If asked about your favourite red gemstone, the very first name to pop into your mind is definitely – ruby. Due to its ravishing hue and beauty, this jewel is cherished by people all around the globe for centuries. So, it isn’t surprising that this sensational gem is on every woman’s wish list! But when it comes to buying a ruby, well now, that is an entirely different (and difficult) story!
Hence, to make it relatively easier for you to pick a quality ruby we have enlisted 6 important factors that you need to keep in mind.
1. Colour
When buying a ruby, the first and foremost thing to take into account is – its colour. The more intense this colour, the more desirable a ruby is considered. But ‘colour’ doesn’t only refer to the gem’s shade, it encompasses 3 criteria viz. hue, its tone (lightness and darkness), and saturation (intensity). The hue of a ruby is the spectrum of colour where the gem falls. This stone usually has a red hue with secondary shades of orange, pink, or purple. Its tone cannot be too dark as it gets difficult to make out the colour or too light as it makes the colour look very faint. Whereas, in case of saturation, remember that a well-saturated gem will display a strong or vivid colour intensity.
Of all the ruby shades available, the most desirable colour is often described as ‘pigeon blood’ red. It has a red to slight pinkish or purplish-red shade with a glowing fluorescence (rarely found).
- What’s the best pick – Opt for a ruby that has a pure, vibrant red to slight purplish-red hue with medium tone and strong saturation.
2. Clarity
Clarity, with regards to a ruby, refers to the type, size, number, location of flaws within a gem which are called inclusions. All natural rubies have some form of inclusions, if you find an inclusion-free gem, then chances are it is fake or synthetic. These gems commonly show thin mineral inclusions called needles, small crystals, spots of varying colours and some even resemble fingerprints. If these imperfections are eye-visible or hamper the brightness or transparency of the gem, then they negatively affect the gem’s value. But certain inclusions that result in a star effect known as ‘asterism’ have a positive impact on the gem’s value.
- What’s the best pick – Inclusions are common in rubies, so choose a gem that is eye-clean .i.e. doesn’t have inclusions that are visible to the naked eye. However, in the case of asterism, opt for a ruby that displays the star effect.
3. Carat weight
When speaking of the carat weight, it is essential to understand that the heavier the ruby, the higher its price tag. This is because smaller ruby stones are easily found, unlike their larger counterparts. Similarly, fine quality rubies are rare and carry a bigger price tag as compared to commercial quality gems. Also, commercial quality rubies are easily accessible and found in a wide range of sizes.
- What’s the best pick – There isn’t an ideal carat weight for ruby that you can choose. But remember the price of a ruby is directly linked to its carat weight. So, the best way would be to decide on your budget and select the ruby accordingly.
4. Cut
The cut is a term that is used to describe a gem’s facets, dimensions, and symmetry in general. In the case of ruby, the shape of the rough crystal determines its suitability for certain cuts. Usually, ruby roughs are found in flat tabular hexagonal shapes while some are elongated. To accommodate these crystal shapes, rubies are commonly fashioned in round, oval, triangular, emerald, pear, and marquise shapes with brilliant-cut crown and step-cut pavilion. When working with ruby roughs, gem cutters try to retain maximum weight, achieve the best hue and minimize the inclusions as they are very expensive. Moreover, cutters even consider peculiarities like pleochroism (different body colours when viewed from different angles) before deciding on the cut.
- What’s the best pick – From all the different ruby shapes available, you can select the one that you like. But when buying remember that a well-cut gem reflects light and displays the best colour, brilliance, and clarity. Hence, choose wisely.
5. Treatments
Like other gemstones, even rubies undergo treatments or procedures to enhance their overall appearance. These treatments, especially the ones that enhance a gem’s colour are a common practise today. Rubies are exposed to heat treatment as it gives them an improved colour. Gems with multiple fractures or inclusions undergo lead glass filling (also called fracture filling) to improve their clarity and transparency. But such rubies aren’t perceived to be natural any longer.
- What’s the best pick – Remember that the type of treatment a gem undergoes, affects its value. A heat-treated ruby, although, commonly found is still more valuable than the one with lead glass filling. Hence, understand all about the ruby treatment before taking a final call.
6. Origin
The origin of a ruby indicates not only the location where it is found but also shows whether the gem is natural or lab-made. Natural rubies are the ones that are mined in different parts of the globe like Thailand, Burma, India, Australia, Scotland, Japan, and many other places. On the other hand, rubies that are created within the controlled environment of a labouratory are classified as lab-created rubies. These artificial rubies are the same as the natural ones with respect to their appearance and durability.
- What’s the best pick – While purchasing a ruby, keep in mind that a natural ruby will be costlier as than the lab-made one. So, take a note of the gem’s origin to ensure that you are paying a fair price.
7. Angara’s Assortment
We have an entire collection of handcrafted ruby jewellery including rings, earrings, pendants, and more in eye-catching styles and designs. The rubies are of varying qualities and are priced differently as well. Since there is no standard ruby grading system, we’ve broadly divided them into four grades.
- Heirloom (AAAA): In terms of quality, these are the top 1% of rubies. They display an exceptional, deep red hue (‘pigeon blood’), excellent brilliance, and are slightly included.
- Best (AAA): This grade is given to the best 10% of natural rubies that have a medium-deep red shade and exhibit very few inclusions.
- Better (AA): Top 20% to 30% of naturally occurring rubies fall under this category. They have a medium-dark red hue and moderate inclusions.
- Good (A): The next 50% to 70% of natural rubies found in the world are given this grade. They exhibit a medium or the lightest but acceptable red hue and have either moderate or heavy inclusion.
We’re sure these pointers will ease out your struggle of identifying and purchasing a quality ruby. For more information on this stunning gem, simply take a look at our detailed ruby education guide.
