Department of Rare Industrial Materials

CERTIFICATION CENTER - - A RELIABLE GUARANTEE

CALL SUPPORT
+994 (12) 5385122
+994 (12) 5382370

EMAIL SUPPORT
info@stones-ieeacademy.org

LOCATION
Mammad Rahim 5, AZ1073

HOME

ABOUT

APPLY FOR A CERTIFICATE

CERTIFICATES

IEEA  INCLUSIONS GALLERY

CONTACT

 

 

RUBY

The source of the world’s best Burmese ruby is Laos, Burma, where Thailand and China meet. This area became known as the “Golden the world’s rarest and most valuable rubies, which are sought after by collectors, were mined in Burma – Mogok. The reason these jewels are envied is because they shine and tend to look good in all lighting conditions. This glow is the direct result of fluorescence. When fluorescent jewelry is struck with ultraviolet light, it adds an extra effect to the jewelry. Burmese stones tend to be more beautiful and shiny compared to rubies from other sources .

Although there are thousands of different shades of red, for the sake of argument let’s divide the Mogok Burmese ruby into three groups: The ultimate color is what is referred to as “pigeon blood”, “stoplight red”, or “cherry-lifesaver red”. The primary color is red and the secondary color is orange, purple, or pink. These stones are ultra-rare and command price premiums. They are sought after by an awaiting international gem market.

The second major color is best described as “electric magenta”. The predominate color is red and the secondary is pink. These beautiful stones are light-toned, bright, and vibrate with color.

The final group is “hot electric pink” or “day glo pink” gemstones. These stones tend to look good even without any direct light. The primary color is still red, but with less red than the “electric magenta” colors.

Which color is best for collectors? This is a controversial subject among dealers and collectors. Some collectors love strictly one group, for example the “pigeon blood” reds, to the exclusion of the other groups. Some collectors strictly collect the pinks or magentas. Some collectors believe it is too difficultto trade in only one group and collect the finest examples of all three groups. This is probably the most prudent strategy. For collectors on a budget, you can start with the hot pinks and work your way up through the magentas to the reds as your finances allow.

For the finest one carat unheated Mogok Burma rubies cost between US $9000- US $33000 per carat. For two carat Mogok Burmas are available from US $14000 – US $54000, for three carats between US $30000 – US $85000 per carat. For four carat Mogok Burmas can easily exceed US $110000 per carat. Larger gem quality Mogok Burma rubies can reach hundreds of thousands to over one million dollars per carat.

Ever since Burma’s Communist leaders shut off the country in 1962, Mogok Burma ruby has been an endangered species. Even before 1962, the famous Mogok tract production was in sharp decline. Mogok is 4000 feet above sea level .

Due to the severe shortages in Burma production, the majority of rubies bought and sold today are from Mozambique, Africa. The new find in 2011 has brought relief to the lack of material from Burma. If you are looking to collect a ruby on a more moderate budget, many experts predict this stone may eventually gain the acceptance Burma ruby now holds. Almost all of these stones are cooked. Research right now is trying to determine if some Mozambique material is cooked under low heat vs. high heat. Stay tuned. Try to focus on the gems that look like Burma ruby and are not heated. Occasionally, you can find an intense red/orange that is highly desirable. They do not have the desirable fluorescence of the Burma gems. As a general rule, for unheated Mozambique ruby, deduct 50%-75% from Burma prices. Beware because these stones often come with “junk” certificates claiming they are “pigeon” blood .

When only the most luscious of red rubies will do for a special jewelry setting, precious stones harvested from Burma prove nearly impossible to top. While the July birthstone is found all over the world, including Africa, Australia and America, rubies from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, tend to be the most visually stunning.

Burmese ruby value can vary based on the quality of the individual stone in question. When ruby prices are considered carefully alongside quality, stones from this particular region tend to live up to their cost. The most precious of these stones are characterized by a robust, rich red color that has just a slight hint of blue to add depth to its beauty. The finest stones in the world are mined in Myanmar, which is why the term “Burmese ruby” and high quality go hand-in-hand.

Rubies come in a variety of shades – While red and ruby are synonymous, not all of these precious stones have the rich red color offset by blue that have made Burmese rubies so highly sought after. These stones can vary from that deep, dark red to also include such hues as pigeon blood red and pinkish red. The red in the stone, by the way, comes from traces of chromium.

Rubies are highly durable – If the desire is to purchase a stone that will stand up to the rigors of wear, rubies will deliver. They rate a 9 on the Mohs scale, tying closely related sapphires and only coming in as slightly softer than diamonds.

Rubies are flawed – It is nearly impossible to find a ruby without imperfections. In fact, when a stone is locat ed that’s flawless, it will fetch a higher price than a diamond of similar weight and quality.

Rubies are treated to shine even more – It is a standard practice in the jewelry industry to treat rubies to enhance their color and add even more strength to the design.

The world’s finest rubies all come from the metamorphic rocks of Mogok, in Myanmar. Traditional methods of mining, with little mechanization, are still used; they work best in digging the gemstones out of narrow calcite veins and thin beds of buried placer gravel.

Rare Burmese rubys is the rarest of all colored gems, and Burmese ruby has long been the premier investment gem. Fine unheated Burmese rubies in larger sizes draw prices as high as US $300000 to US $400000 a carat at auction. Vivid red — a color known in the trade as pigeon’s blood — is the most valuable color. Rubies tend to have inclusions, so color is more important than perfect clarity.