During the holiday season the gift of jewelry is given as a symbol of love and celebration. Precious stones in exquisite settings are slipped into satin-lined branded boxes, and purchased by well-intentioned consumers to present to their loved ones.
Rubies from Myanmar are thought to be the finest in the world but the origin of these gems often involves horrific human rights abuses for people living under a brutal regime. New findings in a report released today by Global Witness spotlights a supply chain issue that is being largely ignored by many of the luxury market’s most aspirational brands.
It underscores the fact that there is no such thing as an ethically sourced Burmese ruby, yet Myanmar (also known as Burma) is one of the world’s two largest ruby suppliers, and the source of the world’s most valuable stones.
The current world record holder, an untreated ruby from Myanmar’s Mogok region, sold in 2015 for over 30 million dollars at a Sotheby’s auction, which works out at more the 1 million dollars per carat.
For the rest of this article: https://fashionunited.uk/uncategorised/how-myanmar-conflict-rubies-could-end-up-in-your-christmas-stocking/2021121660109