Estrela de FURA 55.22, the world’s largest gem-quality ruby, unveiled at Sotheby’s Hong Kong

Discovered in Mozambique in September 2022, the gemstone weighed an astonishing 101 carats before it was polished and cut to weigh 55.22 carats

The world’s largest gem-quality ruby, Estrela de FURA 55.22, was unveiled on the evening of Wednesday, April 5, 2023 in Hong Kong, as the hammer fell on the final lot of ‘The Exceptional Luxury Evening Auction’, organised by Sotheby’s. A silence descended over the room when Sotheby’s auctioneer, Uni Kim, officially unveiled Estrela de FURA 55.22, which was unearthed from FURA Gems’ ruby mine in Montepeuz, Mozambique. The rough ruby weighed an astonishing 101 carats, and on Wednesday evening, the gem made its debut in a new avatar — polished, cut, weighing 55.22 carats, and estimated at an excess of $30 million — the most valuable ruby to ever come to market.

“Estrela de FURA 55.22 is a true wonder of nature. It is undoubtedly positioned to become the standard-bearer for African rubies, and gemstones in general, bringing global awareness to their ability to be on par with, and even outshine, those from Burma, which have traditionally been the most desirable and recognisable source for rubies,” said Quig Bruning, Head of Sotheby’s Jewelry, Americas. Even in its rough, untouched state, Estrela de FURA is considered by experts as an exceptional treasure of nature for its fluorescence, outstanding clarity and vivid red hue, known as ‘pigeon’s blood’, a colour traditionally associated only with Burmese rubies. “Important gemstones, such as Estrela de FURA, are extremely rare, and a beautifully faceted gem-quality ruby of 55.22 carats is almost unheard of. From the in-depth analysis and study of the stone, through the process of cutting and polishing, we have worked with the utmost care and respect for the ruby, recognizing its importance and stature,” said Dev Shetty, Founder and CEO, FURA Gems. The company was founded in 2017 by the Indian-origin entrepreneur and is one of the largest organized colour gemstone-mining firms in the world.

The Estrela de FURA 55.22, or Star of Fura in Portuguese, boasts of an incredible combination: rich saturation of colour, untouched by heat treatment, highly crystalline appearance and an incomparable size. The gem is profoundly rich in chromium which, when exposed to ultraviolet light, as found in sunlight, causes the stone to radiate a fiery red fluorescence, further enhancing the stone’s vibrancy, as though lit from within. Its name is also a tribute to Mozambique, as the Portuguese-speaking country rises in stature as a rich source of premium quality rubies.

Estrela de FURA 55.22 has now embarked on a worldwide tour, with exhibitions scheduled in Taipei, China, Singapore, Geneva and Dubai, before it stars in Sotheby’s “Magnificent Jewels” auction in New York on June 8. It is set to surpass the Sunrise Ruby, a 25.59 carat ruby of Burmese origin, which sold for $30.3 million ($1,185,451 per carat) at Sotheby’s Geneva in 2015, and still holds the world auction record for a ruby.

Courtesy: Retail Jeweller India News