About rubies known since antiquity. This stone is associated with fire, blood and frantic passion. Ruby is one of the most valuable stones in the world. Interestingly, an ideal Burmese ruby will cost more than a diamond. This situation has arisen because extremely few natural minerals of perfect forms have been found.
A Taste of Magic
Whatever names have been assigned to the ruby during its existence. He was called “yakhont” among the Slavs, some Roman connoisseurs called him carbunculus, the Greeks gave the stone the nickname Anthrax, and in ancient Sanskrit, the ruby was christened the king of gems. It is believed that the owner of the stone will gain control over power and strength in order to improve his fate.
But there are two important points: you can not wear a ruby all the time, since he is able to become an energy vampire in relation to the owner; safely own a stone is worthy of a person who has reached a certain status in life.
To this day, magical and healing properties are attributed to a natural ruby:
- help to overcome obsessive fear;
- opposition to the forces of darkness;
- the excitement of irresistible passion;
- hypotension treatment;
- the presence of hemostatic function;
- the ability to invigorate and prevent a breakdown;
- tonic properties.
Note: the legendary Paracelsus attempted to treat cancerous tumors using ruby.
So where did the magic stone come from, and what color can a ruby be? This is evidenced by scientific facts and long-term geological surveys.
Ruby pedigree
Once upon a time, a magnificent stone in torment gave birth to the bowels of the earth. This process occurred during the mutual movement of tectonic layers: crust and magma. The resulting substance, subsequently called by scientists alumina, came out in the form of a crystal. The value of rubies is due to the fact that their genus is too ancient, and the mystery of the appearance of red minerals goes far into the past. In our time, such movements of the earth's layers do not exist, so there is a chance to find scarlet stones only in rock strata about half a million years old.
Distinctive features of the king of stones
What color is ruby in nature? This indicator is affected by inclusions of chromium. The ruby color palette ranges from hot pink to purplish red. The greatest value in the world are rubies of saturated color of bovine blood. They seem to glow from the inside, bewitching with its cold beauty.
As for the physical characteristics of the stone, its structure is one of the most dense in nature and has an original, shimmering brilliance: these qualities add a ruby resemblance to a diamond. In the old days, it was mined and stored only in India and Burma, but gradually developing trade relations allowed the precious mineral to take a trip to Egypt, Greece and the great Rome. In addition to healing various ailments, the ruby is famous for the fact that, according to legend, it was honored to adorn the ring of the wise king Solomon. In addition, the magnificent stone was an indispensable attribute of the royal regalia and symbols of dominance, however, not forgetting to decorate the graceful fingers of the court ladies.
Ruby: species features
The deposits of these stunningly beautiful stones are localized in many states, including Sri Lanka, India, African countries, Madagascar, and some Asian regions. And each species has its own strengths and unique appearance.
Guest from Burma
The flagship in the ruby sea, no doubt, is a stone from Burma. The famous mountain of Mong Shu conceals in its womb Burmese rubies of the highest grade. These are very valuable stones, characterized by transparency and color saturation. To find out what color is a natural ruby mined in Upper Burma, you need to conjure up a blood-purple hue that does not lose its luster in any light. Outwardly, it looks very expensive. Looking at a product with a ruby, you can guess its grade and origin by the color of the stone. A ruby from the Mogok Valley has a color amplitude from light to dark red, but it is important to remember that it is intense saturation that is the hallmark of the Burmese ruby.
Prices for such stones range from $ 50 per carat, and this is the minimum cost. A further increase in price depends on the color of the ruby, and its quality characteristics are also taken into account. Identifying the authenticity of a Burmese ruby is quite difficult. Well-known laboratories that have received the right to issue relevant certificates are engaged in this.
Siamese gift
Rubies mined in Thailand and Vietnam are considered second-class stones, but this does not make them less beautiful. Thai ruby: what color is it and what are its differences? The stones of this region are characterized by a rich palette and pink-purple shades. Sometimes they find truly unique, valuable samples worth several thousand dollars per carat. But in the bulk, these stones are rather unevenly colored and do not differ in large sizes.
Tanzania's ruby breath
Minerals worthy of attention are mined in Tanzania. What color is ruby? The photo of the Tanzanian stone indicates a bright crimson hue, from the contemplation of which it is impossible to tear oneself away. These stones become after cutting, and what color is a natural ruby from the bowels of Tanzania? Unclear, but often transparent, pink or garnet minerals with pronounced internal defects, but jewelers give them tremendous attractiveness with the help of their skill, extracting fiery glare from a stone heart.
Also, ruby mining is organized in Kenya, Madagascar, India, Afghanistan and other countries, but in value they are significantly inferior to Siamese and Burmese species. For example, what color is the ruby from the Kenyan depths? Surprisingly, such minerals have a brownish-yellow hue. And Malagasy stones are distinguished by orange and pink reflections with a pronounced internal silkiness.
Rubies with a stellar effect are especially appreciated: stunningly beautiful, transparent stones, often of intense color. Their cost depends on the saturation of the shade, the degree of obscurity and clarity of the contour of the star, inside the mineral. They are evaluated very subjectively, relying more on their own taste than on quality parameters.
Characteristic features of natural stone
Based on this, rubies differ in different color saturation and transparency. If there is a so-called young ruby, what color does it happen? As a rule, such stones are watery-light, with a pink or lilac hue. In general, rubies in nature are not completely transparent, without extraneous inclusions, internal defects, and too large. What color is a real ruby, experts can confidently say: the mineral contains shades from light scarlet to dark red. Natural stones also have a dull sheen, and some have a silky sheen.
We determine the authenticity
Synthetically grown stone will not have those miraculous properties that are endowed with a genuine ruby. In addition, real jewelry is very expensive, therefore, in the field of sales, deception and scams often flourish.
How to distinguish imitation from natural stone?
Among other things, there are several important points that you should pay attention to first of all. So, the question price. Real rubies are rare, so because of their exclusivity they are quite expensive. The low price of a large stone should be especially wary - such specimens are too rare and very valuable.
Next is the size of the mineral. Rubies over 5 carats are quite scarce, so they are rare. At a minimum, they should be considered under a magnifying glass.
And last: color. If the buyer hurts his eyes from the contemplation of a sparkling, bloody ruby, then we must remember that such stones in nature are single. In other words, in front of the client is either a fabulously valuable Burmese ruby or a blatant fake.
There are several simple ways to identify the authenticity of a stone:
- UV test. Under a blue lamp, a fake ruby turns orange.
- White bubble blotches. In a natural ruby, bubbles are extremely rare and come in the same color as the stone itself. Whereas in fake minerals, circles of light tone or hollow.
- Natural stone is usually cold and heats up with great difficulty, unlike artificial counterparts.
- If you put a ruby in a glass with milk, then it will color the liquid in a pink tint.
- From different angles, natural stone looks different.
- If a crack is found in the stone, then in the natural mineral it will be uneven and will not shine, as in a fake.
Therefore, choosing an expensive ruby, you should definitely consult a knowledgeable jeweler or gemologist.
Rubies are natural creations that look breathtaking. It doesn’t matter what color the ruby is colored: they create talismans for different signs of the zodiac, amulets that can protect against the effects of evil forces. They are credited with magical properties and endowed with healing characteristics. And, finally, magnificent jewels worthy of decorating royal houses are made from ruby. A natural mineral of such a high class is an excellent choice of real sybarite.