Red hot world record: Most expensive gemstone ever sells for a whopping price!

New York, New York – With a whopping size and a stunning color, the ruby sold by Sotheby's on June 8 has broken more than just one world record. Indeed, it is the biggest ruby ever recorded, and the most expensive colored gemstone ever sold.

Sotheby's have achieved two world records in one incredibly pricey sale.
Sotheby's have achieved two world records in one incredibly pricey sale.  © Collage: Sotheby's

Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels auction in New York City has reached a number of remarkable milestones this week, bringing in an unbelievable amount of cash for an equally impressive set of jewels.

Selling two giant stones in just a few hours, the auction house is certainly seeing the dough rolling in.

Setting a new world record can't be easy, but this ruby has managed to do it twice in the course of just one day.

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Here is all the glitz and glamour of the most expensive colored gemstone ever sold.

What is the most expensive gemstone ever sold?

Spectators took in the ruby Estrela de FURA at Sotheby's auction house in New York before it sold.
Spectators took in the ruby Estrela de FURA at Sotheby's auction house in New York before it sold.  © TAG24/Lena Grotticelli

Sotheby's confirmed they had sold two "historic stones". One of these stones was a world record breaker, fetching more money than any other precious or semi-precious gem had ever fetched before. This insane ruby was not only gorgeous and expensive, but massive.

Named "Estrela de FURA 55.22," the world's most expensive colored gemstone ever sold at auction was a gorgeous "red hot" 55.22 carat ruby, which fetched $34.8 million. The record also makes it both the most expensive ruby ever sold.

In a press release, Sotheby's said "the $34.8 million achieved places the 'Estrela de FURA 55.22' as the most valuable colored gemstone ever sold at auction – previously held by the 'Sunrise Ruby,' a 25.59 carat Burmese stone, which sold for $30.3 million."

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Apparently, only two other rubies have ever fetched more than $15 million at auction, making this bad-boy even more impressive. The gem was mined and discovered in Mozambique, was sized at 55.22 carats, and sold at $630,288 per carat. Quig Bruning, head of Sotheby's Jewelry in America, said he had been "entranced" by the stone.

"With its unprecedented size, piercing color and rare degree of optical transparency and clarity, it truly deserved the record-breaking price today, as it now joins the ranks of the world’s most legendary gemstones," he said.

Most expensive gemstone is also the largest ever ruby

Sotheby's insanely expensive ruby is also the biggest ever sold.
Sotheby's insanely expensive ruby is also the biggest ever sold.  © Collage: Sotheby's

At 55.22 carats, Sotheby's Estrela de Fura 55.22' is likely to also be the world record for largest gem-quality ruby to have ever appeared at auction.

Cut from an insanely big 101 carat rough, from one of the world's largest ruby deposits in the world, it isn't such a surprise that this record-breaking ruby originated where it did.

For clarity's sake: Guinness World Record has not declared Estrela de Fura 55.22 the most expensive colored gemstone ever sold yet (as of writing), nor the biggest ruby. As a result, this new world record is by Sotheby's reporting.

What's the world's most expensive gemstone per carat?

While Estrela de Fura 55.22 is the most expensive colored gemstone ever sold at auction, it's neither the most expensive jewel, nor the most expensive per carat. The most expensive gemstone per carat is an honor that goes to the blue diamond, which is often sold for more than $3 million per carat - $3.93 million to be exact.

On top of that, the most expensive (per carat) ever sold at auction was a blue diamond that went for $4,028,940 per carat in 2015 (according to Guinness World Records). In total, this brilliant bauble sold for a whopping $48,468,158. Still, this isn't the most expensive jewel ever sold.

On April 4, 2018, a flawless pink 59.6-carat diamond sold for $71.2 million, making it the most expensive piece of jewelry, and the most expensive jewel, ever sold. The sale was made in Hong Kong and was confirmed as legitimate by Guinness World Records.

Wait, this is kind-of confusing: The world record being claimed by Sotheby's is not the "most expensive gemstone" but, instead the most expensive colored gemstone ever sold at auction. As a result, while less expensive than a 59.6-carat pink diamond, it could still qualify as a legitimate world record holder.

The most expensive gemstone in the world, by carat, is by far the blue diamond.
The most expensive gemstone in the world, by carat, is by far the blue diamond.  © Imago/UPI Photo

Sotheby's record-breaking sale

At $34,800,000, Estrela de Fura 55.22 has far too many zeros in its price than most of us could even quantify. Indeed, this stone - big for a ruby, small in almost any other context - is so expensive that it would take most of us hundreds of years to save up enough to just hold it in the palm of our hand.

That's not to say that these stones aren't extraordinary. Rubies, diamonds, and all precious and semi-precious stones are incredibly beautiful, even if they're not breaking records for most expensive colored gemstone ever sold.

Either way, Sotheby's have had a record-breaking sale here. And honestly, who wouldn't love a30-million bucks worthy shiny rock? We'll have to sit back and see if anyone can beat these epic records.

Cover photo: Collage: Sotheby's

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