Phillips to Auction Rare 18-Carat Burmese Ruby
The auction house said the gemstone could fetch up to $5.5 million at next month’s sale.

“Geneva Jewels Auction: Three” will take place in Geneva on Nov. 11.
The star of the sale is a Burmese ruby and diamond ring, pictured above, featuring a 17.97-carat ruby.
While rubies weighing more than 5 carats are extremely rare, the auction house said stones weighing 10 to 20 carats are “true natural wonders.”
Phillips said the gemstone has “exceptional clarity” for its size, as well as a vibrant unheated color and rich saturation.
Its pre-sale estimate is CHF 4.1 million to 4.8 million ($4.8 million to $5.5 million).
The sale also will feature colored diamonds, including a ring with a 3.24-carat, internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond.
The diamond is classified as Type IIb, meaning it contains the trace element boron, which is responsible for the stone’s blue color.
Type IIb diamonds, which are also known to conduct electricity, are rare in nature, with the auction house estimating that less than one-half of 1 percent of diamonds fall into this category.
The ring is estimated to sell for CHF 4.1 million to 5.1 million ($4.8 million to $6 million).
Phillips will also offer a natural red diamond.
The 1.21-carat stone is named “The Red Miracle” and comes from a private collection.
It is estimated to fetch CHF 420,000 to 680,000 ($500,000 to $800,000).
Red diamonds weighing more than 1 carat are exceptionally rare, said the auction house.
At a Phillips auction earlier this year, another red diamond, the 1.56-carat “Argyle Phoenix” sold to Laurence Graff, founder of Graff Diamonds, for more than double its estimate, going for CHF 3.8 million ($4.2 million, or $2.7 million per carat).
It set two auction records for a fancy red diamond, one for price and one for price per carat.
Other notable natural colored diamond pieces set to appear at the sale are a 3.88-carat fancy dark gray-blue diamond ring (est. CHF 680,000 to 850,000 or $800,000 to $1 million) and a 40.54-carat old European-cut fancy intense yellow diamond (est. CHF 850,000 to 1.3 million or $980,000 to $1.5 million).
A 1.36-carat fancy intense blue diamond ring, estimated to sell for CHF 250,000 to 420,000 ($300,000 to $500,000), will be on offer as well.
Other colored gemstones that are part of the auction include an emerald and diamond ring featuring a 14.65-carat Colombian emerald set in a vintage Cartier mounting from the 1920s.
It is estimated to sell for CHF 750,000 to 1 million ($900,000 to $1.2 million).
An 8.03-carat unheated Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring in a “Trombino” design by Bulgari, as well as a pair of emerald and diamond earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels, are each estimated to sell for up to CHF 500,000 ($600,000).
A 20.49-carat, no-oil Colombian emerald ring also is on offer with an estimate of CHF 650,000 - 850,000 ($750,000 to $1 million).
Phillips’ upcoming jewelry auction also includes a selection of jewels with provenance.
A Cartier necklace once owned by French actress Marie Bell featuring citrine, turquoise, and diamonds and showcasing the “Grain de Café” motif, is estimated to achieve CHF 85,000 to 130,000 ($100,000 to $150,000).
A natural pearl and diamond necklace from a European noble family also is on offer, with an estimate of CHF 60,000 to 85,000 ($70,000 to $100,000).
A 19th-century gold, emerald, and diamond bracelet featuring an 11.39-carat emerald is estimated to sell for CHF 50,000 to 85,000 ($60,000 to $100,000).
Additionally, the auction house will offer a 19th-century spinel and diamond necklace King George IV is believed to have gifted to his mistress, Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham.
Its estimate is CHF 13,000 to 22,000 ($15,000 to 25,000).
A Castellani micromosaic demi-parure from circa 1875 will be offered with an estimate of CHF 7,000 to 10,000 ($8,000 to $12,000). The piece was once part of the late Mrs. Harry Winston’s collection.
Also on offer is a 1930s coral and diamond bracelet (est. CHF 10,000 to 15,000 or $12,000 to $18,000) by Marsh & Co.
The bracelet is from the estate of Margaret Roebling Perrine, daughter of Ferdinand Roebling, general manager of Trenton, New Jersey-based John A. Roebling’s Sons Company, best known for its pivotal role in constructing the Brooklyn Bridge.
A selection of Art Deco jewels are included in the sale.
Highlighted lots include a circa 1926 diamond jabot pin, a circa 1924 diamond bracelet, a sapphire and diamond bracelet from 1927, and a pair of pearl and diamond brooches from 1930, all by Cartier.
The auction house also will offer classic designs from Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Bulgari, and Buccellati, as well as a contemporary statement choker attributed to Marina B.
“On the heels of Phillips’ successful sale in Hong Kong, which achieved an outstanding 89 percent year-on-year increase, we are excited to unveil the highlights of ‘The Geneva Jewels Auction: Three,’” Phillips’ Worldwide Head of Jewellery Benoît Repellin said.
“Our Geneva auction offers a meticulously curated selection, reflective of the robust global demand for rare and captivating jewels. We look forward to presenting these exceptional pieces as we continue our international tour leading up to the Geneva auction in November.”
The pieces will be showcased globally prior to the auction, with viewings in Taipei, London, Paris, Singapore, and New York.
The auction preview will open Nov. 6 at Hotel President in Geneva, followed by the live sale on Nov. 11.
The Latest

