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Ruby, the
ultimate red gem, was long considered the most valuable
gemstone. Regarded as the king of gems by the sages of
ancient India, ruby like sapphire, is the tough and durable
mineral corundum.
History and Lore
In the
ancient language of Sanskrit, ruby is called Ratnaraj, or
“king of gems”.
In ancient
Burma, warriors wore rubies to make themselves invincible in
battle.
In the
Bible, only wisdom and virtuous women are “more precious
than rubies”.
Long
associated with passion and courage, ruby is the birthstone
for July.
Quality, Value &Availability
The best
colour for rubies is a deep, pure vivid red to slightly
purplish red. A purplish red is generally considered better
than an orangy red. Pink, purple and orange stones are
classified as fancy sapphire rather than ruby.
Rubies are
very rare and valuable in large sizes : a fine 4 carat ruby
will sell for more than a top 4 carat emerald or diamond.
For larger
rubies, oval and cushion shapes predominate. Smaller stones
are most often cut into rounds or squares.
Sources
The most
famous source of ruby is Myanmar (Burma), which produces
ruby with a juicy intense red.
Mining has
decreased in Thailand, which was an important producer in
the past and is still the most important cutting and trading
center for ruby.
Other
important ruby producers are Madagascar, Thailand, Vietnam,
Kenya,
Sri lanka,
Afghanistan and Tanzania.
Routine Enhancements
Most
rubies are heated in order to maximize their red colour and
remove secondary colours of blue and brown. Some rubies are
also heated to improve clarity. Sometimes glassy residue can
be trapped in fissures or cavities when the ruby cools :
this filling if significant, can negatively affect value.
Heat enhancement is stable and does not require special care
unless significant fissure-filling residue is present.
Care & Cleaning
Ruby, like
sapphire, is the mineral corundum, which has a hardness of 9
on the Mohs scale. Corundum is so hard that it is used as an
abrasive. As a result, rubies are the most durable of gems.
Clean ruby
with mild dish soap : use a tooth brush to scrub behind the
stone where dust can collect.
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