Ruby ugly or good?

[SweetAsscher]

Hi CS people! I know next to nothing about colored stones, but in honor of my July birthday and also by chance, I found this ring in an auction. What is your opinion on it? Good buy or not? No info whatsoever on the stone except that its a ruby and approx 2ct... It's priced around 750.

Thanks in advance!

 

[peacechick]

Do read the sticky thread on colored gemstone buying as I think that will offer you a good guide to assessing if a stone is worth its price.

Unfortunately, as you do not know what treatments this ruby has undergone, I don't think anyone can tell you what it's worth. Rubies are notorious for treatments, ranging from mild heating to fissure healing to flame fusion to lead glass filling... So the value can range between sky high and worthless.

This might be a good comparison for your ring--smaller, more included, less well cut but vendor assured to be untreated except for heat.

http://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=9549

Personally, since I don't have a sky high budget, I would accept some treatment for a ruby, but you have to know what kind exactly and what you find acceptable. Otherwise you won't know how to care for it,

Happy birth month and good luck on your search for a birthstone ring!

 

[chrono]

Firstly, I don't know if that is indeed a ruby. Secondly, treatment matters a lot and no info / proof is given. Thirdly, the colour isn't even red. For $750, you know the price is unusually low for both stone and setting, therefore you know either the quality is sorely lacking and/or something isn't quite right.

 

[SweetAsscher]

Yes, I am definitely trying to read and absorb as much info as I can! I'd also 'settle' for a birthday padparascha!
I'm not attached to this ring at all, I just happened to come across it and wondered if it would be worth the risk. ' I'm mostly positive it is a real ruby. It is a confiscated estate piece from a government auction. I've dealt with them before and they will stand by the authenticity, they just don't have any other information. Unfortunately it's the buyers gamble whether to purchase and send to a lab hoping for the best.
Is this a bad color for a ruby? I like that its not very pink. ( I'm not a pink person) and I truly have no idea how much colored stones cost normally.

 

[VapidLapid]

I think the doubts about this being ruby stem from the color represented in the photos. Even if corundum, that would not be a ruby. I think you would be much better off passing on this one.

 

[partgypsy]

I actually think it's a pretty ring, but I have no idea what the center stone is (looks more like a rubelite tourmaline than a ruby).
Again ruby is one of those stones where you may not know what you are getting unless you are going through a trusted dealer.

 

[minousbijoux]

So not knowing anything about the center stone, if it were me, I would be buying it for the value of the setting alone, so I would be trying to figure out the value of the metal and diamonds to see if it was worthwhile to do so. Then the center stone, should it be corundum, would be a bonus. That said, from the photo, the stone doesn't look attractive to me - too dark, undersaturated and included.

 

[JewelPhenom]

Your question is whether it is a good buy or ugly? If you purchase and never wear it then it is not for you. Put the money aside and wait until you find a ring where your first statement is "I love this ring"!

 

[chrono]

Yes, this isn't a ruby colour and even if lucky enough to be a sapphire, the colour isn't in demand / desired by most. Ugly is subjective, which is why I hesitate to call it as such.

 

[SweetAsscher]

Thanks for everyone's opinions. Definitely helped me avoid a costly gamble!
Safe to say I will not be buying it!

 

[SweetAsscher]

I kind of did think it wasn't a particularly attractive for a ruby but what do I know! Good to know my instinct wasn't so far off on that