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55 Carat Ruby Could Fetch Over $30 Mıllıon at Auctıon

A rare 55.2-carat ruby known as the Estrela de Fura is expected to fetch in excess of $30 million at the auction house’s upcoming Magnificient Jewels sale. If that is indeed the case, the stone will set two new world records.

The current record for a ruby sold at auction was achieved by the Sunrise Ruby. This 25.59-carat Burmese stone hammered down for $30.3 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in May 2015. This price also established a new record for any ruby per carat ($1,185,451 per carat). The Estrela de Fura could well eclipse those high-water marks, though.

Estrela de Fura was unearthed in FURA’s ruby mine in Montepeuz, Mozambique, last July. It originally weighed an astonishing 101 carats and was immediately recognized as a shining discovery even in its rough, untouched state. This explains the ruby’s moniker, which means “Star of FURA” in English.

The rough crystal was then cut and faceted into a beautiful cushion-shaped stone. This “resulted in vivid red hues due to multiple internal reflections,” according to a report from the Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF). Indeed, Estrela de Fura has outstanding clarity and a striking “pigeon’s blood” color that is typically associated with Burmese rubies.

The SSEF’s report also further states that “a natural ruby from Mozambique of this size and quality can be considered very rare and thus an exceptional treasure of nature.”

The gem has an incredible vibrancy, too. This is due to the fact that it is profoundly rich something called “chromium,” which causes the stone to radiate a fiery-red fluorescence when it is exposed to ultraviolet light. It looks almost as though it is lit from within.

The ruby is currently on display Sotheby’s Hong Kong but will soon embark on a worldwide tour, with exhibitions scheduled in Taipei, China, Singapore, Geneva, and Dubai (dates will be released shortly). It will finish up in New York where it will become the largest gem-quality ruby to ever appear at auction, according Sotheby’s.

The stunning gem may not be the only record-setter at Sotheby’s this summer, either. The Magnificent Jewels auction, which will take at Sotheby’s New York on June 8, includes a dazzling 10.57-carat pink diamond that could set a new price-per-carat record for its type. Sounds like the sale will be one for the books.