A 55.22-carat gem, described as a “once-in-a-lifetime” jewel by Sotheby’s New York, was sold for $34.8 million to an anonymous telephone buyer, “setting a new record price at auction for the precious stone,” according to Diamond World. The previous record belonged to a 25.59-carat Burmese ruby, which sold for $30.33 million by Sotheby’s in Geneva in 2015.
The 55.22-carat stone, named “Estrela de Fura,” was cut from a 101-carat rough unearthed in July last year at the Fura Gems’ operated Montepuez ruby mine in Mozambique. It is the largest ruby ever to be auctioned.
Quig Bruning, head of jewelry for Sotheby’s in the Americas, said: “This is really a true wonder of nature. Any ruby that comes out of the ground that ends up over five carats as a polished ruby is something that’s rare. Ten carats is really rare. Twenty carats is almost unheard of. Any ruby really over 50 carats is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
