Natural Unheated Red Ruby for Powers of Sun in Vedic Astrology

It can be quite a riddle – demand of ruby, as the traders know has been on an increase. The main sources of red ruby have been exhausted by mining. The new sources yield a quality that is not comparable to the Burmese ruby the world has idealised. So when you step into the market, there is sizable ruby with great looks being offered at an affordable price.

When the former is the truth, how is this ruby being made available and at such costs? Read more to know about this gorgeous gemstone and the market truths…

Ruby Gemstone Meaning

One of the most precious and rare gemstone is ruby. Natural ruby of good quality is known to outdo colorless diamonds in price. There have been auctions by the two bigwig Christies and Sotheby's where rubies have fetched incredibly handsome amounts! Natural ruby is mineral corundum (same as sapphire) but is much rarer than sapphire. It is a gem that has been coveted by royalty and noblemen; the rich and the powerful for centuries, who have been enamoured by this gem that is symbolic of blood, courage, passion and love.

For instance take a look at this Etcetera ring - a 6.04-ct. Burmese ruby ring that sold for $3.3 million, or a world record $551,000 per carat, at a Hong Kong auction in May 2012. 

The world record setting Etcetera Ring with Burmese Ruby Image Courtesy The Gemstandard

The previous record was held by a ruby and diamond ring owned by legendary actress and gem lover  Elizabeth Taylor that  sold for $4.2 million and set a per-carat record for a ruby at $512,925. 

Elizabeth Taylor and her Burmese Ruby and Diamond ring

This should get an individual some idea about true value of rubies!

Ruby Gemstone Mineral

Natural red ruby is mineral corundum (aluminium oxide - Al2O3) coloured red by presence of trace element chromium. An important physical characteristic of ruby is its inner glow - ruby actually fluoresces

Synthetic ruby is the same chemical composition but is manufactured in the lab using the flame fusion process, unlike the natural ruby which is formed in nature over millions of years. Synthetic ruby is available in the markets for few dollars per carat, while natural ruby is rare and precious.

Boules of Synthetic ruby Image courtesy Gemstones and rough

Sources of Red Ruby gemstone

Natural ruby traditionally has meant “Burmese ruby”  or “Burma ruby” - the one coming from the Mogok valley – the one with the imperial pigeon blood color. However, supplies dried up as far back in time as 1962, when the Mogok mines were completely dug out. The rule of the military junta did not help either. While the price of ruby soared, the lovely deep red of Mogok could not be found anywhere no matter where prospecting and mining was done for rubies.

Around the year 2000, new deposits were found near Mong Hsu in Burma but the Mong Hsu rubies had a blue/ purplish hue to them. This was corrected and appearance was enhanced using heat treatment.  For an individual buying a Burmese Mong Hsu ruby, it should be assumed that it is heat treated. Any natural, untreated ruby will be specified to be treatment free in certification and will obviously command a much higher price.

Unheated Mong Hsu Ruby Courtesy GRS

In search for ruby after the end of Mogok story, Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian rubies were discovered and mined. Thai rubies were nice but had a deep red color due to high iron content making it look almost like garnets. Most of these rubies were heat treated for visual enhancement. Rubies from this belt display blue or purplish hue quite strongly and therefore are invariably heat treated. 

Thai Ruby Image courtesy Gems Jewelry Thai

Ruby deposits were discovered in Mozambique and Tanzania belt that did yield fairly good ruby. There were also discovery of ruby gem deposits at Vatomandry and Andilamena in Madagascar. Although the color and the crystal of the Madagascar ruby is generally not very good, exceptional gem material does come through sometimes. The Tanzania ruby, coming from the Winza mines is said to be pretty close to its Burmese counterpart in appearance.

Madagascar Andilamena Ruby Image courtesy Gem explorer

Then there are the Tajikistan rubies that come from the mountainous Murghab in Gorno Badakshan area. These rubies are produced in marble deposits and are of red and pinkish red color.

Ruby gemstone deposits have been found in India, quite significantly in Orissa but are low quality with poor clarity and more of a marbled look. Star rubies or Rubies displaying the special optical phenomenon of asterism from India are however well known. This is because star rubies are cabochon cut and clarity does not matter. In fact, low clarity gems are often shaped as cabochons.

Orissa Ruby

Treatments in Ruby Gemstone

the most well known treatment for rubies is heat treatment where rubies are heated to around 1700 degree centigrade (a little below their melting point), at which temperature the inner silk melts and the gem is enhanced with better clarity and color. Heat treatment done to various specimens of rubies of varying qualities will yield different result.

Heat treatment on rubies before and after Image courtesy Palagems

Traditionally, the other treatment of rubies has been of fracture filling in the rubies with lead glass, as it has its refractive index closest to corundum. The resulting ruby is much clearer and beautiful.

Cracks that can appear in Fracture  filled ruby upon heating or exposure to chemicals Image courtesy ajsgem

However, setting such pieces of glass filled ruby in jewelry pieces is difficult as torch heating while setting may melt the lead glass which has a much lesser melting point leaving the ruby damaged and ugly looking.

There is a newer variety of ruby doing rounds in the market now being sold as “composite ruby”. Beware of the fancy name. It is just small pieces of corundum bonded together with lead glass to form a ruby. And this ruby corrodes easily when it comes in contact with house hold chemicals as well as lemon juice! One wouldn’t expect this after a hefty price paid!

The Sham called Composite ruby Image courtesy NBC news

At any retail entity, proper disclosure of any treatment done to the gemstone is an absolute must.

The World Jewellery Confederation known as CIBJO does not recognize composite stones as genuine gemstones. CIBJO defines composite stones as: "artificial products composed of two or more, previously separate, parts or layers assembled by bonding or other artificial methods."

Do ask for certification, origin and receipts while purchasing your precious ruby- whether you are buying ruby necklace, ruby earrings, ruby pendant, or even loose ruby stone! You would not want to give a ruby engagement ring to your beloved and later discover that the price you paid was for a fake! Gemstone therapy works only with Natural, Unheated beautiful Rubies that excel on the 4C's of cut, color, clarity and carat weight.

View  Gemstoneuniverse inventory of certified natural rubies

Selected Rings, Pendants and Talismans made available to Gemstoneuniverse.com patrons in July 2013

Gemstoneuniverse.com Table Natural Mozambique Ruby Gemstone Facts

Abhijita Kulshrestha is a communications professional and held the position of Research Associate at MICA- Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad before becoming certified Planetary Gem Advisor from PGA Thailand. At present she is a senior consultant at Gemstoneuniverse.com. She is a certified NLP Trainer and AJP from Gemological Institute of America-GIA

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