Photo: Ömer Evren / Unsplash
Heritage
From the ruby mines of Mogok to the jade markets of Mandalay, Myanmar's gemstones have been valued for centuries. These stories look past the sparkle to the people who mine, cut, trade and set them — and to where each stone actually comes from.
5 stories
From Queen Elizabeth II's Burmese Ruby Tiara to the Sunrise Ruby and the Hutton-Mdivani necklace, these famous jewels carry Myanmar's rubies and jadeite far beyond the country's borders.
Read moreA gold necklace resting against silk, a pair of earrings catching the light, a bracelet fastened before a celebration — in Myanmar, jewellery belongs to a wider story of craftsmanship, ceremonial dress and the occasions people choose to remember.
Read moreBlue sapphire, bright pink spinel and fresh green peridot reveal another side of Myanmar's gemstone heritage — a variety of colour held within one small part of the country.
Read moreA small jade bangle and a pagoda covered in jade may seem worlds apart. In Myanmar, both tell a story about a stone that belongs to the country's landscape, craftsmanship and faith.
Read moreA polished ruby can rest on a fingertip, yet its story reaches from a marble hillside in Mogok, through centuries of legend and trade, to auction rooms and museum cases on the other side of the world.
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