The $34.8 Million Estrela de Fura Breaks the Record as the World’s Most Expensive Ruby

The most expensive ruby in the world has just been sold for $34.8 million at Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels Auction. At a whopping 55.22 carats, the “Estrela de Fura” is the largest known gem-quality ruby discovered to date.

The former holder of the iconic ruby’s current title is the 25.59-carat “Sunrise Ruby”, which fetched $30.3 million at another Sotheby’s auction in May 2015. 

Last week’s sale came as a surprise to some, as the “Sunrise Ruby” is technically worth more than the “Estrela de Fura” – the former was priced at $1,184,056 per carat, while the latter was priced at approximately half the cost per carat, at $530,206.

A gemstone lauded by Sotheby’s to not only be highly “valuable and important” but also “exceedingly rare,” the “Estrela de Fura” was first discovered in Mozambique by Canadian mining company Fura Gems. 

Before its sale, the number that the “Estrela de Fura” had been expected to fetch totalled at $30 million. In the past, only two ruby sales had made it past $15 million, nodding at the exceedingly rare nature of the recently sold gemstone’s size and composition. 

Its name stems from the Portuguese translation for “Star of Fura,” highlighting its position as the firm’s pride and joy. Since the moment it was discovered, its handlers knew that the gemstone was unlike anything else – the name of its crimson red hue is identified as “pigeon’s blood,” a unique shade found only on certain Burmese rubies.

The “Estrela de Fura” shares the spotlight with another record-breaking gemstone. “The Eternal Pink,” a 10.57-carat jewel in a vivid rosy tone, also raked in another $34.8 million, effectively tying with the iconic ruby. 

Overall, Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels Auction holds the record as the auction house’s highest-grossing New York-based event, earning $95.9 million in revenue and surpassing April 2015’s total by almost double the amount.

(Images: Sotheby’s)

This story first appeared here.