Precious gems are not only a decorative jewel but is also a discrete investment and an ideal asset to pass down as a family inheritance. Among the myriad of gemstones available, there are only a handful that are really worth the investment. Precious stones that have not been treated with chemical inclusions or heated to enhance clarity, and have been carefully cut to retain as much value in weight as possible command the highest prices at major auction sales. Market value of precious gemstones are determined by the 4Cs (cut, carat, colour and clarity) but also valued for their origins. These are the most valuable gemstones worth investing in: 

Pink diamonds

Though the common adage states that a diamond is a girl’s best friend, coloured diamonds are indeed anyone’s best investment. Pink diamonds are high-end precious gems and are very rare. They have a broad range of colours but top investments are commonly put into fancy, fancy intense and fancy vivid. Though diamonds are known to be a volatile assets as appreciation can be difficult to predict, pink diamonds have been growing exponentially in value as well as popularity. Such is the case recently when a rare 14.83 carat purple-pink diamond mined from western Australia’s Argyle mine, a region said to produce premium quality pink diamonds. The precious stone astounded spectators when it realized HK$163 million at a major auction house this month. However, it is extremely rare for colour diamonds to be found in large sizes, so it isn’t unknown for people to purchase as low as a quarter of a carat,  although experts recommend to start from at least half a carat to a carat-and-a-half which could cost up to at least HK$775,064. 

 

Burmese ruby

 An almost mythical gem for its scarcity and one of the most finest jewel to exist in the world, Burmese rubies, also known as ‘old Burmese rubies’, have a deep red pigeon blood colour with superior clarity. The stones are mined from districts surrounding Mogok and Mong Hsu regions in Northern Burma which are known to produce 90% of this type of purple-red coloured gem with impeccable clarity because of the highest level of chromium minerals in the ground, resulting in extremely saturated rubies. However, it is common for stones to be heated even before exiting the caves, which makes scarcity of untreated Burmese rubies extremely rare and command one of the highest price per carat among other gemstones at around HK$140,000. The most expensive coloured gemstone ever sold at auction in the US is a burmese ruby named The Jubilee Ruby. Weighing in an amazing 15.99 carat, the jewel set its record in 2019 at HK$69 million per carat.

Colombian emerald

Famously adored by Cleopatra, emeralds possess a magnetism that makes this caprivating gem an undoubtedly beautiful and popular precious stone. Though when it comes to investing in emeralds, buyers are advised to be cautious of the properties of the gem. Emeralds are commonly known to have several imperfections due to the high level of iron minerals in the stone, leading many stone cutters and jewellery makers to improve its clarity and colour with heat and chemicals. Although a flawless emerald with pronounced clarity is important, the significance of choosing a certified gemstone that has not been treated with any enhancers to alter its original form is essential in retaining the gem’s value. The reason why emeralds from Colombia are worth more than emeralds from other countries is because they contain less iron and fewer impurities and fractions. Some of the rarest and most expensive emeralds in the world come from the Colombian mines and have a stunning blue-green medium tone with a vivid saturation — an ideal characteristic when purchasing emeralds. The price per carat for an untreated Colombian emerald can reach up to over HK$116,259. 

Kashmir sapphires

A legend among gemstones, the Kashmir sapphire’s value peaks high above its other blue-hued brethren for its origin and properties. This gemstone contains only the best specimen and is beyond comparison proven by the outstanding cornflower blue colour that is unique to the location of its origin. Mined from the remote Zanskar range along the Himalaya Mountains, an area known for its bright blue sapphires, the allure of its velvety-blue stone has been known to kings since the early 1880s and continued to be mined since. Its long standing reputation and history has resulted in fewer productions today due to its scarcity. Many of the known existing Kashmir sapphires of the highest value are locked away in museums making the already rare gemstone even harder to obtain. The cost of this sapphire can reach up to HK$85,000 per carat though it has been regularly hitting the HK$1.2 million mark at major auction sales and will continue to rise in value.