Corundum (var. star ruby)

Star rubies are rare, and those from Burma even more so. This is the first Burmese star ruby in the National Gem Collection, and at 51.97ct one of the largest gem-quality star rubies known from Burma. It is a translucent gem with a beautiful purplish-red color and exhibits a superb, fully-formed, sharp 6-rayed star. This gem fills a major void in the National Gem Collection and was gifted to the museum by the Smithsonian Gem and Mineral Collectors.