The July birthstone Ruby is a favoured stone of royalty and power, so as you would imagine, there are some famous rubies from history that have captured the world’s attention with their beauty and historical significance.
The Sunrise Ruby
This exceptional Burmese ruby, weighing 25.59 carats, is renowned for its intense red color and remarkable clarity. It is the world’s most expensive ruby, most expensive coloured gemstone, and most expensive gemstone other than a diamond!
Named the “Sunrise Ruby” for its fiery hue reminiscent of a radiant sunrise, this gemstone set a new world record for the most expensive ruby sold at auction in 2015. The buyer was Heidi Horten, a rich widower whose fortune reputedly came from her husband’s Nazi collaborations.
The Rosser Reeves Ruby
Weighing 138.7 carats, this uncut ruby crystal is one of the largest gem-quality rubies in the world. Named after its previous owner, Rosser Reeves, an American advertising executive, this ruby is known for its deep red color and impressive size. It is on show at the Smithsonian National Museum of History in Washington, US.
The De Long Star Ruby
This star ruby, weighing 100.32 carats, is named after its former owner, Edith Haggin De Long. What makes this ruby unique is its rare six-pointed star phenomenon, known as asterism, which creates a shimmering star-like pattern when viewed under light. Star rubies are beautiful gemstones that exhibit an amazing visual effect resemblant of a star across the surface of the stone. Highly valued star rubies have a centered star, six sharply-defined rays and the color of the rays are cloudy white.
This famous stone was mined in Sri Lanka, though the original date of when it was sourced is unclear.
The Liberty Bell Ruby
Carved from a single 8,500-carat ruby crystal, the Liberty Bell Ruby is a stunning sculpture that replicates the iconic Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. This masterpiece took 20 months to complete and is valued at over $2 million.
The Neelanjali Ruby
Hailing from Myanmar, the Neelanjali Ruby is a 13.905-carat pigeon’s blood ruby known for its exceptional color and clarity. This gemstone is named after the Sanskrit word for “blue lily” and is highly prized for its intense red hue. As a star ruby, it is unique in that the star has 12 points rather than the usual six points, making it a “double-star” ruby.
The British Imperial State Crown
The Imperial State Crown is the crown the monarch wears as they leave Westminster Abbey after coronation. It is also used on other State occasions including the annual State Opening of Parliament.
The crown is made of gold and set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, and 4 rubies. This includes the Black Prince’s Ruby, however it is not actually a ruby but a semi-precious stone called a balas or spinel.
