Other

Gemstone collection notches 9 world records

OtherMay 10, 2016

Gemstone collection notches 9 world records

The Ophir Collection, which contains 40 of the world’s largest minerals, holds Guinness World Records in nine categories, including the largest faceted sapphire, cut brown sapphire and cut serendibite. 


The Ophir hibonite, 23.66 carats, holds the world record for the largest cut hibonite in the world.
Atlanta--Guinness World Records has recognized nine gemstones in the Ophir Collection as the largest of their kind in the world. 

Owned by Delaware-based Ophir Collection LLC, the collection includes a total of 40 rare gemstones, a number of which are the largest known specimens in the world.

All of them, with the exception of one, have been certified by the Gemological Institute of America. 

There was one gemstone that the GIA and other authorities in gemstone identification were unable to identify, meaning that it could possibly be the only specimen of its kind in the world. It has since been named the “Ophir Mystique.”

The nine world records in the collection are as follows:
--Largest Faceted Sapphire
--Largest Cut Brown Sapphire
--Largest Cut Musgravite
--Largest Cut Serendibite
--Largest Cut Grandidierite
--Largest Cut Tanzanite
--Largest Cut Hibonite
--Largest Cut Neptunite
--Largest Cut Painite

There also are a number of other applications pending with the Guinness World Records that are still being researched by the body. More information on those applications was not available at press time.

The Ophir Collection encompasses the three largest cut Musgravite gemstones in the world as well as jadeite, coppertop tourmaline, fire opal, kunzite, ruby and black tourmaline, among many others, with some minerals valued at more than $2 million per carat, according to the Ophir Collection LLC.

The collection is available for sale to qualified buyers. A spokesperson for the company said that they prefer to sell it as a whole.

The Ophir Collection has received consultations from a variety of appraisers, gemologists and laboratories, but due to the uniqueness of the stones in the collection and the rarity of the collection as a whole, they haven't been able to establish a value, according to the company.

For this reason, the Ophir Collection is accepting offers from prospective buyers.

Interested buyers can email info@ophircollection.com for access to the private section reserved for media and prospective buyers. Additional questions may be directed to Kris Astor, an Ophir Collection representative, via email at info@ophircollection.com or by calling 404-719-5970. 
Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.

The Latest

Graphic for Episode 8 of the My Next Question podcast
PodcastsAug 19, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLinden

The industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.

Mike Alexander and Scott Murphy
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Mike Alexander To Succeed Scott Murphy as Jewelers Mutual CEO

Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.

Spinelli Kilcollin Trade-In Bar Program Imagery
Policies & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In Program

The jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.

Cover.jpg
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk About

Submit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.

Woman wearing Zales jewelry
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Zales Wants You to Wear Fine Jewelry Every Day

The new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.

Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Former GJEPC Chairman and second-generation Indian diamantaire Vasant Mehta
SourcingAug 19, 2026
Vasant Mehta, a Dedicated Diamond Industry Leader, Dies at 81

Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.

Alfredo Colmenero-Martinez and Jarren Frazier
CrimeAug 18, 2026
2 California Men Arrested in Fatal Vehicle Smash Robbery

One is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.

1872-x-1052-July-ad (1).png
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying Events

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

The Retail Smiths Principal Partner and National Jeweler columnist Peter Smith
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding

In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.

Police car with lights on
CrimeAug 18, 2026
Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler

9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.

Ring Concierge x 818 Tequila Bridal Giveaway
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on Giveaway

The jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.

Louis Comfort Tiffany Poppy lampshade drawing
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The Met

The exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.

Spinelli Kilcollin Inara Ring
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ Collection

Marquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.

Ft. Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show logo
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to Florida

The inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.

Karl Getschel and Bob Yanega of Smyth Jewelers
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth Location

The family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.

Stock image of a gavel
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy

Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.

Paul Morelli Wavey Vine Earrings
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace Color

The reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.

Cover.jpg
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk About

Sponsored by American Gem Trade Association

Two Pandora Talisman pendants
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales Fall

In the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.

Cuckoo Cuckoo Cadbury Conundrum egg
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction Record

The 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.

Picture of 2,488 carat rough diamond next to tweezers, a golf ball, and a loupe
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner

Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.

John Hardy Heishi Collection Campaign Imagery
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with Color

The expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.

Jean Dousset Westfield Valley Fair
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third Store

The lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.

Legacy emerald
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’

The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.

Surveillance image of jewelry thieves
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap Scheme

Two suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.

The Finsch Diamond Mine in South Africa, owned by Petra Diamonds Ltd.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to Close

Finsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.

Stock image of gavel, handcuffs, and law books
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of Boss

Michel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy