Ruby from Mozambique: How Montepuez Rewrote the Market

Before 2009 fine ruby meant Burma. Political isolation, thinning supply and a US import ban had made top Burmese stones almost unobtainable. Then artisanal miners in Cabo Delgado province, northern Mozambique, uncovered the Montepuez deposit — and the market changed within a few seasons.

What makes Montepuez different

• Volume. Montepuez produces more gem-quality ruby than every other source combined.
• Quality range. Alongside commercial material, the deposit yields stones with the saturated, slightly purplish red long associated with Burma, often with better clarity.
• Low iron in the best material, which gives the fluorescence that makes fine ruby glow.

Treatment and disclosure

A large share of Mozambican ruby is heated, and some is glass-filled. Both must be disclosed, and prices differ by an order of magnitude. Unheated Montepuez ruby above two carats with strong colour is now one of the most sought-after categories at international auctions.

What we look for

SOMSTONE selects Mozambican ruby for colour first, then clarity, then cut. We favour stones with no indications of heating where the budget allows, and we tell you the treatment status of every stone before you see a price.