray Crystallography
If you are serious about understanding the innate structures of crystals, then one of the best ways to get up and close with how the crystals actually work is through x-ray crystallography. X-ray crystallography can measure the individual beams that come through a crystal before using computer software to be able to get a clear understanding of the makeup. This is essential when being able to determine the difference between a real crystal and a fake one. They can even take a part of the crystal’s powder and analyze it fully using powder x-ray diffraction.
Through Their Size
As popularized in the Adam Sandler-starring film Uncut Gems, gemstones are often assessed via their size. This is because if there are gems that weigh a certain amount, they can often command a lot bigger prices. This is why the size of a gemstone is actually given out in carats. Therefore, if a carat weighs 1 gram, then it is considered to be five carats, as one carat is 0.2 grams. Usually, the more carats that a gemstone has, the more valuable it is.
The Type of Gemstone
Gemstones that are the most valuable are the ones that have the highest PPC. PPC stands for price per carat, which basically means the amount that people are willing to pay for every 0.2 grams of a gem. These prices start rather reasonably before becoming extremely expensive. For example, while Tanzanite, found in Northern Tanzania, is around $1,200 per carat, this price shoots up to around $9,500 per carat for Black Opal.
Red Beryl has a similar price to Black Opal, but Musgravite has a PPC of $35,000. Prices in the six figures include Emerald ($305,000 per carat), while Ruby and Pink Diamonds cost over one million per carat, respectively. Nonetheless, for the real big spenders, Jadeite comes in at $3 million per carat, while Blue Diamond will cost you nearly $4 million per carat! It’s a general rule of thumb that the rarer a gemstone is, the more expensive it will be.
Whatever People Are Willing to Pay for It
While many gemstones are sold in jewelry stores, the top stones are more likely to be found in an auction house. This means that while the gemstones might have a base starting price, the ultimate price of any gemstone can actually be what people are finally willing to pay for it in an auction house.
