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When international gem experts and
collectors talk about rubies, the gems of
fire and passion, Mogok is invariably the
first location to be mentioned. No other
country has rubies the size, quality or
quantity than those mined in Myanmar. Mogok
lies 7,700ft above sea level and the 70
times continue to give up flawless stones of
great sizes.
Some historians believe that Mogok mines
could have been discovered since the Stone
Age.
A 42-carat ruby crystal was found in June of
1919, on the very day that the Versailles
Treaty was signed to end the First World
War. This ruby was named the Peace Ruby. It
was a flawless stone with an excellent color
and clarity, marred by only a sma bll
hairline fracture. Compare the value with
the following data: a flawless pigeon's
blood ruby weighing almost 6 carats was sold
in 1992 for US$ 120,000 at the National Gems
Emporium and in 1995, Sotheby's sold a 27.37
carat Myanmar ruby for US$ 4 million.
Rubies were once so plentiful that a quality
Mogok people called "A Hpyone", and thought
worthless, lay scattered like pebbles on the
streets. Now this quality after being
polished is fetching good prices, more so
than the semi-precious stones such as
spinal, topaz and garnet that come out of
Mogok by the bushel.
It is astounding that the Mogok mines
continue to give up large stones. Found in
1990, the Nawata ruby is a near-flawless gem
of crimson rose color, weighing 496.5 carats
after being refined. From the same mine, in
the following two years, two other rubies
were found, each weighing over 600 carats
and 700 carats respectively also of
excellent quality. The Nawata Ruby is kept
in its crystal state as a National Treasure,
and it is nowadays very rare to find a ruby
kept uncut, especially when it is of an
excellent quality. The Los Angeles Country
Museum of Natural History has a fine 196
carat ruby crystal on display.
Myanmar women who could afford to have
diamonds dripping around her neck and arms
usually prefer to keep her rubies for the
most stately occasions, for a flawless
diamond is far easier to find than a
flawless ruby. The men, too, consider the
ruby the most important symbol of their
character, for the traditional Nawarat or
Nine Gems ring worn by men must always have
the ruby, signifying glory, in the centre of
the circlet of the other eight precious
stones.
Stones such as rubies ofr sapphires, both of
the corundum crystal family, are the second
hardest gems next to diamonds. They can also
look spectacular in cabochon form,
especially when radiating lines of moving
lustre turns them into 'star' rubies or
sapphires.When cut and polished perfectly ,
Myanmar rubies dazzle the world with their
depths of fire, as if the spirit of nature
has been caught in their brilliance.
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A ring found in the excavation of the 16th
century ruler King Bayintnaung's palace in
the old capital site of Hantahwaddy, now
Bago, showed a setting of nine gems in a
circular design, unfortunately with the
stones lost or stolen. The ring is so huge
that only a king would have worn it, and
indeed in the days of monarchy only rulers
have the right to this piece of jewellery, a
symbol of glory and nobility. It could have
belonged to King Bayintnaung himself.
This is the ring of the noble nine gems
called "Nawarat Koe Par" ring and not
usually worn in other setting such as a
brooch or pendant, as this is worn exclusive
by men.
The nine gems are always set in the same
order: the ruby in the middle, the diamond
at top centre, then, clockwise, comes the
pearl, the coral, the topaz, the sapphire,
the moonstone, the zircon, and finally the
emerald.
The ruby is for glory; the diamond for
dignity; the pearl for grace; the coral for
power; the topaz for health; the sapphire
for love; the moonstone for prefection; the
zircon for strength; and the emerald for
peace.
The nine gems must be set at auspicious time
and days selected by the astrologer,
calculated according to the birth date of
the man who is to wear it. The goldsmith
must take the five precepts of Buddhism on
the day he is to begin work, which means
refraining from taking life including those
of insects, not stealing, lying, not using
intoxicants and to be free of adultery in
thought and deed. The work must not be begun
afternoon, but only in the mornings, after a
prayer at the household shrine and a homage
offering presented to good spirits. The
wearer may first pray with this ring at his
own household shrine before he puts it on
his finger.
The men wear this ring on their right hands
as this is considered the 'clean' hand and
used for eating, etc., a tradition shared by
all Asian countries. This "Nawarat Koe Par"
ring symbolizes a man's commitment to be
pure in heart and thus establish his
nobility in the world. |
