Relative rarity

[Cave Keeper]

Could some one please tell me what the order of rarity (from rarest at top to least rarest at bottom)for the following minerals, with regard to cut stones considered normal gem-quality for the mineral concerned, should be?

1. Bixbite (Utah Red Beryl/''Red Emerald[TM]'')
2. Paraiba Tourmaline
3. Russian Demantoid Garnet
4. Mandarin Garnet
5. Alexandrite
6. Madagascar Pezzottaite
7. Madagascar Red Beryl
8. Tanzanite.

Is Madagascar Red Beryl actually Pezzottaite?

Also, if possible, how the order of rarity will be affected if the following are also included for consideration:-

1. Alexandrite Cat''s Eye
2. Color Change Ruby
3. Color Change Sapphire
4. Red Ruby Cat''s Eye
5. Color Change Garnet
6. Blue Sapphire Cat''s Eye
7. Chrysoberyl Cat''s Eye
8. Blue Star Sapphire
9. Red Star Ruby
10. Imperial Jade Cat''s Eye.
10. Colo

 

[mogok]

Hello,
To my knowledge:

The rarest stone is Madagascar red beryl as this stone was not yet discovered and so does not have been seen yet: It was pezzotaite that was sold as bixbite without much care by too enthousiastic or unscupulous gem dealers.
The may be Pezzotaite as there was one pocket and the pocket is depleted to my knowledge.
The probably Bixbite and Paraiba,
then possibly Russian Demantoid and alexandrite,
then mandarin garnet
then Tanzanite which is quite a common stone in bangkok market.

for the second list, well:
Color change ruby: What's that? If its is color change its probably sapphire as I never heard about a color change corundum which has one of its 2 color really red... Color change sapphire is to the best Pink purplish to bluish.

I would say that the 2 most rare could be ruby and sapphire cat's eye (I've seen once but it was not great)
Then may be jade cat's eye (seen twice)
alexandrite cats eye (seen several times)
red star ruby and blue star sapphire (seen several times also)
color change garnet, chrysoberyl cats eye and color change sapphire are stone that i see more regularly in Bangkok or in Burma...

Well all that is just my opinion following my experience in the gem trade and possibly dont really reflect the reality.

All the best,

 

[Cave Keeper]

Thanks Mogok for contributing your real-world experiences in one of the hearts of the gemstone world.

Color Change Ruby.. oops, information overload? My apologies to all.

So, here's the revised list:-

1. Bixbite (Utah Red Beryl/'Red Emerald[TM]')
2. Paraiba Tourmaline
3. Russian Demantoid Garnet
4. Red Ruby Cat's Eye
5. Imperial Jade Cat's Eye
6. Madagascar Pezzottaite
7. Alexandrite Cat's Eye
8. Alexandrite
9. Blue Sapphire Cat's Eye
10. Mandarin Garnet
11. Color Change Garnet.

I'm not sure about Pezzottaite being comparatively that rare as you opined for one reason - the largest gem at Gem Research Swisslab's site is 59.98 carats.

Also, Color Change Garnet has not been dropped out unless someone can tell me it should not be considered to be in the same class of rarity.

Still, I hope anyone (including you, of course) else would also comment on the revised list.

 

[MerKaBa]

I basically agree with you as I think some are of equilavent rarity

1. Bixbite - gem material is small and rare
2. Alexandrite - based on quality, rarity and size
3. Paraiba - The neon teal "good stuff" is definetly rare but I have seen a fair amount of rough of varying grades. A lot of the best material goes to the Japanese market (natural and heat treated)

4. Russian Demantoid Garnet - again generally small and rare
5. Madagascar Pezzottaite - I saw a good portion of this first find and there were some substaintial sized rough. If that was the only find I might move this up a notch.

6. Mandarin Ganet -mmmmm I love that color
7. Tanzanite - while production is turbulent, it is plentiful enough to widely marketed

That's my $.02

So, does anyone know what the Pezzottaite rough is selling for these days, now that they have determined it isn't beryl. BTY there was some excellent rough that looked like it would produce some excellent cat's eye material.

