In 2017, at Baselworld, Switzerland, the world's largest jewelry and watch fair, a certain necklace became a hot topic. It was called the "Grand Phoenix." Made with a total of 59.83 carats of extremely rare, unheated rubies from Burma (Myanmar), and adorned with a total of 100.21 carats of diamonds, the necklace captured the attention of the public with its overwhelming beauty. It was also recently reported in Forbes magazine as an astonishing creation, with a high price tag of $35 million (approximately 3.9 billion yen) at the time.

The "Grand Phoenix" features unheated rubies from Burma (Myanmar) totaling 59.83 carats and diamonds totaling 100.21 carats.
This jewelry was created by FAIDEE, a Hong Kong-based company. While not yet well known in Japan, FAIDEE is a brand founded by a family that once held the top share of the global ruby market. This up-and-coming jeweler only began crafting jewelry 25 years ago. Their jewelry has rewritten jewelry history, fetching the highest prices for rubies at auctions like Sotheby's and Christie's. Roop Chand Runia, who founded the Burmese ruby supply company that became the company's parent in 1910, is known as the "King of Burmese Rubies" and has supplied rubies to renowned high jewelers. For four generations, the Runia family has been deeply involved in the world of rubies and Kashmir sapphires. Three brothers have inherited the legacy of their great-grandfather, Roop Chand Runia. Rahul Runia, the third son of the family and the brand's Japan representative, says that the Phaidi rubies, passed down through four generations, are a reflection of the family's journey.
Ring with a Burmese Ruby
"Unheated Burmese rubies are considered particularly rare, so even if you have a single ruby in your ring, it's not a good idea to have one in a "Grand" size. It's rare to see a necklace featuring so many stones like the "Phoenix." Such a creation is only possible thanks to a ruby supplier with such a long history. While Mozambique, the most common ruby, is characterized by its purplish hue, Burmese rubies are known for their deep red color. Most mines have now closed, dramatically reducing the supply of Burmese rubies. High-quality rubies currently account for less than 1% of the total. While rubies are often thought of as a single color, there are actually over 100 different shades. With his discerning eye, Phaidi has also worked hard to "clarify" ruby quality standards. For example, when it comes to Burmese rubies, the first thing that immediately comes to mind is "pigeon's blood." Pigeon blood alone has more than three grades, and while clarity (transparency) determines the ruby's color and luster, cutting and polishing also affect it. For example, even a slight difference in the cutting angle can completely change the color of a ruby. Therefore, after cutting, FIDEE arranges the stone in the design and then recuts it again until they are satisfied with the result. FIDEE's commitment is to polish the stone four or five times, instead of the usual three times.

Crafting the metal
Faidee believes that the meticulous "eye of an artisan," born from years of experience, is what brings out the true beauty of a gemstone. Starting with collaboration with artisans with exceptional polishing skills, and from design to setting, Faidee handles every step of the process of creating a piece of jewelry in-house. This could be an elegant design befitting a rare gemstone, a setting using small prongs to enhance its brilliance, or the delicate and beautiful finishing of the metal... The artistic attention to detail that goes into completing a piece of jewelry is also one of the highlights of Faidee's jewelry.



A pear-shaped sapphire ring made from a rough stone that had been passed down from the Lunia family's great-grandfather and stored for over 100 years
Like rubies, Faidi has dearly loved Kashmir sapphires, which are now known as "mythical gems," and consider them "another treasure" of the family. Most Kashmir sapphires currently in existence are considered to be reclaimed gemstones that have already been released into the world, and around 100 years ago, when his great-grandfather, Roop Chand Lunia, was active, restrictions had already been placed on mining in the mines. However, Faidi preserves the rare loose stones that he obtained at that time. From their astonishingly large stock, they create high-end jewelry generously using Kashmir sapphires. The 11.07-carat pear-shaped sapphire ring pictured is a piece of jewelry created from such precious rough stones. "This ring is an extremely rare gemstone certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) as a 'cornflower blue'. Unlike the purplish royal blue, the color is not too intense, making it truly elegant. It has a charm that you can gaze upon forever," says Rahul. The highly saturated, soft colors of sapphires are a hallmark of Kashmir, and there are other sapphires with beautiful peacock-like colors, making their appeal endless.


The process from rough to cushion-shaped gemstone
During the cutting and polishing process, sapphires, with their blue and colorless structure, show their color when viewed from above, requiring the artisan's keen eye to identify lines and points of color within the rough. Since the polishing of each and every facet greatly affects quality, this process also requires the "experienced sensibility" that Rahul mentioned earlier. For example, a cushion-shaped sapphire with a size of 10 carats and a rich, intense color, unparalleled in the world, was created from the characteristically elongated rough shape of sapphires. Like the pear-shaped sapphire mentioned above, it is finished into jewelry with a stunning sparkle, along with top-class diamonds befitting Kashmir sapphires. The overwhelming value of each, estimated to be several hundred million yen, gives a glimpse into the company's pride in pursuing the highest level of quality from an all-round perspective, not only in the size and color of the stone, but also in its transparency and brilliance.

"For example, this pear shape, which successfully achieves even color distribution, is a gemstone created using modern technology and new theories. Even a single necklace takes several years to make, as the color, cut, and other elements of all the gemstones used must be precisely matched. It is a new challenge for us to see how beautifully we can revive precious treasures passed down from the past using modern technology and ideas."