Analysis of the four factors affecting the grade and price of ruby collection

“Rubies, along with diamonds, sapphires and emeralds, are known as the world’s top four gemstones. Is there a gemstone where diamonds have risen more dramatically? Ruby prices have done just that in recent years. The overall increase in the price of diamonds from 2008 to the present is about 30% to 50%, yet the overall increase in the price of high-quality rubies from 2008 to the present is at least 70% to 100%.

Carat size sets the price

Good quality rubies rarely have large carats. rubies over 3 carats are very rare, and those over 5 carats are extremely rare. In general, there is a big difference in price when the ruby is larger than 2 carats, and below 1 carat, there is no strong collector’s value.

Good cuts enhance the value of a gemstone

A good cut does not only make a stone radiate eye-catching brilliance, it also enhances its value. The standard cut for rubies differs from that of diamonds in that rubies are not cut geometrically designed for maximum brilliance. For more intense rubies, the best cut should be lighter than average to allow more light to pass through the stone, while for lighter colors, a deeper cut helps reflect the color. A well-cut ruby reflects light evenly over its entire surface. In addition, well-cut rubies do not show the color banding often seen in corundum crystals, which usually indicates that the cutter wanted to preserve the weight rather than cut the most beautiful stone possible.

Identifying genuine rubies

There are two types of fake rubies: the first is a low-grade red-colored stone passed off as a ruby, and all fake rubies do not have the characteristic color and light properties of rubies. The second type is artificial rubies. Artificial rubies are extremely similar to natural rubies in terms of specific gravity, hardness and color.

Method 1: Use a cubic zirconia with a hardness of 8.5. Scratch the cubic zirconia with the prongs of the stone to be tested. The jewelry brand hardness method can easily distinguish genuine rubies from red stones. However, it can damage all other red stones, so it should be used with caution.

Method 2: Combining the optical properties and fluorescence of the ruby, first examine it with a portable money detector to exclude all red stones that do not emit red light. At this point, the one that emits red light may be a ruby, or it may be a red spinel. Then observe its optical properties. A single rainbow is a red spinel, and a double rainbow is a ruby.

Man-made and natural rubies are essentially identical in hardness and optical properties, making it difficult for the beginning collector to tell the difference between the two. Natural rubies often contain naturally occurring flaws such as cracks, veins, and cotton; man-made ones have a more uniform texture. Under long-wave ultraviolet light, the red fluorescence emitted by artificial rubies is mostly brighter than that of natural rubies.

Conditions for ruby collecting

Four main factors affecting ruby grade and price:

Color: preferably VIVID RED or RED;

Impurities: preferably invisible to the naked eye;

Carat: at least 1 carat or more to be collectible;

Cutting: at least 40% or more fire.

Professional certificate for ruby grading

Burmese rubies with GIA monograph report

The most recognized certificate on the international market today is the GRS (Gem Research Swiss) certificate, which was created in 1996 by Dr. A.

Peretti’s certificate features an indication of the origin and optimization of rubies, sapphires, emeralds and other stones. It is currently only available in two laboratories in Thailand, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Of course, some vendors also offer certificates from the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), but they do not specify the origin of the stones, as rubies are of a single origin, so the GRS certificate is relatively more comprehensive.

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