【Montepuez, M】From Mine to Podium: Sotheby’s to Auction One of the Largest Gemstone Finds of the Century

by

Editor’s Note

This article highlights the upcoming auction of a historic 55.22-carat ruby, the largest and most valuable of its kind ever to appear at auction. With an estimated value exceeding $30 million, the gem’s journey from its origin in Mozambique to the auction block underscores its exceptional rarity and significance in the world of precious stones.

Estrela de Fura, Ruby 55.22 carats
A Record-Breaking Ruby

WEIGHING 55.22 CARATS, THE RARE GEMSTONE IS THE LARGEST AND MOST VALUABLE RUBY EVER TO BE OFFERED AT AUCTION.

Expected Revenue and Origin

EXPECTED REVENUE OF OVER $30 MILLION – FOUND IN MOZAMBIQUE AND CUT FROM A ROUGH STONE OF 101 CARATS.

Auction Highlight

THE WORLD’S LARGEST EXISTING GEM-QUALITY RUBIN – THE ESTRELA DE FURA 55.22 WILL BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF SOTHEBY’S JEWELRY AUCTION IN JUNE.

Expert Commentary
“Even in its rough state, the Estrela de Fura showed exceptional quality characteristics that had the potential to make it a unique gemstone. The cutter was able to harness this potential and created a faceted ruby with an astonishing weight of 55.22 ct, displaying a saturated and homogeneous red color combined with a level of clarity not found in any other unheated ruby of comparable size. Seeing a natural ruby of this size with such a combination of quality characteristics, untouched by treatment, was considered almost unimaginable. The natural ruby weighing 55.22 ct sets a new record not only for Mozambican rubies but for rubies in general.”

Gübelin Gem Lab

The Historic Discovery

NEW YORK, April 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — When FURA Gems announced the historic discovery of the largest gem-quality ruby ever found in September 2022, the news dominated headlines worldwide, sparked immense excitement, and took the gemstone market by storm. The gemstone, found in July 2022 at FURA’s ruby mine in Montepuez, Mozambique, with an astonishing weight of 101 carats, was named Estrela de FURA (Portuguese for “Star of FURA”), alluding to its exceptional color depth and size and to highlight Mozambique as a rich source of high-quality rubies. Even in its raw, untouched state, the Estrela de FURA was considered by experts to be an extraordinary treasure of nature, as it is fluorescent, of outstanding clarity, and in a vibrant red hue known as “pigeon’s blood” – a color traditionally associated only with Burmese rubies.

Full article: View original |
⏰ Published on: April 07, 2023