The largest ruby ever discovered has become the most expensive gem of its kind after selling at auction last week.
The 55.22-carat gem sold for US$34.8mln at a Sothebys (NYSE:BID) auction in New York.
It comes less than a year after it was discovered by FURA Gems (TSX-V:FURA) at its mine in Mozambique.
Described as the “most valuable and important” ruby to be auctioned it was named Estrela de Fura – the Star of Fura in Mozambique’s official language, Portuguese.
Previously the record for the most expensive ruby was held by the Sunrise Ruby, a 25.59-carat gem from Myanmar that garnered a US$30.3mln price tag when it was auctioned in Switzerland back in 2015.