
Hancocks
22ct Gold Double Gypsy Ring Set With A Burma Ruby and Colombian Emerald

Information
Director’s Notes
Rubies mined in Burma have long been held as the absolute ideal in terms of colour for a ruby, they are an exceptionally beautiful rich deep red with neither too much brown nor pink in it. The Mogok Valley in Upper Burma (now known as Myanmar) has been the world’s primary ruby source for centuries and the origins of the mines are swathed in mystery and legend. What is certain is that references to these gems have been found dating back to the Shan Dynasty in the 6th Century. The mines were taken over by the King of Burma in 1597 and all rubies over a certain size had to be given to him on discovery rather than sold. Today there are many different mines in the area both privately owned and government run. New deposits were found in the Mong Hsu area of the country in the 1990’s and more recently a new source has been discovered in the northern region of Namya. Historically, the very finest quality emeralds have been found in Colombia, in particular three key mining areas - Muzo, Coscuez and Chivor - which between them have been supplying the world with exceptional gems for many hundreds of years. Stones from these locations are widely regarded to be the most beautiful and intense in colour with a purity of green unmatched by those from any other source. Whilst the earliest record of emerald mining was in Ancient Egypt, indeed Cleopatra loved these gems so much she is reputed to have had her own mine, the beauty of the stones from Colombia could not be rivalled. Since the 16th Century these stones have been widely traded throughout Europe and their superiority in terms of colour and size meant they quickly became the most highly prized emeralds in the world. Mining in these areas continues today and they are still producing exceptional quality gems which are as desirable today as they were to the early Colombians who first discovered them.