The Jubilee Ruby ring was sold at Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels auction in New York on April 20 at US$ 14,165,000.

Described by Christie’s as a “Sensational Ruby Ring, by Verdura”, this piece of jewellery has as its centre-piece an oval-shaped Burmese ruby weighing about 15.99 carats. This ruby is surrounded by a scalloped diamond studded surround and is mounted in platinum and 18k gold and upon a trifurcated gold hoop. 

Apart from the sheer beauty of the ring, a report accompanying it extols the quality of the ruby, which states that “the ruby possesses extraordinary characteristics and merits special mention and appreciation”. Amongst its various praiseworthy aspects, the report says that the ruby “exhibits an attractive vivid colour, combined with fine purity” and that “this ruby has been spared exposure to heat treatment and its clarity and colour are thus all natural”. This report from the SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute also proclaims in conclusion that: “A natural ruby from Burma of this size and quality is very rare and thus can be considered an exceptional treasure.”

Christie’s in the information given earlier had said: “....the Jubilee Ruby is the most important ruby of its caliber to be offered for sale at auction in the United States for over twenty five years and Christie’s is proud to present it on our 250th year anniversary.”

This sale by Christie’s which garnered for it a price at the upper end of its pre-sale estimate of US$12,000,000 -  US$15,000,000, comes on the heels of   Sotheby’s failure  to sell the much-touted blue diamond from child star Shirley Temple’s collection, for which great hope was held out  prior to the sale. One couldn’t say if the fact that Shirley Temple’s diamond was unable to raise bids beyond the reserve price was the starting of a trend or a one-time aberration. However, Christie’s sale of the of the Jubilee  Ruby seems to indicate that the auction market and the demand for fine unusual gems  with a sound  provenance continues to hold strong.