The Rubies and Sapphires That Changed Cambodian History. Pailin’s red earth has produced some of the world’s most legendary gems – stones that funded wars, crowned kings, and still whisper stories in the gem markets today. Here are the five most famous Pailin gems that locals still talk about in 2025.
1. The “Khmer Rouge War Chest” Ruby (1978)
The largest documented Pailin ruby ever found – 984 carats rough (about the size of a tennis ball).
- Discovered by a Khmer Rouge mining brigade in 1978
- Pol Pot reportedly kept it in a biscuit tin under his bed
- Sold to a Thai dealer in 1996 for US$4 million to fund the final surrender
- Current location unknown – believed cut into smaller stones now in private collections
2. The “Queen’s Tears” Sapphire (1927)
A perfect 42-carat cornflower-blue sapphire found by a French miner.
- Gifted to Queen Sisowath Monivong as a coronation present
- Set into a necklace that disappeared during the 1970 coup
- Reappeared in a Bangkok auction in 2018 – bought anonymously for US$2.8 million
- Cambodians call it “the stone that cried when the monarchy fell”
3. The “Blood Ruby of Ta Mok” (1997)
A 78-carat pigeon-blood ruby discovered during Ta Mok’s (“Brother Number Five”) final months as Khmer Rouge commander in Pailin.
- Used to buy rice for starving troops
- Later traded for a Toyota Land Cruiser
- Now set in a ring worn by a Bangkok gem dealer who refuses to sell “because it brings luck”
4. The “Monk’s Miracle” Sapphire (2003)
A 29-carat flawless blue sapphire found by a monk digging a fish pond behind Wat Phnom Yat.
- He sold it for US$45,000 – enough to rebuild the entire pagoda in gold leaf
- The monk said the naga spirit of the mountain gave it to him
- The stone now sits in a Bangkok temple as an offering
5. The “Curse of the Golden Ruby” (1980s)
A 105-carat golden-yellow sapphire (extremely rare in Pailin) found by a Thai smuggler.
- Every owner died violently within a year – shot, stabbed, or car accident
- Finally donated to Wat Phnom Yat in 1998 to break the curse
- Still on display in the pagoda – locals say it glows at night
Where the Stories Live Today
- Gem Market behind the cinema – old miners still tell these tales while examining stones
- Wat Phnom Yat museum – displays photos and replicas of the most famous finds
- Evening rice-wine circles – ask any elder “about the ruby that bought peace” and watch their eyes light up
Pailin gems aren’t just pretty rocks. They’re history you can hold in your hand – stones that bought weapons, built temples, ended wars, and still carry the whispers of the men who dug them from red earth with bleeding fingers. When a miner shows you a ruby today and says “this one has a story,” believe him. In Pailin, every stone does.