Vita gazette – An exceptional Mozambican ruby, described as one of the most important jewellery discoveries of the century, the “Fura Star” was bought for $34.8 million.

A 55.22-carat ruby, found in a mine operated by Dubai-based mining company Fura in Mozambique last year at Sotheby’s Auction House in New York City, USA, was put up for sale for a starting price of $21 million.

When FURA Gems announced its historic uncovering of the world’s largest gem-quality ruby discovered in September 2022, it prompted tremendous excitement and took 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 is 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.

Extracted in September 2022 from the Fura Gems ruby mine in Montepeuz (Mozambique), it is extremely rare in terms of quality and colour but also the largest – gem-quality – ever discovered and the most precious ever auctioned.

“Estrela de Fura” has been masterfully transformed by a group of craftsmen into a “cushion cut” stone weighing no less than 55.22 carats and is preparing to rewrite history by surpassing the “Sunrise Ruby’, a ruby weighing 25.59 carats of Burmese origin. The largest ruby ever auctioned, the gemstone called “Estrela de Fura” (Fura’s Star), was sold at a record price of $34.8 million. The Fura Star thus became the most valuable ruby ever sold at an auction.