Radiant Rocks: 10 Gems You Need to Know About Now

Actor and avid jewelry collector Elizabeth Taylor once claimed, “I adore wearing gems, but not because they are mine. You can’t possess radiance; you can only admire it.” And admire we do. Our fascination with the natural brilliance of precious stones has endured for thousands of years, manifesting today in record-breaking, multimillion-dollar auctions and a global race to unearth the next colossal cache of rubies, colored diamonds, and emeralds, among others. Here, we highlight historic notes and recent statistics for 10 types of gems—both classic and up-and-coming—catching the eyes of collectors and investors right now, with blue diamonds garnering the highest price per carat and the Paraíba tourmaline looking like a new contender.