Taaffeite

Mineral Group: Spinel Group

Key Properties

Property Value
Mohs Hardness 8.25 (8-8.5)
Typical Size 0.1-5 carats (commercial: 0.25-2 carats; most stones under 2 carats)
Typical Price Range $2,500-20,000+ per carat (commercial: $5,000-15,000; extremely rare in any quality)
Rarity Level Singular Occurrence
Availability Level Museum Grade Rarity
Availability Driver Limited Deposits
Investment Appropriateness Speculative Collector Gems

Detailed Descriptions

Rarity Description: Extremely rare gem originally mistaken for spinel; fine material is exceptionally scarce.

Availability Description: Very rare on the open market; top-quality stones appear at specialist auctions and through private sales.

Investment Description: Extremely rare with very limited market; difficult to authenticate; small collector base with high prices; requires expert knowledge; very illiquid but potential for appreciation.

Colors

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Investment Ranking Calculation

The composite score of 81.25 is calculated using a weighted formula:

  • Geological Rarity (25%): 100 points
  • Market Availability (25%): 100 points
  • Investment Appropriateness (25%): 50 points
  • Hardness (12.5%): 65 points
  • Price Range (12.5%): 85 points

Formula: (100 × 0.25) + (100 × 0.25) + (50 × 0.25) + (65 × 0.125) + (85 × 0.125) = 81.25

VERY BULLISH
81.25

Score Components

Geo rarity
100
Mkt availability
100
Invest Appr
50
hardness
65
price
85