‘Pigeon’s blood’ ruby smashes world record

A rare 25.59-carat Burmese ruby sold for a world record CHF28.25 million ($ 30.42 million) at an auction in Geneva on Tuesday. There was strong demand for coloured stones and exceptional natural pearls, Sotheby’s said. “The Sunrise Ruby” was snapped up by an anonymous buyer after bidding by telephone by two private collectors. The ruby was from a private collection of Cartier jewels and had been estimated at CHF11.7-17.5 million. “The ‘Sunrise Ruby’ captivated me from the moment I saw it – such an exquisite stone truly deserved the multiple-record-breaking price this evening,” said David Bennett, the chairman of Sotheby’s international jewellery division who conducted the auction. A historic pink diamond also fetched CHF14.8 million. Graded fancy vivid pink, it is believed to have been part of the incredible jewellery collection of Princess Mathilde Bonaparte, niece of France’s Emperor Napoleon I, according to the auction house. “The market for coloured diamonds …
Source
Culture
– SWI swissinfo.ch