RUBY
The king of gems. That is the name given to the red variety of corundum known as ruby. Ruby is the rarest of all the forms of corundum and has always been one of the most prized of all the gemstones. A ruby called the “sunrise ruby” is a magnificent 25.59ct fine ruby that is currently the world’s most expensive gem. In 2015, it was sold at an auction in Switzerland for just over 30 million dollars. Fine rubies hold almost every record for price per carat paid for any gem at all the various sizes.
The value of ruby is determined by four major factors in the following order: color, clarity, size, and origin. The most important feature of a ruby is also the thing that makes it so special: the red color. Red is rarely seen in nature, but roses and rubies are the two things that most represent love. The red of ruby is defined in a Marrow spectrum of red being at a minimum 80% of the dominate color. There can be a 20% secondary tone that can be pink, purple, or brown in color. Because of this, ruby does come in shades that vary slightly from lighter pinkish-red to a darker, burnt red, and even a slight purplish red. All of these secondary tones that shift the ruby from a true red tend to lessen the value of the stone.
The purer red, like a sundrenched rose color or traffic light are the rarest and most prized stones. The actual color tone of red is often indicative of the origin of the stone as well. One example is the Thai Ruby. Rubies found in Thailand tend to be a darker shade of red. They are usually a bit more transparent than other sources, but the color is usually a dark blood red often referred to as pigeon’s blood. Stones found in Australia tend to have a purplish undertone while African stones may shift more burnt rusty red. Typical Sri Lankan (Ceylon) rubies carry a strong pink undertone. All of these sites can produce bright fine red rubies; however, in their finest examples, they are all held up against the color standard of the Burmese Ruby. Burma, now call Myanmar, has traditionally produced the world’s finest rubies. The Magok Valley of Myanmar was the top producer of gem grade rubies for over 100 years. In the past decade these mines are producing fewer and fewer stones, so mining has shifted to a Northern providence of Myanmar called Kachin. There are two factors that are unique to these Burmese Rubies. First, the stones from this region are florescent. That means that when light enters the stone, the crystal electrons are excited and jump from atom to another for a split second, and then jump back again.
This elemental activity releases a small amount of energy that is released as a red light source. This florescence makes the gem appear as if it has an internal glow or light source when exposed to light. This property happens in all rubies, but in the Burmese stones this phenomenon is stronger than any other ruby. This florescence can also make the stone appear slightly more pinkish red because of its brightness. A good way to think of Burmese Ruby verses other rubies is while another sourced ruby will look like a rose, the Burma stone will look like a traffic light. It’s that neon electric red that makes the Burmese Ruby the most collectable of all stones.
The next feature that determines the gem’s value is clarity. Rubies, by nature, are an included stones. Most rubies have small rutile inclusions. Rutile is a small needle-like white crystal that forms alongside, and inside, rubies as they are forming. These tiny tubes form between the crystal lattice in the gem and create three effects. The first thing these crystals do is to interfere with the ruby’s overall transparency. The stones start to look a little cloudy, or have a silky feel. The second thing rutile does is lighten the overall color of the stone. Stones with too much of this white crystal inclusion tend to lean more into the pink realm. The third thing rutile does is to act as a natural fiber optics within the ruby. This is an amplification of the florescent effect and can help the stone to glow if it is a Burmese stone.
The challenge of finding a perfect ruby is to balance these two factors. The red color to remain as pure and saturated as possible, while minimizing the rutile inclusions to a point where they are not causing too much silkiness but have enough rutile to assist with the electric glow.
The next factor that is a huge factor for ruby is size. Ruby crystals rarely are found over 1 carat. As stones approach three carats and maintain high quality, the ruby starts to out price diamonds. Only a few rubies of fine gem quality have been found over 10 carats and most of those stones are viewed through glass at museums.
In terms of pricing, a fine two carat gem could run $10-$15,000 per carat. The same quality 9 carat gem could run $5,000,000-$8,000,000 per carat. These are prices for top grade Burma (Myanmar) Rubies. Fine Thai two carats could be $5,000-$10,000 per carat while a fine 9 carat Thai stone would be around $100,000 per carat.
The final determining factor is origin. For all the combined reasons a Burmese Ruby commands a large premium over comparable other sourced rubies. The strong fluoresces of the Burma stones set them apart from all other varieties of ruby. As a side note, the same fluorescent activity that happens when light enters a ruby crystal at an atomic level is the reason that a ruby can create a laser. The internal process and conversion of light into energy and then back to a focused, concentrated light, is how lasers are produced.
HISTORY & FOLKLORE
Ruby has always had a loyal following. Along with being July’s birthstone, the fiery red of ruby has always been a sign of passion and nobility. It is said to possess an internal flame that cannot be extinguished. That fire is said to be able to cut through any haze or fog. Whether it be in thought, love, or life, a ruby will always shine that way. It was believed that rubies could also show the truth. It was said that the glow inside a ruby was so strong, the stone could be seen shining through clothing. Throughout history, this has always been one of the most sought-after gems of all time. Rubies continue today to live up to their reception as the King of the Gem world.
WEAR & CARE
Ruby is a form of corundum and therefore a 9 out of 10 on Moh’s hardness scale. It is very durable. But all gems should be treated with care. Any stone can be damaged if worn too aggressively.