Precious Gemstones in History
Below are a few of such precious gemstones.
Hope Spinel
The Hope Spinel is a rose-hued gemstone, which was owned by British collector Henry Philip Hope. He hailed from a family of wealthy and reputed bankers of the 18th Century. The gemstone is extremely rare and weighed 50.13 carats.
The gem was found during an excavation at Kuh-i-Lal mines in Tajikistan. The gemstone has a flawless cut and exhibits exceptional transparency. The Hope Spinel was auctioned at the Bonhams Fine Jewelry sale in September 2015, fetching a record price of $1.4 million.
The Virgin Rainbow
The Virgin Rainbow is among the rarest opals in the world. It is characterized by a unique fluorescence that entails a rainbow of different colors. It emits a gorgeous glow at night and even displays more colors in the dark.
The gemstone was found by an Australian miner named John Dunstan in 2003. It was excavated from Coober Pedy in Southern Australia. Later, the precious gemstone was bought by the South Australian Museum of Adelaide for $1.1 million in 2015.
