Some of history’s most famous and prized gemstones are rubies. There have been some remarkable discoveries of this vibrant gemstone around the world. The expertise in cutting & craftsmanship has lead these raw stones climb the stairs of fame. Here are some of the world’s most famous rubies.
The Rubies of the Crown Jewels of England
While recent gemological studies have identified some red spinels masquerading as rubies, there are still many genuine rubies in the Crown Jewels of England. One of the most famous is the Burmese Ruby Tiara belonging to Queen Elizabeth. The queen herself commissioned this tiara in 1973. It has 96 rubies which were originally a part of a necklace that she received from the people of Burma (now Myanmar).
As per the belief these rubies could protect their owner from evil and sickness. And considering the long, illustrious and fulfilling life of the queen, there isn’t a doubt.
The Liberty Bell Ruby
This famous ruby stone has its roots in East Africa of the 1950s. The Liberty Bell Ruby is the largest mined ruby in the world. It weighs a whopping 8,500 carats, or over four pounds! It was cut into the shape of the Liberty Bell for the 1976 United States Bicentennial Celebration. Also, it has 50 diamonds representing the 50 states of the country.
Valued at over $2 million, the ruby was stolen from a jewelry store in Delaware in 2011. While the police apprehended the suspects, they could not recover the ruby. It is still missing!
The DeLong Star Ruby
One of the most unique,beautiful and famous rubies is the DeLong Star Ruby. Discovered in Burma in the 1930s, this 100.32 carat ruby was eventually donated to the American Museum of Natural History in 1937. It was indeed a notable addition to the museum both due to its incredible size and the 6-ray star pattern.
The 1964 “Jewel Heist of the Century” witnessed the loss of three prominent gems: the DeLong ruby, was one of them. The other two were the Star of India sapphire and the Midnight Star Sapphire. The incident brought more worldwide fame to these stones. However, the police & investigating agency caught the robbers later and returned the stones to the museum. They remain on display at the museum to this day.
The Sunrise Ruby
The Sunrise Ruby is not only the most expensive ruby in the world, it is also the most expensive color gemstone in the world. Weighing at 25.59 carats, this ruby may not be the largest in the world, but its color and cut are unrivaled.
Like other most famous rubies, this one also owe its origin to Burma. The Sunrise Ruby was eventually set by Cartier into a ring along with 2 diamonds weighing a total of 5 carats. In 2015, Sotheby’s put the ring up for auction, where it sold for a whopping $30.42 million dollars to an anonymous Swiss buyer.
Princess Mary’s Ruby Parure Tiara
Crown Princess of Denmark, Princess Mary’s ruby tiara holds a beautiful long history. From being in the hands of Queen of Josefina by the Swedes to Princess Ingrid of Sweden to Princess Mary, the ruby tiara holds a rich history.
After the demise of Ingrid, the tiara was customized into the shape of Princess Mary’s head. From the leftover material of the ruby tiara, two hair clips were made for Princess Mary.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Ruby Collection
The late and great actress Elizabeth Taylor was as known for her fashion and jewelry as she was for her on-screen performances. Over her long career she amassed one of the most valuable and prized private jewelry collections in the world. While she bought some of the pieces in her collection, most were the gifts she received from many friends and companions.
Christie’s auctioned her entire collection after her death in 2011. Many jewelry pieces featured incredible ruby gemstones. Among them was an 8.24-carat ruby and diamond ring gifted to her by Richard Burton in 1968.
This ring sold for $4.2 million and went to break the world auction record for a ruby per carat (approx. $512,925 per carat). From the same collection, a ruby and diamond necklace designed by Cartier went on auction & fetched $3.8 million.
Rubies are surely one of the world’s most valuable and prized gems. While the most famous rubies above are worth millions, finding an affordable ruby to add to a collection hasn’t been easy until now. GemsNY brings you this enviable beauty at affordable prices. Explore our collection of lab-made ruby gemstones and jewelry. Expressing your love with real and certified rubies is now just a click away.
