A MAGNIFICENT STAR RUBY AND DIAMOND RING, BY ETCETERA

Items which contain rubies or jadeite originating … Read more

THE STAR RUBY HAS EMERGED AS ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING EXAMPLES OF NATURE'S ALCHEMY IN THE GEM KINGDOM. ALTHOUGH SIGNIFICANTLY SIZED HIGH QUALITY RUBIES ARE UNCOMMONLY FOUND IN NATURE, IT IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND A SIGNIFICANTLY SIZED HIGH QUALITY STAR RUBY. RARE IS STAR RUBIES' OPTICAL OCCURRENCE, IT IS ONLY FOUND IN A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF RUBIES MINED AROUND THE WORLD. EVEN IF FOUND, MANY ARE IMMEDIATELY HEAT-TREATED IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE COLOUR SATURATION AND TRANSPARENCY OF THE GEMSTONE, WHICH IN TURN ELIMINATES THE RUTILE INCLUSIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNIQUE STAR EFFECT. STAR RUBIES DISPLAY A PHENOMENON KNOWN AS ASTERISM; THE UNIQUE STAR EFFECT IS GENERATED BY THE PRESENCE OF RUTILE, A MINERAL WHICH METHODICALLY ARRANGES ITSELF IN FINE NEEDLE-LIKE CRYSTALS WITHIN THE STONE. WHEN THE GEMSTONE IS CUT INTO CABOCHON, A LENS SHAPE FORMAT, THESE NEEDLES, INTERSECTING AT 60 DEGREE ANGLES FROM EACH OTHER, PRODUCE A LUMINOUS STAR EFFECT AS A POINT OF LIGHT REFLECTS ON THE GEM. THE STAR REFLECTION APPEARS TO FLOAT ON THE SURFACE OF THE STONE ACHIEVING THE DAZZLING PHENOMENON. GEM QUALITY STAR RUBIES DISPLAY A MARVELOUS 6-RAY STAR, WHICH HAS TO BE INTACT AND SMOOTH WHILE EQUALLY DISTINCT AND CENTERED. HOWEVER, FOR THE PHENOMENON TO FULLY TRANSPIRE, THE BODY COLOUR OF THE GEMSTONE HAS TO BE INTENSELY SATURATED. IN ADDITION, THE TONE OF THE GEMSTONE HAS TO BE DEEP ENOUGH TO JUXTAPOSE THE STAR AGAINST, BUT NOT AS DEEP AS TO AFFLICT ANY VIBRANT RED BODY COLOUR PERTAINING TO A HIGH QUALITY STONE. IT IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO FIND ANY FINE GEM STONE GREATER THAN FIVE CARATS, LET ALONE FIND A STAR RUBY GREATER THAN 10 CARATS. LOT 1791 IS AN EXTRAORDINARY FIND WHICH IS NOT ONLY 19.53 CARATS, BUT IS ALSO OF EXCEPTIONAL COLOUR EXHIBITING AN IMPRESSIVE STAR. THIS COMBINATION CONTRIBUTES GREATLY TO THIS STONE'S RARITY AND DESIRABILITY, WHAT CONNOISSEURS CLASSIFY AS TRULY GEM QUALITY.

Details

A MAGNIFICENT STAR RUBY AND DIAMOND RING, BY ETCETERA
SET WITH A CABOCHON STAR RUBY WEIGHING 19.53 CARATS, WITHIN A SURROUND SET WITH PEAR-SHAPED DIAMONDS WEIGHING FROM 1.52 TO 1.01 CARATS, MOUNTED IN 18K WHITE GOLD, RING SIZE 5½ (ILLUSTRATED UNMOUNTED)

SIGNED WITH MAKER'S MARK FOR ETCETERA
ACCOMPANIED BY REPORT NO. 12101080 DATED 19 OCTOBER 2012 FROM THE GüBELIN GEMMOLOGICAL LABORATORY STATING THAT THE 19.53 CARAT STAR RUBY IS OF BURMA (MYANMAR) ORIGIN, WITH NO INDICATIONS OF HEATING; ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY AN APPENDIX STATING THAT THE STAR RUBY DISPLAYS A VERY PRONOUNCED AND WELL-CENTERED ASTERISM. NATURAL STAR RUBIES OF THIS SIZE AND QUALITY COMBINED WITH A SATURATED AND HOMOGENEOUS COLOUR ARE CONSIDERED RARE

SIX REPORTS DATED FROM 27 MAY 2011 TO 13 AUGUST 2012 FROM THE GEMOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA STATING THAT THE PEAR-SHAPED DIAMONDS WEIGHING FROM 1.52 TO 1.01 CARAT RANGE FROM D TO G COLOUR, VS1 TO SI1 CLARITY

Special Notice

Items which contain rubies or jadeite originating in Burma (Myanmar) may not be imported into the U.S. As a convenience to our bidders, we have marked these lots with Y. Please be advised that a purchaser¹s inability to import any such item into the U.S. or any other country shall not constitute grounds for non-payment or cancellation of the sale. With respect to items that contain any other types of gemstones originating in Burma (e.g., sapphires), such items may be imported into the U.S., provided that the gemstones have been mounted or incorporated into jewellery outside of Burma and provided that the setting is not of a temporary nature (e.g., a string).

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Lot Essay

US$1,000,000-1,500,000

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