$1,200 per carat

One of the most famous painters of t​he 20th century, Roy Lichtenstein was influenced by various art movements including Cubism and Abstract Expressionism. He developed his style, which would bring him great fame, in his late 30s. The drawings he created using Ben-Day dots and comic-book panels made him one of the pioneers of the Pop Art movement. His 1962 painting Masterpiece has become an iconic image of pop culture. It was bought by American investor and contemporary art collector Steve A. Cohen for $165 million in 2017.

$10,000 per carat

A beryl group mineral like emerald, alexandrite and aquamarine, red beryl, also known as “red emerald” and “scarlet emerald”, is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. Red beryl is only found in certain areas of Utah, New Mexico and Northern Mexico, and the only gemstone-quality stones are mined in the Wah-Wah Mountains of Utah. Red beryl has many different shades of crimson, all equally fascinating, but is so rare that when a fine example surfaces it gains value quickly.

$70,000 per carat

What makes Alexandrite so fascinating and valuable is its ability to change color depending on the light and temperature. If you have an alexandrite necklace, you will be amazed to see it glitter in an emerald-green tone during the day, and take on a pinkish-red hue at night. Originally discovered in 1833 in Russia, this unique mineral is also found in Sri Lanka, Tanzania and India today. The largest example of alexandrite stone found to date can be found in the US, at the Smithsonian Institute. This 65.08 carat gem is valued at over $4 million. Interestingly, alexandrite is almost always found in sizes under a carat, and larger specimens are exponentially more expensive.

$305,000 per carat

Famed for its exotic green color, emerald is one of the most popular gemstones in the world.  Emeralds have been found all over the world, but most of the world’s supply comes from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Brazil and Colombia. The majority of emeralds on the market have at least minor imperfections, which are used to tell a fake emerald stone from an authentic one. When a flawless natural emerald does come up for sale, it can be sold for a mind-boggling price. The most expensive example of this gemstone is the Rockefeller Emerald, purchased by John D. Rockefeller for his wife, and auctioned off by their couple’s son after the death of the couple. At the auction that took place at Christie’s, the emerald fetched $5.5 million, or $305,000 per carat. The emerald was previously a part of the Russian Imperial collection.

$1.19 million per carat

Colored diamonds are exceedingly valuable due to their rarity, but pink diamonds are an entirely different beast. This amazingly elegant pink gemstone accounts for less than 0.1% of the world’s entire diamond production, and the primary source of pink diamonds, the Argyle Mine in Australia, was depleted in recent years, so the stone is expected to become even rarer and more valuable. The largest pink diamond that is graded “flawless” by the Gemological Institute of America is the “Pink Star”, which is also the world’s most expensive diamond with a price tag of $71.2 million. The 59.60-carat Pink Star was auctioned at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2017.

$3 million per carat

Although jade is a semi-precious stone, the highest quality and most exquisite member of the jade family, jadeite, has a special place with a carat value reaching millions of dollars. Contrary to popular belief, jadeite comes in a dazzling array of colors other than green, including white, black, lavender, red and yellow. There are even colorless varieties. Still, the most sought-after and valuable type is the semi-transparent green gemstone known as “Imperial Jade”. Myanmar accounts for over 90 percent of the world’s jadeite production, while the best jadeite craftsmen are from China. A jadeite necklace is among the world’s most valuable jewels. Known as “Hutton-Mdivani”, this necklace containing 27 beads of the highest-quality jadeite beads was offered at an auction in 2014. The necklace was bought by Cartier, the company that designed it originally, for $27.44 million

$3.93 million per carat

Of all the colored diamonds in the world, blue diamonds are the rarest and the most valuable. Like all diamonds, blue diamonds are made up of carbon elements fused together under extreme heat and pressure over millions of years. The reason for the exquisite blue color is the element boron, while nitrogen plays a role in determining the intensity of the color. Blue diamonds are mined in a handful of mines in South Africa, Australia and India, with larger specimens fetching exponentially larger prices. The most famous blue diamond is the Hope Diamond, which has attained legendary status over the years with the tale of its owners. The earliest records of the 112-carat stone’s existence date back to the 17th century. It is assumed that the stone was stolen from a Buddhist temple in India. The first owner of the gemstone was Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. The diamond’s story took on a new facet with is acquisition by King Louis XIV in 1668. During this time, it was cut down to 67 carats. The diamond was later stolen and lost for years before emerging in England. Believed to bring bad luck to its owner, the stone changed hands several times in its history, and found its way into various collections, including those of Abdulhamid II and the renowned jewel designer Pierre Cartier. Hope Diamond’s size has been reduced to 45.42 carats with recuts over the years. It was last purchased by Harry Winston, a jeweler from New York, who donated it to the Smithsonian Institute where it is on display today.