Antique Giant Ruby Unearthed in Mogok Gem Tract

In Myanmar, several rare and precious giant rubies have been discovered over the years, including the 99.25-gramme SLORC ruby found in 1990, a massive 4,290-gramme ruby unearthed in 1996, and the 557.85-gramme NaSaKa ruby discovered in 2022; although the 1996 ruby remains the largest by weight, the recently discovered ruby is regarded as more valuable due to its superior colour, clarity, and overall quality.

 

AFTER the democratic government elected by the people through free and fair multiparty democratic general elections in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar took office, a piece of antique, beautiful, and large ruby was discovered in the gems land of Mogok in Mandalay Region, during the post-New Year period of 1388 ME.

 

President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar U Min Aung Hlaing, together with Vice-Presidents U Nyo Saw and Nan Ni Ni Aye, Speaker of the Pyithu Hlut­taw U Khin Yi, Speaker of the Amyotha Hluttaw U Aung Lin Dwe, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services General Ye Win Oo, Union Minister at the President’s Office U Khin Maung Yi and Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Hsan Oo, inspected the piece of ruby at the hall of the President’s Office yesterday morning.

 

The Union Minister at the Presi­dent’s Office and the Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation reported to the President on facts about the piece of ruby.

 

The President and attendees checked the ruby.

 

The recently-discovered ruby weighs 2,200 grammes (11,000 carats), making it exceptionally large, rare, and difficult to find. The giant ruby has a purplish-red colour with yellowish undertones and is considered to have a high-quality colour grade. It also has moderate transparency, excellent vitreous lustre, and remains in its natural state without any treatment or enhancement.

 

In the past, the rare and precious SLORC ruby weigh­ing 99.25 grammes (496.25 car­ats) was discovered in 1990, another giant ruby weighing 4,290 grammes (21,450 car­ats) in 1996, and the NaSaKa ruby weighing 557.85 grammes (2,789.25 carats) in 2022 in My­anmar. All four pieces of ruby, including this ruby, were ex­tracted from the Mogok region of Mandalay Region. Each indi­vidual ruby possesses distinc­tive characteristics and qual­ities, making them extremely valuable gemstones. Although the ruby discovered in 1996 was the largest in terms of weight, the recently discov­ered ruby is considered more valuable because its colour and quality are superior in compar­ison. — MNA/TTA