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Mogok (The Ruby Land)
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Mogok, a town in Central Myanmar in Mandalay Division, is
renowned for producing the world's best grade of rubies and
other precious and semi-precious gems. It is popularly known
to the Myanmar people as the "Ruby Land"
Mogok lies on the northwest end of the Shan Plateau and its
elevation is approximately 3800 feet above the sea level.
Mogok can be reached easily from Mandalay by motorcar. The
road winds round mountains with many hairpin bends but it is
in good condition. The traveler will be rewarded by
fantastic views of forecasted mountains and the distant
Ayeyarwady River and the plains.
Mogok as a town came into being around AD 1207 during the
Bagan Era. Mogok has been famous for its precious rubies and
gems since the days of ancient Myanmar monarchs. It is
alternatively known as " Ruby Land " because it produces the
highest quality rubies in the world. The pigeon's blood
rubies are especially sought in Mogok.
Mogok also produces the highly valued star sapphires and a
whole variety of semi-precious gems like garments, spinel
and topaz and many others. The "Nga Mauk" Ruby is one and it
was part of the Myanmar crown jewels. The most recent finds
of world fame is the State Ruby weighing in at 496.5 and
another stone, the largest rare ruby found in 1996 that
weighs 21450 carats. And then there is also the largest star
sapphire, weighing 63000 carats.
Alluvial limestone gravels are the source, and deposits are
exploited by means of tunneling, pit-digging or panning -
all performed by hand. Other precious and semi-precious
stones found in Mogok District include peridot, lapis
lazuli, moonstone, garnet and chrysoberyl.
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