Very important ruby and diamond ring

Set with a cushion-shaped ruby weighing 12.46 carats, between triangular diamond shoulders, size 53.

Rubies of Burmese origin cannot be imported into the US. This piece contains a ruby of Burmese origin and therefore cannot be imported into the US. Please contact the jewellery department for further information or see our Important Notices. Accompanied by Gübelin report no. 1003105 and SSEF report no. 74442, each stating that the ruby is of Burmese origin, with no indications of heating, together with an appendix from the SSEF expressing the rarity of this stone. Stamped PT 900 for platinum. For further information on the ruby weighing 12.46 carats, measuring 15.78 x 12.34 x 6.01 mm, please refer to the report; with typical crystal inclusions, some surface reaching, few nicks. Diamonds estimated to weigh a total of approximately 3.50 carat, F-G colour, VS-SI clarity. Signs of little wear to the metal. In good condition. Gross weight approximately 10 grams.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that colour, clarity and weight of gemstones are statements of opinion only and not statements of fact by Sotheby's. We do not guarantee, and are not responsible for any certificate from a gemological laboratory that may accompany the property. We do not guarantee that watches are in working order. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue, in particular to the Notice regarding the treatment and condition of gemstones and to the Notice regarding import of Burmese jadeite and rubies into the US.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The Mogok area of Myanmar, about 90 miles northeast of Mandalay is, without doubt, the world’s most important source of gem-quality rubies. Only within this area of approximately 20 miles in length, at an elevation of about 4’000 feet, does one find the ideal geological conditions necessary to produce rubies of exquisite colour for which Burma is, and has always been, famous. At its best, a Burmese ruby will be a rich red colour of high intensity. The majority of rubies are found in alluvial (riverbed) deposits weathered from crystalline limestone or marble.

Exactly when mining began in the Mogok area is unknown, but prehistoric tools have been discovered nearby. The earliest records indicate that the King of Burma secured the mines from the local Shaw ruler in 1597. Mining conditions were deplorable, and by 1780 it was necessary to bring in slaves to supplement the dwindling number of native workers. All rubies over a certain value and size were automatically surrendered to the king with no compensation to the miners. Conditions worsened with the appointment of local governors who taxed the miner on their finds. Rulers suspected the miners of breaking up large rubies into smaller sizes, which perhaps accounts for the extreme scarcity of sizeable rubies throughout history. It is also entirely possible that, in reality, very few large stones existed in the first place.

By 1886, political and economic conditions led to the British annexation of Upper Burma. Within a few years, the British Government awarded control of the mines to Bond Street jeweller Edwin Streeter, who formed the Burma Ruby Mines Ltd. The British introduced relatively modern methods of working the mines, but met only with mixed results. By 1931, the operation closed, and the Mogok area reverted back to the native miners and their century-old indigenous methods.