Ruby is considered as a gift of love, passion and prosperity, the ruby is a perfect choice, especially for those with July birthdays. Myanmar (formerly Burma) is world renowned historical source for fine quality Burmese gemstone. Rubies are also a traditional gift for 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries.
It’s referenced in the bible, adorned royalty for centuries, and for a period of time was considered to be even more valuable than diamonds. Due to the good fortune they were thought to bring, rubies were placed beneath building foundations for extra security.
Ruby Facts
♦️ The most expensive ruby ever sold was the 25.5 carat Sunrise Ruby for $30 million.
♦️ Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry collection was auctioned off in 2011 and included several ruby pieces, like a ring set containing an 8.24 Carat stone that was valued at $512,925 per Carat. A ruby-studded necklace of Taylor’s was also sold for more than $3.7 million.
♦️ The largest ruby in the world weighs over 40,000 Carat and is owned by a jewelry company in China.
♦️ The first working laser was created from ruby by Theodore Maiman in Moscow in 1960.
♦️ Rubies are mentioned in the Bible on four occasions, with reference to their wisdom.
♦️ Historical trade records indicate that rubies were prized as far back as 200 B.C. when they were traded on the North Silk Road in China.
History of Ruby
Ancient Hindus devoted rubies to the god Krishna because they believed it would allow them to be reborn as emperors. And the Greeks attested that the glow of the rubies have the power to melt wax. Ancient Chinese and Hindu noblemen embellished their armor and harnesses with rubies before heading into battle, believing rubies would offer them protection. Similarly, the Burmese thought they carried invincible power, and warriors planted rubies into their skin before heading into battles.
Across countries and centuries, the rubies have been revered as a gem full of passion and power. Known as the king of precious gems, rubies remain popular in engagement, wedding and birthstone jewelry.
Ruby Basics
The rubies gets its name from the Latin word “ruber,” which means red. While many rubies are royal red in hue, the gemstones range from pink to dark red. The darker end of the rubies spectrum tends to have more value in the marketplace, but some people genuinely prefer the brighter, lighter gem shades.
Rubies are composed of the red variation of mineral corundum, or aluminum oxide. The chromium gives the rubies its red pigment and glow, making an eye-catching stone.
On the Mohs durability scale, rubies rate a 9.0, only one grade below the diamond. They are sturdy stones that are resistant during everyday wear.
Ruby Mining
The Mogok Valley in Burma (now known as Myanmar), was the major source for rubies, particularly deep red gems with a purple tone. Since the 1990s, rubies have also been produced from Mong Hsu, Myanmar, although these stones naturally lack the deep red hue found in the Mogok Valley. Rubies from the Mong Hsu region are often treated with heat techniques to improve the color saturation.
Rubies deposits can also be found in other countries around the world, including Cambodia, Thailand, Afghanistan, Australia, Colombia, India, Japan and Brazil.
Buying A Ruby
Unlike other gemstones, rubies are not graded using any certain scale or ranking system. Since rubies are most highly regarded for their hardness and magnificent and bright color, these are the features to consider when looking at rubies to purchase.
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1. Cost
Lab-made rubies for birthstone jewelry will also cost far less than real rubies and can often be found at as much as 90% off the price of a natural ruby that may have the same quality as the lab made ruby. Additionally, the larger the ruby, the higher the price point will reach.
2. Cut
Most often rubies are cut as ovals, cushions, marquise, or round shapes. Heart and emerald shaped options are also readily and commonly available but are in much lower demand than its other counterparts.
3. Color
While mostly rubies are red or purple reddish in color, other hues and saturations including pink, sapphire, and violet are also found. The saturation and tone of the ruby may also prove to be valuable insight to have.
The saturation of the ruby simply refers to the purity and intensity of the gemstone. The tone refers to just how much color is present within the gemstone. The scale for the tone of the ruby goes from dark to very light with the most valuable ruby being a more medium tone.
4. Clarity / Brilliance
Finally, as with any gemstone Rubies may have something called extinctions, or noticeable black or gray patches that can be found inside the gemstone when put in bright light. These inclusions and blemishes can also cause a drastic price difference in rubies like it would with diamonds. If there are no inclusions, then the price, of course, will be much higher than one that has inclusions, or blemishes.
