Rubies and sapphires are the sister stones formed of the same mineral - corundum. Rubies have always been prized as one of the most valuable gemstones, and they remain so today.
The red hues of rubies are well-known, especially the pigeon blood red. The presence of Chromium in the mineral corundum is the reason behind various shades of red –from orange-red to deep purple red.
The amount of Chromium in the mineral is directly proportional to the color strength; the more Chromium in the mineral, the stronger the color.
Aluminum, iron, and magnesium are among the additional trace elements that can be found in corundum. The presence of these elements results in the Sapphire, the Ruby's sister stone, having a wide range of colors.
Rubies score 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making them the second hardest gemstone (along with Sapphires) after diamonds. Rubies' durability makes them a popular choice for engagement rings and bracelets since they can survive everyday wear and tear.
In ancient times, rubies were thought to endow beauty and wisdom to the wearer. The gemstone is now associated with passion, prosperity, and success. Rubies are immensely valued today due to these factors, as well as their rich color, noteworthy hardness, and religious associations.
Lt. Queen Elizabeth of England is known for her ruby jewelry collection, which includes an Edwardian-style diamond & ruby necklace and a Ruby Tiara presented to her by the Burmese people.
A ruby necklace fashioned by Cartier was gifted to Hollywood films queen Elizabeth Taylor, and it was one of the most coveted and imitated necklaces among ladies at the time. This necklace was auctioned for charity at Christie's in 2011 for a staggering $115 million, making it the most impressive jewelry auction ever!
Recent celebrity pieces, including Victoria Beckham's oval cut ruby engagement ring, have revived the ruby's popularity among the new generation of gemstone connoisseurs.
The primary sources of rubies are Myanmar (Burma), Madagascar, Thailand, Tanzania and Mozambique. Burmese rubies are known for their true richness of colors and are the most prized.
Ruby is the birthstone for the July born and is also the traditional gift for the 40th wedding anniversary.
Like all other gemstones, rubies have flaws that add to their unique beauty. Fine silk or feather inclusions, for instance, can form an asterism leading to the gemstone known as a "Star Ruby".
Similar to sapphires, rubies’ quality and price are determined by three primary factors: color, clarity, and transparency. The weight, mining origin, and treatment given to a ruby can all influence its quality and price.
The most important quality element for a ruby is its color, which is also the key driver of its value. The general rule is that the value of a ruby grows as the color saturation increases. The price of a ruby lowers dramatically when the color gets oversaturated and eventually opaque. A ruby with a very light color and one with an extremely dark/opaque color will be priced similarly.
The following is our color grading system for several ruby color types:
Richest red color without being overly dark (70% to 90% red color)
Slight oversaturation of red color (no pink hues)
Soothing red color with 50% to 70% red color and 30% to 50% pinkish/purplish hues
More purple than red in saturation (30% to 50% red)
More pinkish than red in saturation (30% to 50% red)
Clarity refers to the presence or absence of imperfections in a gemstone. Unlike diamonds, in color gemstones there is no universal clarity grading system. We evaluate the clarity of a ruby in the following manner.
The clarity grades for ruby which we use and are common in the trade, are given here under.
| Grading | Description |
|---|---|
| Eye Clean | 100% clean to the eye, but not necessarily under magnification |
| Very Slightly Included | Very tiny inclusions are eye visible under close inspection or when tilting the gem |
| Slightly Included | Tiny inclusions are eye visible |
| Moderately Included | Inclusions are eye visible |
| Included | Significant inclusions are eye visible |
Transparency refers to the attribute of a gemstone to let the light pass through. The more light passes through, the more transparent the stone. Everyone loves transparent gems because the colors appear vivid. The only problem with higher transparency is that the flaws in the gemstone are more visible as compared to less transparent stone.
The rough of ruby is cut in a way to obtain the desired color saturation of the ruby since the price is primarily dependent on the color. Lighter material is cut deeper to allow the gem to hold more light and increase saturation, whereas darker material is cut shallower to allow more light to pass through the stone.
Cutting a gemstone requires a high degree of skill which is mastered with years of practice and patience.
Carat (ct) is the primary unit to measure the weight of a gemstone. One carat equals one-fifth of a gram or one gram has five carats. The deep or the shallow cut of a ruby will have a bearing on its apparent size thereby making it important to consider other measurements such as length and width which are expressed in millimeters. A 7x5mm Oval can weigh 0.80cts or 1.5cts, depending on its depth and cutting style.
Rubies are mined in many different places around the world. Gemstones of varying quality can be found in all origins. The ruby's origin might affect its value, especially in higher quality rubies. Even if they are mined from a rare and prestigious location, rubies that are low in quality, will not receive a significant premium price.
