Rare gemstones and crystals are often sought after for their beauty and elusive nature. Natural crystals make exquisite jewelry and have been used for centuries to create tools and weapons such as ax heads. Common and beloved crystals include amethysts, topaz, and diamonds, but you may have never even heard of the rarest crystal on Earth.
What Is the Rarest Crystal on Earth?
Taaffeite is the rarest crystal on Earth. It was discovered by Richard Taaffe in October 1945 and is the only example of a new mineral species first being discovered as a faceted gem. By 1982 the summer issue of Gems & Gemology stated that only around 10 taaffeite specimens had been identified at the time. Today it is believed that around 50 samples exist.
How Did Richard Taffe Discover Taaffeite?
A brilliant gemologist from Dublin, Taffe came across the small, mauve stone while examining a collection of unassuming crystals. Taffe purchased these crystals from a local watchmaker and jeweler, according to a paper from B.W. Anderson and G.F. Claringbull.
It appears that the reason taaffeite went unnoticed is that it was long mistaken for spinel, a common mineral that comes in a variety of stunning colors thanks to chromium. However, taaffeite is double refractive, while spinel is single refractive.
Taffe noted this while examining his puzzling new stone. The realization that the crystal was double refractive led him to send it to B. W. Anderson of the Laboratory of the London Chamber of Commerce for help in identification. By his own account, Taffe included the note:
“This time a new riddle: What is this mauve stone? It seems to me to answer all characteristics of spinel, yet it shows double refraction: doubling of facets visible under the Greenough, extinction when polarized, though with queer colour effects. Could anomalous double refraction be so strong? R.I. too high for topaz, S.G. too low for corundum. What is it ?”
Where Is Taaffeite Found Naturally?
Some of the first few examples of taaffeite occurred when gemologists discovered the mineral already cut and polished, mistaken for spinel, and sent on its way. So where does taaffeite naturally occur? According to Gemdat.org, natural taaffeite deposits were eventually discovered in Sri Lanka and southern Tanzania. Some lower-grade taaffeite also occurs in limestone sediments in China.
Appearance
Taaffeite comes in a variety of colors. The stone described by Taffe was mauve (a pale bluish-purple), but other color variations include pink, lavender, and peach, according to Bluestreak Crystals. Unlike crystals like spinel, diamonds, and garnet, taaffeite is a double-refractive crystal.
Price
Unsurprisingly, taaffeite can be very expensive, thanks to its rarity. More accessibly priced pieces tend to be lighter in saturation. Carl Larson of gem dealer Pala International stated that the light-pink and dark-purple material tends to cost around $800 to $2,500 per carat, according to National Jeweler.
For top-quality pieces, the price tag goes up. Taaffeite gemstones with higher color saturation fetch a price between $5,500- $7,500 per carat. This is far from the most expensive rate for taaffeite, however. Some of the highest-quality gems can sell for as much as $15,000 per carat. National Jeweller even mentions an instance of a lavender kite-shaped taaffeite weighing 5.34 carats selling at an auction for $20,000.
Other Rare Crystals
Jadeite and Red Beryl are a few other rare crystals worth mentioning. Jadeite belongs to the pyroxene family and is one of two distinct minerals known as jade. According to the International Gem Society, jadeite is the rarer and harder variety. The most highly valued jadeite has a rich green color and is known as “Imperial jade.” Imperial jade can be found in Myanmar and is valued at around $400 per carat.
By: Hannah Crawford
This article was originally published on MSN.