“Estrela de Fura” Ruby is headed to Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale in June.

When FURA Gems announced its historic uncovering of the world’s largest gem-quality ruby ever discovered in September 2022, the news dominated headlines the world over, prompting tremendous excitement and taking the gemstone market by storm. Unearthed from FURA’s ruby mine in Montepeuz, Mozambique in July of 2022, the gemstone – weighing an astonishing 101 carats – was subsequently named Estrela de FURA (Star of FURA in Portuguese), in a nod to its outstanding depth of colour and size, and to shine a spotlight on Mozambique as a rich source of premium quality rubies. Even in its rough, untouched state, Estrela de FURA was considered by experts 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.

The Estrela De Fura Ruby will be part of Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale, on 8 June 2023 in New York.

The “Estrela de Fura” is a 55.22-carat ruby cut from a 101-carat rough stone Fura.

The Gübelin Gem Lab noted, “Already in its rough state, the Estrela de Fura showed its extraordinary quality traits with a potential to become a one-of-a-kind gemstone. The cutter was able to realize this potential and created a faceted ruby with an astounding 55.22-carat weight, displaying a saturated and homogenous red color, combined with a degree of clarity unseen in any other unheated ruby of comparable size.”

According to Fura, it is the largest gem-quality ruby ever uncovered.

The red hue is categorized as “pigeon’s blood,” a term typically reserved for Burmese rubies.

The cushion-shaped stone has, “vivid red hues due to multiple internal reflections,” per its report from the Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF).

The ruby contains chromium, which, when exposed to ultraviolet light like sunlight, causes red fluorescence, giving the effect of a glow from within, Fura Gems and Sotheby’s said.

The auction house expects the Estrela de Fura to garner at least $30 million at the Magnificent Jewels sale on June 8.

The current world record for any ruby sold at auction is $30.3 million for the “Sunrise Ruby,” a 25.59-carat Burmese ruby sold at Sotheby’s Geneva in May 2015.