What changed hands?
Estrela de Fura 55.22 Ruby. World record for a ruby and any colored gemstone. $630,288 per carat.
A ruby from Mozambique
The 55.22-carat Estrela de Fura ruby originated in the Montepuez ruby deposits of Mozambique, one of the world's most important ruby sources. Before cutting, the rough stone weighed 101 carats. The Gemological Institute of America described it as one of the finest rubies ever examined, with exceptional clarity and a vivid red fluorescence.
A world record per carat
At $630,288 per carat, the Estrela de Fura set a world record for any ruby and any colored gemstone sold at auction. The $34.8 million total was achieved at Sotheby's in June 2023. The result reflects a market in which top-quality colored gemstones have increasingly rivaled diamonds for headline prices, driven by collectors seeking rarity above all else.
Read the number carefully
An auction result captures a particular object, a particular sale and the buyers competing on that occasion. It does not establish the value of every similar object, or what this one would sell for today.
Our selection keeps historical results separate from asking prices and estimates. Where the cited report does not break out fees, we say so rather than inventing a hammer price.
Sale documentation: Sotheby's — Estrela de Fura ↗
What does “source reviewed” mean?
We checked the published report against the amount and object listed here. That does not independently authenticate the object or confirm settlement of the transaction.