Edina Kiss’ “Popsicle” pendant and Karina Choudhrie’s “Ice Cream” charm satisfy that summer craving for a sweet piece of jewelry.

The massive billboard has been in the same spot on the department store’s Herald Square flagship store for decades.

The miner’s ruby and emerald auctions brought in a combined $102.9 million.

Retailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.

The goal is for the De Beers sale to be finished by the second half of 2026, with the subsequent approvals process expected to take a year.


David Bonaparte, along with Tim Haake and Ronnie VanderLinden, continue to lobby for tariff exemptions for diamonds, gemstones, and pearls.

Survey respondents were concerned about the rising prices of food and groceries as well as unemployment.

Colored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.

The trade show, slated for Sept. 4-8 in Vicenza, Italy, will feature sessions on trends, AI, gemology, and manufacturing.

The public shopping event featuring art, jewelry, watches, and rare collectibles, will take place in Santa Clara, California, this fall.

Endiama Commercial Director Elton Escrivão knows people have a lot of misperceptions about Angola. He wants to change that.

Reilly has been with PGI USA for the last 20 years, leading partnership development and professional education.

Boucheron reached record sales while Pomellato found success in its signature collections.

She was one of more than 120 American designers who created flags for the “United Flags of Fashion” project led by CFDA and Vogue.

Smith reveals the method The Retail Smiths use to help retailers and vendors write better job postings.

LVMH’s jewelry and watch brands outperformed the company’s other divisions in an environment the company described as “disrupted.”

“Sacred Heart” features symbols like crosses, angel wings, the Star of David, and the evil eye as a representation of coexistence.
The scholarships will go to early-career professionals looking to study gemology, bench work and jewelry design, or store operations.

Bain & Company delved into the trends shaping the luxury market, the impact of AI, and more in its recent study.

The exhibition reveals the gemology, geology, and cultural history of the iconic red gemstone.

The new sweeping slate of tariffs impacts 60 countries, including India, China, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.

From coin pendants to diamond shields, these old world-inspired jewels are the perfect accessory for an epic journey.

Our Piece of the Week pairs a checkerboard-cut amethyst with an ivy green silk cord.

Mildred Marcano Abrams and Yael Reinhold join the podcast to talk community connections, holiday plans, and preserving Reinhold’s legacy.

Production also was up in the first half of 2026 but is expected to “substantially” decrease in H2 as two key mines undergo maintenance.

“Art Deco” fuses ancestral techniques, rare materials, and modern perspectives as a tribute to the optimism and curiosity of the movement.

The jeweler’s newest store is inside Arkansas’ Saracen Casino Resort.
























