Ruby, or more commonly known as ruby , is a type of precious stone that is of high value and is known for its strength, and bright color. Unlike some other types of precious stones, rubies are not graded according to a fixed universal grading scale. However, there are several characteristics of the ruby that are used by most precious stone craftsmen as a determinant of the quality of the stone. Learn how to determine the quality of a ruby and choose a ruby setting for jewelry, and find out more about the mining and manufacturing process for rubies. You need to know that ruby mining is often associated with issues of human rights violations or environmental damage issues, but there are several alternative sources where you can get rubies. In this way, you can help reduce the problems that arise from mining the ruby.
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Part 1 of 3: Assessing the Quality of Ruby
Step 1. Choose a ruby with a carat value that suits your wishes and the funds you have
Carat is a unit of measure for the weight of a precious stone. In general, the larger a gemstone is, the more expensive it is. However, there is a tendency for significant price jumps to occur in rubies weighing 1, 3, and 5 carats. Therefore, instead of buying rubies weighing 1, 3, or 5 carats, you can buy rubies weighing 0, 9, 2, 9, or 4.9 carats because there is a good chance that you will get a more suitable price. You need to remember that in choosing the size of a precious stone, do not only consider the value of the stone but also the aesthetic value and convenience when later the stone is used as jewelry. For example, someone who has slender fingers or likes gemstones with a simple appearance may prefer smaller gemstones.
- To give you a rough idea, natural rubies that sell for less than $250 per carat are considered commercial grade (but not high-quality) stone. Ruby that sells for 700 dollars (about 7 million rupiah) or more per carat is categorized as a high quality stone. Meanwhile, rubies that are sold at a price of 10,000 dollars (or around 100 million rupiah) or more per carat are categorized as stones of special quality or rare rubies.
- With the same quality, lab-made rubies usually sell for 85 to 90 percent of the price of natural rubies.
- Because rubies with larger sizes are rare, the selling price increases faster. For example, a 5 carat ruby of commercial quality can be sold for 10 times more than the same ruby, but 1 carat. Meanwhile, a high-quality 5-carat ruby (which is quite rare) can be sold for 25 times more than the same 1-carat ruby.
Step 2. Choose the shape of the ruby cut you want
The cut of the precious stone shows the way the stone was shaped by the craftsman. In general, the shape of the ruby you want depends on your taste, although most rubies are oval, cushion (square with curved corners), or round. Hearts or emeralds (a rectangle with diagonally cut sides, like the diamond shape on playing cards) are examples of other shapes that are quite common in the market. However, because these two forms are not chosen so often, they also tend to be cheaper than other precious stones of the same quality but different cut shapes.
Step 3. Choose the color you want
Usually there is a list of the basic colors (hue) of rubies in catalogs or special ruby sales sites. While pure red and purplish rubies are considered the most valuable, high-quality rubies are usually reddish-orange, rose, or even pink. Keep in mind again that the choice of ruby color will depend on your taste.
- If you are interested in buying a pink ruby, try looking for a pink sapphire as well. Sapphire and ruby are formed from the same mineral substance, corundum, and are classified according to their color. The types of precious stones with a pink color can be classified both by the mineral constituents and by color.
- Pink rubies are more in demand in Asian countries than in western countries. Therefore, the selling price of pink rubies in these countries could be higher.
- Some precious stone companies may describe the color of a stone based on where it came from, but you need to be aware that this method is not always accurate.
Step 4. If you buy rubies online, make sure you buy them from a company that has a return policy
Although you can choose the basic characteristics (cut shape and color) of the ruby you want to buy through a gemstone trading site, it will be very difficult to judge a ruby in more detail just from the photos alone. Precious stone dealers may include information regarding the ruby you want based on the criteria or standards for grading precious stones (which will be explained below). However, even if the information is real, you may feel that the ruby is not as attractive as you thought when you finally received the stone. If you feel you have to buy rubies online, always make sure that the company that sells them has a return policy. Also, look for reviews about the company to avoid scams. After you receive the ruby, make an assessment based on the criteria that will be explained later. If you feel that the product is not up to your standards or expectations, return the ruby for your money back or replace it with another product.
