The state-run English-language daily Global New Light of Myanmar reported that Min Aung Hlaing, the recently sworn-in president, personally inspected the gemstone at the President’s Office alongside senior officials. Photographs published by the newspaper showed Min Aung Hlaing examining the large uncut ruby at his office.
According to the report published by the newspaper, the ruby is considered “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,” the government statement said.
APThe report further noted that the gemstone has “moderate transparency, excellent vitreous lustre, and remains in its natural state without any treatment or enhancement.”
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Mogok valley’s legendary ruby history
The Mogok region of Mandalay has historically been associated with some of the rarest and most valuable rubies ever discovered. Known globally for its famous “pigeon-blood” rubies, the area has long attracted traders, collectors, and gemstone experts from around the world.
are widely considered among the highest-quality rubies ever found. Rubies were first discovered in the region more than 2,000 years ago, and Mogok Valley, often referred to as the “Valley of Rubies,” has historically produced around 90 percent of the world’s rubies as per sothebys.
The history of Burmese rubies is also closely tied to Myanmar’s political past. Until the 19th century, only local Burmese communities had access to the ruby mines. Britain later annexed Upper Burma and took control of the gemstone-rich region. More recently, political tensions and sanctions affected the global ruby trade, with imports of Burmese rubies into the United States banned until 2016, the outlet further noted. The art auction house also noted that traditional ruby sources in the original Burmese mines are now largely depleted.
Newly discovered ruby considered more valuable than larger 1996 stone
According to the state-run media’s report, Myanmar has previously discovered several notable giant rubies in the same region over the decades. These include the 99.25-gram SLORC ruby discovered in 1990, a massive 4,290-gram ruby unearthed in 1996, and the 557.85-gram NaSaKa ruby discovered in 2022.
While the 1996 ruby remains the largest ever found in Myanmar by weight at 21,450 carats, officials said the newly discovered gemstone is regarded as more valuable because of its superior quality.
“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,” the report stated.
It added that all four major rubies were extracted from the Mogok area and that each possesses “distinctive characteristics and qualities, making them extremely valuable gemstones.”
Myanmar has remained under military rule since the 2021 coup that triggered a prolonged civil conflict across the country. Min Aung Hlaing, the former military chief who led the coup, was sworn in last month as civilian president following a stringent election. The government has not disclosed an estimated value for the newly discovered ruby.
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