 

[mogok]

Hello,
For these stones if you are speaking of gem quality material (top color without treatment, acceptable clarity also without treatment)
I think that to you can give the following order ( but I'm sure some other opinion could be given as nobody knows really how to grade rarity.... Rarity is such subjective topic and is also related to space and time: A quite common stone in bangkok today can be a true rarity in New York the same day... or the inverse! )

Red ruby and blue sapphire cat's eye are nearly impossible to find in gem quality quality fine color and no treatment to my experience...
Imperial Jade cats eye could come after...
And alexandrite cats eye
Then may be bixbite, paraiba, pezzottaite,
The russina demantoid
then alexandrite
and then garnets that are not that "damn rare" in Bangkok nowadays

Hoping to have helped...

Now if you want to add some completly fancy staff to your list of collector items:

What about gem quality trapiche rubies and sapphire?
What about gem quality star color change sapphire?
What about gem quality 12 rays star sapphire?

And the list could be completed... I'm myself collecting fancy gems, fancy gem crystals and fancy inlcusions is gemstones from Burma from several years...
I will be glad to share some idea and interest with you about,

Hoping that my answer will help you,
All the best,

 

[Cave Keeper]

----------------
On 7/9/2004 6:07:38 AM mogok wrote:
Hello,
For these stones if you are speaking of gem quality material (top color without treatment, acceptable clarity also without treatment)

I think that to you can give the following order ( but I'm sure some other opinion could be given as nobody knows really how to grade rarity.... Rarity is such subjective topic and is also related to space and time: A quite common stone in bangkok today can be a true rarity in New York the same day... or the inverse! )

Red ruby and blue sapphire cat's eye are nearly impossible to find in gem quality quality fine color and no treatment to my experience...

Imperial Jade cats eye could come after ... And alexandrite cats eye Then may be bixbite, paraiba, pezzottaite, The russina demantoid then alexandrite

and then garnets that are not that 'damn rare' in Bangkok nowadays
:
What about gem quality trapiche rubies and sapphire?
What about gem quality star color change sapphire?
What about gem quality 12 rays star sapphire?
:
I will be glad to share some idea and interest with you about,
:
----------------

Yes, so the new order of rarity should be:-
1. Gem-quality 12-ray Blue Star Sapphire
Do gem-quality (at least translucent) quality stones exist?
2. Gem-quality Red Ruby Cat's Eye
3. Gem-quality Imperial Jade Cat's Eye
Do gem-quality (non-treated, at least translucent) stones exist?
4. Gem-quality Blue Sapphire Cat's Eye
5. Gem-quality Blue Star Sapphire
6. Gem-quality Alexandrite Cat's Eye
7. Gem-quality Bixbite
8. Gem-quality Paraiba Tourmaline
9. Gem-quality Pezzottaite
Do gem-quality Pezzottaite stones exist?
10. Gem-quality Russian Demantoid Garnet
11. Gem-quality Alexandrite
12. Gem-quality Color Change Sapphire

I'm not sure you actually meant Star Sapphires and Color Change Sapphire when you wrote Star Color Change Sapphire. Could you kindly reconfirm.
You're sure Color Change Garnet is not rare?

Hope more comments on the order of rarity will be forthcoming.

I'm especially interested in a source for the first 5 items, but I'm not confident the first 3 items exist in gem-quality condition! Yes, please let me know more about them if you know of any.

 

[mogok]

Yes,
May be because when I mean gem quality i mean : Beautiful, Durable and Rare with a minimum a very attractive color and a good clarity.
For exemple, I have seen several 12 rays star sapphires but never one really attractive...
Now the question is also very depending of the size of the stone.
If you mean 3 carat minimum then some stones only available is small size should be given a premium...
But once again rarity is something very very subjective and difficult to grade. I give you this order following what I have seen, but somebody else could have given you a different order and could be more right.
In fact I think that nobody can really give you a very good idea. And who knows if when I'm writting this message in Madagascar, Burma or somewhere else a new find will make this order completly obsolete?

Well, all the best!