A ruby of 11,000 caratscharacterized by a mineralogical purity and with an exceptionally rare colourwas found in Myanmar (former Burma), in the Mogok Valley. It is the second largest ever found in the Valley of Rubies, as well as one of the highest quality gems ever discovered in the world, weighing more than 2kg and an estimated value of more 5 million dollars, as confirmed in X’s post below.
Why the 11 thousand carat ruby is so precious and how much it is worth
Although it weighs approx 11,000 carats (2.2 kg) – almost half of the specimen that holds the world record – the ruby found in April 2026 could have, according to experts, a higher value. What distinguishes it is not only its size, but above all its quality: the intense and brilliant color, between red and purple red with slight yellowish nuancescombines with a vitreous lustera high chemical-mineralogical purity and one moderate transparencyqualities that are difficult to find in a stone of these proportions. These elements therefore make it exceptionally rare compared to many gems found in the past. According to initial estimates, even before the cut, its value could exceed 5 million dollars.
Where the rare gem was found in Myanmar: Mogok Valley
The discovery occurred in Mogok valleyrenowned for its extraordinary wealth of precious gems, which gave it the name of Valley of the Rubies. Suffice it to say, in fact, that this remote region located in the heart of Myanmar contributes to approximately 90% of global ruby production. The quality of the gems coming from Mogok, the so-called “Briman rubies“, is among the most appreciated and expensive in the world due to its high purity, intense fluorescence and characteristic color “pigeon blood red”, as defined by gemologists. Rubies are found mainly in rocks metamorphic as marbles and the first findings in the area are thought to date back to ca 2000 years ago.
The Mogok Valley is no stranger to finding exceptionally large gems. Right here, in 1996, the largest ruby ever found: a rough specimen of 21,450 carats, equal to 4.29 kg. Other famous stones, such as ruby, also come from the same region SLORCdiscovered in 1990 and weighing 496.25 carats, and the ruby NaSaKamined in 2022, which exceeds 2,789 carats, equal to 557 grams.
