A colored-stone miner based in Dubai claims to have unearthed the world’s largest gem-quality ruby.

Fura Gems discovered the 101-carat rough at its mine in Mozambique, the company said last week. The stone’s fluorescence, clarity and vivid-red hue are extremely rare, it added. The miner has named it the Estrela de Fura, Portuguese for Star of Fura.

While larger rubies exist, they are specimen or exhibition pieces that have significant impurities or a low yield when manufactured, and are therefore not gem-quality, Fura explained.

“The Estrela de Fura ruby is likely to yield an intense, saturated red color once fully and properly faceted with adequate proportions,” said Daniel Nyfeler, managing director of Gübelin Gem Lab. “Compared to most rubies, including those from Burma, which tend to be fairly included when reaching sizes above 5 carats, this ruby is relatively free of eye-visible inclusions. Considering its very large size, the vivid-red color and clarity characteristics of this ruby give it an extraordinary potential to become one of the largest high-quality faceted rubies ever seen.”

Fura plans to showcase the ruby at the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) over the next month. The gemstone will be put up for private auction in October, the miner noted. Meanwhile, the company plans to use 2% of the revenue from the sale of the stone to set up the Fura Training Academy in the community in which it operates in Mozambique. The school will provide education and technical training to the local population in fields including mining, carpentry, engineering and agriculture.

Image: The 101-carat ruby. (Fura Gems)