Footnotes

Accompanied by a GRS report numbered GRS2023-039797, dated 9 March 2023, stating that the 7.07-carat ruby is natural, Intense to Vivid Red (GRS-type 'Pigeon's Blood color), of Burmese (Mogok, Myanmar) origin, with no indication of thermal treatment.

Accompanied by a Gübelin report numbered 0910177, dated 29 October 2009, stating that 7.07-carat ruby is natural, Red colour, of Burmese (Myanmar) origin, with no indications of heating.

Accompanied by an SSEF report numbered 128449, dated 6 April 2023, stating that the 7.069-carat ruby is natural, Red colour of medium strong saturation, of Burmese (Myanmar) origin, with no indications of heating.

Accompanied by an SSEF report numbered 54258, dated 21 August 2009, stating that the 7.070-carat ruby is natural, Red colour of medium strong saturation, of Burmese (Myanmar) origin, with no indications of heating.

Accompanied by eight GIA reports stating that the 6.01 carats diamonds weighing 0.80 - 0.70 carats are D colour, VVS1 to VS1 clarity.

7.07克拉天然「緬甸抹谷」未經加熱處理「鴿血紅」紅寶石配鑽石戒指，及鑽石戒托
鑽石共重約7.45克拉，戒圍6，附GRS，Gübelin，SSEF證書兩張，及GIA證書八張，評定鑽石為D色VVS1至VS1淨度

Provenance:
Christies', Hong Kong, 29 May 2012, Sale 2918, Lot 3674.

THE PROMINENT RED
Rubies are a variety of corundum and their red colour comes from traces of chromium oxide. The higher the chromium content, the more intense the red hue will be. Most favoured by buyers, blood-red rubies are commonly known as "pigeon's blood."

The flaming red hue of rubies evokes association with passion, romance and integrity. According to legend, people who wear rubies are blessed with flourishing romance, family harmony and longevity. It was customary for the ancient warriors of Burma to pierce small openings in their bodies, in which a ruby was inserted. Invincibility in battle would then be guaranteed.

Red is an auspicious colour within Asia. Naturally, they view rubies in the same light. In Qing-dynasty China, princes and the highest-ranking officials wore court headwear adorned with a ruby to indicate their distinguished positions. In 585 BC, the Shwedagon Pagoda in Burma was liberally crowned with rubies upon its restoration. Since antiquity, rubies have been an indispensable part of royal jewellery collections around the world. Natural rubies mostly originate in Asia, including Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka. They are also mined in Africa and Australia. Among all, the valley of Mogok in Burma is the most highly acclaimed ruby mining area in the world. A characteristic of its rubies is the curvaceous, angular substances inside them, which enable the reflection of red ultraviolet rays on each facet to yield a vibrant red hue and brilliant glitter.

Rubies are formed over long periods of time, under severe pressure within the earth crust and exposure to heat from the sun. Only under these conditions would a pale, colourless raw stone be transformed into a fiery-red ruby. Continuous mining over the millennia has made natural, mature rubies weighing over five carats exceptionally rare. Most rubies unearthed these days are treated with heat for quality enhancement but cannot be compared to the natural ones in colour and luster. The price difference between them is also significant.

In this auction, Bonhams is pleased to present a 7.07-carat natural unheated Burmese 'Pigeon's Blood' ruby and diamond ring with more than 100 years of history, even rarer to be identified from the world-renowned mining area of Mogok. When trading is difficult a century ago, to find such a top quality Burmese ruby in the West was beyond the reach of ordinary collectors, and it can be inferred that the identity of the original collector is either someone of extreme wealth or aristocratic status.

奼紫嫣紅
紅寶石是剛玉的一種，紅色來自它成份中的鉻(Cr.)，含鉻越高，顏色便越鮮艷，血紅色的紅寶石最受人們珍愛，俗稱「鴿血紅」。

紅寶石炙熱的紅色，令人們把它和熱情，愛情及高尚品格聯繫一起，被視為愛情之石。傳說中佩戴紅寶石的人將會愛情美滿，家庭和諧，亦能健康長壽。古代的緬甸武士便愛在身上刺一個小口，嵌入一顆紅寶石，以保刀槍不入。

東方人視紅色為吉祥的顏色，紅寶石自然成為他們眼中吉祥之物。在中國清代，親王以至一品大官俱在官帽上鑲上紅寶石，作為官職之區別；而在緬甸，公元前585年修建的瑞光大金塔，更是鑲嵌了二千多顆紅寶石；在世界各地皇族的皇冠上，自古以來紅寶石亦是不可缺少的飾物。天然紅寶石大多來自亞洲（緬甸，泰國和斯里蘭卡），非洲和澳大利亞亦有出產。而舉世知名的莫過於來自有數千年開採歷史的緬甸抹谷山谷的紅寶石礦。其特色是紅寶石內含有的捲曲斜狀物體，將紅色紫外光線折射到寶石的每一個切割面，令其發出平均而豔紅的色彩，閃爍生輝。

紅寶石是要經過漫長歲月地殼轉移的壓力及受著太陽熱力的洗禮下，才能從一顆淡然無色的礦石，變為艷紅的寶石，在千百年間不斷開採下，超過五克拉的天然成熟的紅寶石已變得相當稀有。今天大部份開採的紅寶石都被人工加熱處理，以達致成熟，可惜的是在顏色及光澤上始終難與天然紅寶石比較，價格上亦自然大有分別。

是次拍賣，邦瀚斯誠意呈獻逾百年歷史之 7.07 克拉天然緬甸「鴿血紅」未經加熱處理紅寶石配鑽石戒指，乃出自名門抹谷礦區，更為稀有。在貿易並未完善的一個世紀前，要在西方找到如此一枚頂級緬甸紅寶石，非一般藏家力所能及 ，亦可由此推斷原藏家的身份非富則貴，同時，又因其出自百年前舊礦 , 淨度之高非現今新礦紅寶石可比擬，其舊式切割， 亦隨着亞洲藏家對寶石認知日增而被受關注，作為收藏或投資用途，都是不二之選。

If you wish to bid on this lot, please refer to page 1 for bidding information under 'Registration Important Notice'
請參閱圖錄首頁之「重要登記須知」以參與此拍品之競投