10 Rarest Red Stones for Jewelry

Associated with passion, love and energy, red is a bold and striking color. Red stones range in shades from deep burgundy to a bright cherry red, and make eye-catching jewelry. While there are many of these red stones in the market, some of them are far rarer than others. Here are the ten rarest red stones for jewelry.

Rarest of Red Stones: Diamond

Red diamond is the rarest not only of all diamonds, but of red stones too. This red stone is indeed extremely rare, with only about 30 true-red diamonds known in existence. Most are also less than half a carat. The biggest, the Moussaieff Red, weighs only a little over 5 carats. The majority of these red stones came from the Argyle mine of Western Australia. The same mine ceased operations in 2020, thus adding to the rarity of red diamond. The color of the red stones ensue from a rare instance of deformation in the crystal. This explains why red diamond scarcely occurs. See —

2nd Rarest of Red Stones: Red Beryl

The second rarest of red stones is the red beryl, which also went by the names ‘bixbite’ and ‘red emerald.’ Red beryl appeared in a few locations around the world, but those suitable for cutting came from the Wah Wah Mountains of Utah, USA, where this gem first came to light. The red stones are mostly less than a carat in weight, and most of the faceted gems are a fourth of a carat or less. A variety of the mineral beryl, red beryl gets its vivid color from traces of manganese. In addition to its rarity, collectors and enthusiasts highly prize the red beryl for this intense red color. High demand for these rare deep-red stones consequently makes it one of the most expensive gemstones in the world.

3rd Rarest of Red Stones: Red Musgravite

The third rarest of red stones is the red musgravite. Musgravite first came to light in 1967 in South Australia’s Musgrave Ranges, whence the mineral obtained its name. A member of the taaffeite mineral group, musgravite comes from only a few known locations. Gem-quality musgravites came mostly from Tanzania and Burma. Though typically found in grayish shades, musgravite sometimes occurs in red. The largest as of April 2, 2023 was the 21-carat Ophir Red.

4th Rarest of Red Stones: Alexandrite

Though primarily known as a color-changing gem, alexandrite also occurs in red stones, or ones that appear red at least at night. In fact, the finest and most valuable alexandrites exhibit a rich, vivid red color under incandescent light, while others display a purplish or brownish red under the same light source. Chromium is the coloring matter responsible for alexandrite’s changing hues. A very rare form of chrysoberyl, alexandrite first appeared in the Ural Mountains of Russia in 1830. Though the Russian stones were the finest, alexandrite also occurs in other locations, including Sri Lanka, East Africa and Brazil.

5th Rarest of Red Stones: Painite

Painite first became known in Myanmar in the 1950s. Named after its discoverer, Arthur C. D. Pain, this rare mineral occurs in very small quantities. Its color is typically a brownish red. Painite only had two gems cut before 2005. Though hundreds more were faceted since then, painite remains extremely rare. Its color ensues from the inclusion of chromium and vanadium.

6th Rarest of Red Stones: Ruby

An old gem representing the color red, ruby had almost always been more scarce than white diamond. This redstone obtains its color from the presence of chromium, and is in fact simply the red variety of precious corundum, popularly known as ‘sapphire’ in any other color. The most valuable of rubies go by the term ‘pigeon-blood,’ whose color, as the name suggests, is reminiscent of the bird’s blood spilled against its white feathers. Such high-quality stones of a bright deep red are quite rare, and came primarily from Myanmar. The red corundum also occurs in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Madagascar. Both its rarity and beauty made ruby one of the most expensive gemstones in the world.

7th Rarest of Red Stones: Red Andesine

Red andesine has been a source of controversy in recent years. The vast majority of red andesines in the market underwent treatment to artificially enhance their color, thus leading to concerns over whether or not natural red andesine even exists. The conditions that produce red andesine indeed seldom come together. A feldspar mineral that forms in volcanic rocks, andesine requires the presence of copper in high enough concentrations to occur in a vivid red color, which rarely actually happens. Still, natural red stones of red do occur, just they are extremely rare. In particular, a deposit of red andesine came to light in Tibet. Of the rough crystals from this locality, high-quality specimens fit for jewelry are even harder to come by.

8th Rarest of Red Stones: Red Spinel

Confused with ruby in antiquity, red spinel is a rare and beautiful gemstone in its own right. While most spinels occur in muted colors, a small percentage of the rough crystals exhibit a vibrant red color, which is due to the combined effect of iron, chromium and vanadium. Along with excellent clarity, red spinel is popular for this intense red color. However, this gemstone occurs in a limited number of locations around the world, with the most significant production coming from Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

9th. Red Zircon

While zircon is a relatively common mineral, this substance is quite rare in fine colored stones. One of the rarest among zircon’s natural colors is red. Known by the name ‘jacinth’ in antiquity, red zircon tends to occur in small crystals, typically less than 5 carats, and is indeed especially rare in large sizes. Larger specimens, particularly those of high quality, can thus command high prices. In addition to its rarity, red zircon is highly prized for its brilliance and distinctive color. Significant sources of red zircon include East Africa and Australia.

10th. Rubellite

Rubellite is among the rarest varieties of tourmaline. Often mistaken for ruby, red tourmaline also ranks among the rare gems. Large high-quality rubellites are especially rare, and at times more expensive than ruby. High concentration of manganese in the crystal is primarily responsible for rubellite’s bright red color, which is otherwise pink in lower concentration. The finest rubellites came from Brazil, Nigeria, Mozambique and Madagascar.

Rarest of Red Stones, Rarest of All

Given their rarity, collectors and connoisseurs immensely prize our red stones, which are consequently extremely valuable, commanding incredibly high prices. The rarest of these red stones, the red diamond, may also be the rarest of all gemstones, and consequently ranks among the world’s most valuable jewels.

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See all the red stones here:

20 Types of Red Gemstones in Jewelry

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Writing About Diamond

When the author wrote this article, he was working on a book about Diamond. Research for this article gave him insight into the rarity of red diamond compared to other red stones, as well as to other colors of the popular gem. It may take more time before he could finish ‘Diamond, Its Magic and History.’ In the meantime, check out his book —