Step 5. Hold the ruby up to a bright light
You can see inside the ruby there is one or more parts of black or gray that are impermeable to light. That part is called extinction. The more parts, the lower the value of the ruby. While looking at it, rotate the ruby to see how clear the opaque parts are when viewed from different angles. If you really don't like the presence of these spots on a ruby , try choosing a ruby with a lighter color and a shorter cut. Such rubies tend to have fewer opaque parts. However, the stone may have other problems that can affect its appearance, such as windowing (the stone appears very transparent, as when looking through a window pane) or lack of color brightness.
Assessment of the effects on rubies that can affect the selling price can be said to be subjective
Step 6. Check the color clarity of the ruby
This gemstone criterion is also known as color clarity or color intensity. The description of the ruby for sale must include information about the brightness of the color. The ruby with the richest color is called a vivid ruby. In addition to its rich and brightest color, vivid ruby also has the highest value. Meanwhile, strong ruby is a ruby with a rich and bright color, but not as good as a vivid ruby. There are also rubies that are covered in brown or gray so that the base color is less prominent and the stone looks cloudy. The stones usually have a medium brightness level, even less.
The value of the ruby is obtained based on the assessment of the ruby craftsman himself, not based on scientific measurements
Step 7. Pay attention to the brightness of the ruby
The brightness of a ruby refers to the number of colors present in a ruby. Ruby has several levels of color brightness, from very dark to very bright. Ruby with a medium brightness level tends to have the highest value, but when choosing a stone based on its brightness level, the selection will still depend on individual tastes.
Step 8. Pay attention to the level of clarity (clearness) of the ruby
Many rubies contain inclusions (inclusions or materials that can be seen) that are in the stone. Generally, clear stones have a higher value. However, some ruby collectors actually like rubies with the unique appearance produced by the inclusions in the stone. Fine mineral fibers (referred to as rutile) present in the stone create a luster that can increase the value of the stone. If the ruby has fibers that form a star pattern, then the ruby is classified into a type of star ruby which not only high value, but also rare.
- There is no standardized grading system for assessing the level of clarity of rubies. However, the most commonly used system is a number grading system, with 1 for rubies with perfect clarity and 4 for rubies with many inclusions.
- Another grading system that is commonly used to assess the level of clarity of rubies is a grading system with a letter code. For example, F code for flawless (perfectly clear), VVS for very very small inclusions (inclusions that are very small and difficult to see using a magnifying glass), VS for very small (inclusions that are very small can still be seen using a magnifying glass).), SI for small inclusions (small inclusions that tend to be difficult to see with the naked eye), and I for inclusions (inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye).
Step 9. Understand the types of treatment on rubies
Natural rubies that do not get any treatment are rare and have a high price. Almost all rubies go through the heating process carried out by the craftsmen. Heating is done so that the color of the ruby becomes clearer and richer (more intense). Heating rubies is a type of treatment that is widely used because in addition to not affecting the durability (strength) of rubies, this treatment can improve the appearance of the stone. In this type of treatment such as surface diffusion or flux healing, additional materials or materials will be added to the ruby to correct the defects that exist in the stone. This type of treatment is temporary and has an impact on the lower value of the ruby, when compared to rubies that get other types of treatment.
Part 2 of 3: Choosing a Ruby Setting Method for Jewelry
Step 1. Choose a precious metal material for your ruby stone jewelry that suits your taste and also the funds you have
Ruby is usually paired with white gold jewelry, but the precious metal material that you will choose must of course be in accordance with your own taste or desire. If you're buying a ruby as a gift for someone else, try to find out what other precious metal the recipient would use as jewelry. Jewelry made from precious metals with low carat values is indeed sold at a lower price, but the jewelry may not sparkle as well as jewelry from precious metals with high carat values. In addition, the jewelry is also more prone to stains which will affect the appearance of the jewelry.
