Here is the most expensive ruby in the world: it is called Estrela de Fura and was sold in New York by Sotheby’s for 34.8 million dollars during the Magnificent Jewels auction. The stone weighs 55.22 carats and is the largest gem-quality ruby ever to appear at auction. The previous world record was held by the Sunrise Ruby, a 25.59 carat Burmese one also beaten by Sotheby’s in Geneva, in May 2015, for 30.3 million dollars.
Estrela de Fura was made from a rough ruby weighing an exceptional 101 carats, discovered and extracted in July 2022 in the Fura Gems ruby mine in Montepuez (Mozambique), one of the largest ruby deposits in the world. Its quality makes it a particularly rare ruby.
The outstanding result obtained today is not only a source of pride for us, but represents a milestone in the incredible journey of our company which, in just five years, has grown in an extraordinary way. Today, thanks to Estrela de Fura, we have gone down in history: we have set a new world record by selling the largest and most precious colored stone ever presented at an auction. With its 55.22 carats Estrela de Fura is a true wonder of nature, a sensational stone, with perfect color and exceptional clarity that fully represents the extraordinary quality of Mozambique rubies and sets a significant precedent for Mozambique rubies, elevating them to the state of those Burmese. This stone was a gift of nature for Fura, a gift that is granted only once in a lifetime, an acknowledgment of the hard work that the whole team carries out every day. On this occasion they cannot fail to thank the communities and the Government of Mozambique for their continuous support.
Dev Shetty, Founder and CEO of Fura Gems
Fura Gems is a mining company active in the extraction and marketing of colored gemstones rubies, emeralds and sapphires, founded just five years ago. It is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and has over 1,600 employees on all continents. It operates with three operating branches in Colombia, Mozambique and Australia, for emeralds, rubies and sapphires. Fura will donate 2% of the proceeds from the sale to the creation of the Fura Training Academy in support of the community in which it operates in Mozambique.
We witnessed a historic sale: a ruby from Mozambique as well as one of the most extraordinary and important stones ever beaten at an auction. Estrela de Fura 55.22 literally leaves you enraptured. With its unprecedented size, its extraordinary color and the extremely rare degree of transparency and purity, it set a new world record and has today officially become the most legendary colored stone in the world.
Quig Bruning, Head of Sotheby’s Jewelry, America
The Eternal Pink and other jewels
Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels auction also had other exceptional pieces up for sale, such as The Eternal Pink, the most vivid pink diamond to ever hit the market, which sold for 34.8 million. In total, the auction reached $95.9 million, the highest figure ever for any jewelry auction ever organized by Sotheby’s in New York. It was also the first auction with two gems selling for over $30 million in the same sale. 91% of all lots found buyers, with over two-thirds of lots sold fetching prices above their high estimates. The sign of the times: more than a third of the lots were purchased online.
Today’s record result is a direct reflection and further confirmation of Sotheby’s position as the market leader at the top level of the global jewelery industry. We are honored to have brought to auction this exceptional selection of jewels, anchored by several private collections with historic provenances, which includes high quality diamonds, superlative colored gemstones and designer jewelery from the most esteemed houses. We look forward to continuing in our tradition of offering the rarest and most spectacular jewels to our worldwide clientele; this remains at the heart of what we do at Sotheby’s.
Catharine Becket, Head of Magnificent Jewels, New York
The Eternal Pink was the other major attraction of the auction. The vivid pink diamond set a new record price per carat of $3,292,763, which is now the second-highest price per carat for a pink diamond, just after the Williamson Pink Star, which sold for $57.7 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October 2022.
Among the other magnificent jewels on sale were 11 pieces from the collection of Constance Prosser Mellon and Constance Barber Mellon, sold at 100% for a total of 6.9 million. The collection included a sapphire and diamond ring by Cartier, which fetched $3.3 million after a lengthy five-minute battle between eight bidders. Weighing 33.51 carats, this extremely rare sapphire is of classic Burmese origin, has no indication of heating, and possesses a royal blue color. Also from the Constance Prosser collection, a magnificent sapphire and diamond necklace created by Cartier in the 1950s has found a buyer for $2.8 million. The necklace is set with five Kashmiri sapphires, totaling approximately 34.95 carats, and is further accented with round, baguette and square cut diamonds.
