Rubies mined in Burma have long been held as the absolute ideal in terms of colour for a ruby, they are an exceptionally beautiful rich deep red with neither too much brown nor pink in it. The term ‘pigeon’s blood’ has historically been used in an attempt to define this colour that is found in the best examples produced by this region. The Mogok Valley in Upper Burma (now known as Myanmar) has been the world’s primary ruby source for centuries and the origins of the mines are swathed in mystery and legend. What is certain is that references to these gems have been found dating back to the Shan Dynasty in the 6th Century. The mines were taken over by the King of Burma in 1597 and all rubies over a certain size had to be given to him on discovery rather than sold. Today there are many different mines in the area both privately owned and government run. New deposits were found in the Mong Hsu area of the country in the 1990’s and more recently a new source has been discovered in the northern region of Namya.