idioms - What's an alternative for "hidden gem"?


Hidden gems is an idiom which means something which is extremely outstanding and not many people may know about; for example, Blame It on Rio by Stanley Donen is a good movie, but relatively unknown by the mainstream world, hence a hidden gem.


Hidden gem however does seem to be informal, is there an alternative phrase for this which I can use in a formal context?


It is also known as a diamond in the rough, which is defined as;



someone or something whose good qualities are hidden





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