A 'pigeon blood' ruby sold at Sotheby's for a staggering £19.3million (just over $30 million) at a Geneva auction—three times the previous record. The 25.59 carat corundum amongst the rarest of all gemstones.
An anonymous telephone bidder paid 28.25 million Swiss francs, with costs for the Sunrise Ruby.
The head of Sotheby's international jewellery division said, 'The large, pigeon-blood red ruby 'is amongst the rarest of all gemstones. I mean, in 40 years I've ever only seen one this colour, this size, so they are beyond rare.' If you would like to see a picture of the actual stone see the Daily Mail.
An anonymous telephone bidder paid 28.25 million Swiss francs, with costs for the Sunrise Ruby.
The head of Sotheby's international jewellery division said, 'The large, pigeon-blood red ruby 'is amongst the rarest of all gemstones. I mean, in 40 years I've ever only seen one this colour, this size, so they are beyond rare.' If you would like to see a picture of the actual stone see the Daily Mail.
A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide) similar to the sapphire. It is the second hardest mineral after the diamond and extremely rare.
My former husband gave me a cut ruby he'd bought close to the mines in the rugged north of Australia in the 80s. I love it, although the stone isn't worth anything like the Sunrise ruby. When we separated for the final time, I had the ruby set in a signet-style ring made of 22ct gold made up of two wedding rings.
Hehe. That's a story in itself. When I was about 35 years of age, I thought I'd lost my wedding band when my finger shrunk in the cold sea off Robe, South Australia. My husband had already lost his in the sea ten years earlier, so he couldn't criticize. Eventually, we commissioned another 22ct band, which I wore for the next ten years until we split up. Meanwhile, I found the first ring in a bedroom box. I must have removed it, and then forgotten I'd been so sensible.
When first commissioned, my ruby ring fit my middle finger. I'd lost a lot of weight due to stress—you might know what it's like splitting up a long established marriage. Now, the shaft fits my ring finger. I must start wearing it again.
Do you own a ruby?
My former husband gave me a cut ruby he'd bought close to the mines in the rugged north of Australia in the 80s. I love it, although the stone isn't worth anything like the Sunrise ruby. When we separated for the final time, I had the ruby set in a signet-style ring made of 22ct gold made up of two wedding rings.
Hehe. That's a story in itself. When I was about 35 years of age, I thought I'd lost my wedding band when my finger shrunk in the cold sea off Robe, South Australia. My husband had already lost his in the sea ten years earlier, so he couldn't criticize. Eventually, we commissioned another 22ct band, which I wore for the next ten years until we split up. Meanwhile, I found the first ring in a bedroom box. I must have removed it, and then forgotten I'd been so sensible.
When first commissioned, my ruby ring fit my middle finger. I'd lost a lot of weight due to stress—you might know what it's like splitting up a long established marriage. Now, the shaft fits my ring finger. I must start wearing it again.
Do you own a ruby?
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