Step 2. Use the prong mounting method to attach the ruby to your jewelry
In this method, the sides of the precious stone (in this case, the ruby) are held firmly by a kind of metal claw. This way, the stone locks securely and stays in place. This installation method is widely used for jewelry with larger gemstones.
Step 3. Use the bezel mounting method to attach and secure the ruby to your jewelry
In this method, precious stones are mounted and held in place on a metal ring known as a bezel. The ring is sized to fit the diameter of the gemstone and can hold it firmly. This method is another installation method that is quite commonly used for jewelry with large gemstones. In addition to the bezel, there is also a half-bezel installation method where the metal ring can only contain half of the precious stone.
Step 4. Familiarize yourself with other precious stone installation methods for large quantities of precious stones
If the jewelry you choose has a lot of small gemstones, the methods described previously may not be used to attach and hold the gemstones to the jewelry. Learn about other methods of attaching precious stones to jewelry, such as the pave method (precious stones are shaped like small balls, like beads, and placed close together), the channel method (precious stones are inserted and fixed in some kind of groove or indentation). jewelry), or the invisible method (such as the channel method, but the metal border of the retainer is not visible).
Part 3 of 3: Studying the Origin of Ruby
Step 1. If you want to buy quality rubies at a low price, consider buying laboratory-made rubies
Rubies made in the laboratory have chemical compounds that are identical to natural rubies, so they have a durability and beauty that is not inferior to natural rubies. Laboratory-made rubies are almost always sold at a lower price than natural rubies of equivalent quality. This is because the manufacturing process costs less than the search and mining process for rubies. Purchasing laboratory-made rubies can be a good option, especially if you are concerned with the problems that arise from mining rubies, such as human rights and environmental issues. These two problems can be your consideration for buying laboratory-made rubies.
- Lab-made rubies are often also referred to as synthetic rubies. However, don't confuse synthetic rubies with faux or fake rubies. These stones are not real rubies and have low color resistance and brightness.
- Star ruby is a type of ruby that is considered very attractive. However, natural star rubies are a rare breed and are much more expensive than laboratory-made star rubies.
Step 2. Find out about “recycled” gemstones
About 98% of rubies sold have been on the market for decades. This is due to the strength of the ruby stone which makes it difficult to destroy. Some precious stone companies specifically sell some of their precious stones as recycled precious stones. These stones are obtained from both the community and retailers, so the sale of these stones is considered not to have a new impact on the environment.
There are some critics who argue that the purchase of a new ruby is a form of support for the gem mining community
Step 3. Learn about Myanmar rubies
Almost all rubies in the world come from Myanmar (formerly this country was known as Burma). Although the old rubies came from the famous Mogôk valley, today many rubies (especially the new ones) come from the Möng Hsu area. Due to the history of the area and the abundance of famous rubies mined there, Myanmar rubies are given a special feature that indicates that the stones are indeed of Myanmar origin. However, violations of human rights by the Myanmar government related to the mining of rubies led to a ban on the import of new precious stones from Myanmar by the United States and Canada. Imports of new precious stones from Myanmar have also been banned by European Union countries in recent years.
The purplish-red ruby known as pigeon's blood ruby originates from Myanmar. This type of ruby is a very valuable type
Step 4. When deciding to buy rubies, consider buying from ruby producing countries other than Myanmar
Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Thailand, and several African countries export and have exported ruby, but their export levels have ebb and flow as other new mining areas emerge and many mines have been abandoned. Rubies originating from these countries are not as famous as Myanmar rubies, but for certain reasons (such as upholding human rights or saving the environment), stones produced by these countries can be a good choice. good. Tanzanian government. Ghana, and Zimbabwe are trying to address the negative impact of mining precious stones on the surrounding environment, but these efforts are not very successful. This is because the individuals or small groups involved in mining precious stones do not have enough money to meet the mining regulations that have been set. Rubies mined in the United States are subject to environmental regulation, but they only make up a small fraction of the world's rubies.