The following are some of the places where rubies are mined:
| Ruby Origins | |
|---|---|
| Myanmar (Burma) | These are considered the highest quality rubies as they offer a true red color in the higher end of color band. |
| Madagascar | These rubies tend to be orangish red but generally have excellent transparency. |
| Thailand | These rubies generally have a heavy purplish undertone. We don’t carry Thai rubies. |
| Tanzania | Tanzanian rubies tend to be orangish and purplish red but generally have excellent transparency. |
| Mozambique | Relatively new mine that is currently producing high quality rubies in volume. Considered by most as the second best origin for rubies commanding prestige. These gems tend to have a purplish undertone. |
Rubies from desirable mines such as Myanmar (Burma) and Mozambique generally command a higher price than those from other countries. As the quality improves and the size of a gemstone increases, the premium goes up. Gemstones of low, medium, and high quality are produced by all origins. For the most part, provenance should not influence a customer's decision but rather the quality of gemstone required.
Rubies are treated in many ways to enhance their color and make them visually more appealing. Untreated rubies are extremely rare and not easy to find. Most local jewelry stores sell only heat treated rubies due to limited sourcing available. We have one of the largest collections of certified untreated rubies in the world.
| Rubies are treated in the following ways: | |
|---|---|
| Untreated | A gemstone is cut and polished only in order to improve its appearance & durability. |
| Heat | Ruby is heated at a temperature between 800 to 1,800 degrees fahrenheit to increase color saturation. It is a permanent treatment and is so common that in the trade if an individual asks for a ruby, it is understood the individual wants a heated gemstone. Heating a ruby requires a great deal of expertise and if performed inappropriately, it may result in loss of color and even damage. |
| Composite | In this treatment, a ruby is filled with glass or lead and complemented with heat treatment. This allows the otherwise not so desirable gems to be fit for jewelry. However, rubies with this treatment are not stable and disclosure must be made prior to sale. |
A top quality treated gem will reach a maximum price point whereas an untreated gem is not restricted to such boundary due to its becoming rarer with each passing day.
A letter grading system is used by several local jewelers to educate their consumers about the quality. We've included an overall grade to help our customers understand the jeweler's grading system. It's worth noting that most jewelers don't offer untreated rubies, therefore their AAAA grading isn't the highest.
To differentiate the heirloom quality untreated ruby, we’ve devised the AAAAA grading system. Please see the full grading scale and description below:
| Quality Grade | % of All Rubies | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
AAAAA (Untreated Heirloom) | Extremely Rare | These UNTREATED RUBIES are the rarest and highly sought out by collectors. These gems have rich color, range from very slightly included to eye clean clarity, and exhibit nice sparkle. These gems tend to appreciate most in value over time due to rarity and high demand. |
|
|
AAAA (Heirloom) | Top 1% | Fine quality rubies that are typically found at higher end boutiques. They have rich color, slightly included to eye clean clarity and tend to exhibit nice sparkle. Typically, these gems are heat treated. |
|
|
AAA (Excellent) | Top 10% | High quality rubies that are typically found in high end stores such as on 5th Avenue. They have vivid to medium color and range from slightly included to very slightly included eye clarity. |
|
|
AA (Very Good) | Top 25% | Pinkish to purplish color rubies that exhibit medium sparkle. They typically have moderate to slightly included eye clarity. These gems are usually found at medium to high end jewelers. |
|
|
A (Good) | Top 50 to 75% | Very pinkish to purplish color rubies that tend to be included. These rubies may be heated or lead/glass filled. Typically found in commercial quality jewelry. |
AAAAA (Untreated Heirloom)
Extremely Rare
These UNTREATED RUBIES are the rarest and highly sought out by collectors. These gems have rich color, range from very slightly included to eye clean clarity, and exhibit nice sparkle. These gems tend to appreciate most in value over time due to rarity and high demand.
AAAA (Heirloom)
Top 1%
Fine quality rubies that are typically found at higher end boutiques. They have rich color, slightly included to eye clean clarity and tend to exhibit nice sparkle. Typically, these gems are heat treated.
AAA (Excellent)
Top 10%
High quality rubies that are typically found in high end stores such as on 5th Avenue. They have vivid to medium color and range from slightly included to very slightly included eye clarity.
AA (Very Good)
Top 25%
Pinkish to purplish color rubies that exhibit medium sparkle. They typically have moderate to slightly included eye clarity. These gems are usually found at medium to high end jewelers.
A (Good)
Top 50 to 75%
Very pinkish to purplish color rubies that tend to be included. These rubies may be heated or lead/glass filled. Typically found in commercial quality jewelry.
Ruby is a pretty hard gemstone and doesn’t require much care. But here are a few things that you can do to keep your ruby jewelry looking new.
