Discovered in southern Madagascar, grandidierite was named in honor of notable French naturalist and explorer, Alfred Grandidier. Grandidier reported the first samples in 1902. Grandidierite is a relatively rare mineral. While found in several areas, supply is very small and quickly depleted. It is the 3rd most expensive gemstone in the world. Due to its rarity, it is not often found as gems or in jewelry. The transparent gemstones are rarely faceted and often cut into cabochons. Since its first reported discovery in Madagascar, it has also been reported in New Zealand, Norway, Suriname, Algeria, Italy, Malawi, India, the United States, Canada, Antarctica, the Czech Republic, and few other locations.