The Sunrise Ruby[1][2][3] has been the world's most expensive ruby, most expensive coloured gemstone, and most expensive gemstone other than a diamond[2][3][4] until the discovery of the Estrela de Fura.
Originally mined in Myanmar, its current name is derived from a poem of the same name, written by the 13th-century Sufi poet Rumi.[5]
Description
It is a 25.59-carat (5.1 g) Burmese "pigeon blood" ruby, mounted by Cartier and set between heptagonal diamonds weighing 2.47 carats (0.49 g) and 2.70 carats (0.54 g).[4][6][7]
It is considered among the rarest of all gemstones.[6][4] The Swiss Gemmological Institute has described it as "a unique treasure of nature" and praised its "well-proportioned cut, highly attractive colour and fine purity".[5] The Gubelin Gem Lab in Lucerne stated that "such a combination of characteristics is very rare in Burmese rubies of this size."[5] The global chairman of Sotheby's International Jewellery Division, David Bennett, when interviewed on the ruby, stated "during his 40 years in the industry, he has never before seen a ruby of this calibre".[5] In a Gubelin grading report, it notes, "ruby is of Burmese origin" and that "its vivid but saturated color, poetically referred to as pigeon blood red, is due to a combination of well balanced trace elements in the stone, typical and characteristic for the finest rubies of Mogok."[8] Gemstones of the same quality typically form in only small crystals, making this one an "extremely rare" gem.[8]
History
The ruby sold for a record US$30.42 million on 12 May 2015 at a Sotheby's auction in Geneva, Switzerland, to Heidi Horten.[3][6] It was originally estimated to be worth between US$12 and 18 million prior to auction[1][9][10] and bidding started at 11 million Swiss francs or US$11.8 million. Also known as lot 502 of the evening, bidding lasted approximately seven minutes with buyers via phone as the main source of bidding.[11] The Sunrise Ruby greatly surpassed the previous record holder, the Graff ruby ring, which sold for US$8.6 million in November 2014.[4][12] Its record-setting price has been attributed to the rapid increase in prices for coloured gemstones and public auctions, with figures often "rivaling the performance of the much-sought-after colored diamonds".[13]
Following the death of Horten, the jewel was auctioned by Christie's in Geneva on 10 May 2023 for $14.7 million.[14]
See also
References
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