Ruby, it is a gemstone that is a complete stunner, very charming, rather romantic and the epitome of finesse and quality. It belongs to the corundum family of gemstone with a hardness factor of 9 on Moh’s scale. Thus, rubies are inadvertently the hardest of the gems after diamonds. Elements like chromium present in rubies lend them their colour, which can fall anywhere between light red to deep purplish red. The stronger the presence of chromium in a ruby, the deeper is its colour. People often consider rubies to be symbolic of love and passion, owing to its red colour. World’s most exquisite rubies are often found in Myanmar.
Rubies are the most preeminent and fine gemstones in the world of jewellery. In Sanskrit, it is termed as ‘Ratnaraj’ or the King of Gems due to its sophisticated luster, deeply alluring colour and a stunning gleam. Rubies look stellar in all settings- gold, silver or rose gold. So, this is your complete guide to buy, protect and cherish your rubies.
The word ‘Ruby’ comes from the Latin term ‘ruber’, implying red. The foremost mentions of rubies have been found in the ancient texts of the Holy bible and Sanskrit manuscripts. Over the years, these resplendent gems have been linked with myriads of legends. In Myanmar, the soldiers believed that permeating rubies into their skin would make them undefeatable. In India, donating a Ruby is associated with honouring Lord Krishna. Rubies were believed to be prized possessions in other parts of Asia as well. If history is to be believed, rubies were traded through the Chinese Silk Road in 200 B.C.
Ruby (Manikya) is a very rare and a widely appreciated gemstone. It displays immaculate balance between colour saturation and consistency with negligible contamination. Worldwide gemstone markets usually adhere to globally accepted standards to evaluate the quality of rubies which can aid in helping customers to determine their worth.
Colour: The hue of ruby is its most essential discerning characteristic. Minor alterations in colour can lead to huge differences. The finest colour is one which is pure, vibrant red with a tinge of blue. As the colour moves down to orange or purple, its quality is believed to deteriorate.
Cut: The ruby crystal’s shape determines its suitability for certain cuts. The most common and regular shape a Ruby is found in is a flat tabular hexagonal shape. Usually, they are cut in cushion or oval shapes, with excellent-cut crowns and step-cut pavilions. Triangular, round, pear shaped and marquise shaped rubies are also found but, are somewhat rare in bigger sizes.
Size: - The per-carat price of the Ruby increases dramatically as its size enlarges. Fine-quality natural rubies are found rarely thus, are more expensive. Commercial-quality rubies are readily available in an array of sizes.
Clarity: There is no such thing as rubies with no inclusions. Their value is directly related to the visibility of these inclusions. Most inclusions that reduce its transparency or brightness lower the value of the stone. Rubies usually entail mineral inclusions called needles.
All these factors transcend into certain quality grades. Though not globally adhered to, these grades are the only standardization available when buying rubies or ruby jewellery.
Grade AAA -It represents just the 1% of all natural gemstones. Any ruby in this spectrum is super fine, rare and precious.
Grade AA - This grade incorporates 10% of all natural gemstones available in the world. All rubies that fall under this rank are superior in quality and are used to make fine jewellery.
Grade A - This includes 20% of the world’s naturally occurring gemstones. It isn’t as admirable as the AA grade but, is still considered alluring and fit to be used in fine jewellery.
Grade B - This grade account for over 50% of natural gemstones.
Today, the majority of rubies are heat-treated to elevate their appearance. The resulting stones are very stable and fine in colour. Quite a lot of rubies are also heated in flux to mend their fractures. With rubies that are relatively smaller in size, the heat treated ones amount the same as the untreated ones of the same quality. However, with exceptional quality rubies, the untreated stones garner a premium that is sometimes 50% or more when compared with treated stones of the same mark.
Rubies are susceptible to chipping or cracking, especially when set in rings and bracelets. Foreign particles often accumulate on its surface, making it dull and lose its luster over time. Here are some tips to keep your rubies safe and gleaming:
1. Keep them clean- - Delicately clean your rubies with soft-bristled toothbrush and smild soap water. Immediately rinse off with warm water and wipe clean with a lint-free cloth.
2. Just look, don’t touch Abstain from touching your Rubies too often. Keep them miles away from dust. Oil and grease and touch them only when it is absolutely unavoidable.
3. Be assiduous while wearing them- Make it a point to don on your jewellery onluy after you have finished getting ready. After wearing your jewellery, mildly wipe of any excessive oil on your skin and make-up using a very soft cloth.
