Burmese Ruby ring should i buy?

[Maria L]

Found a preloved 1.47ct Burmese Ruby ring with GIA cert , heated with minor residue. The reliable reseller asking for £1900. Is it a good price please?

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

Truthfully, the ruby looks completely dead. I wouldn't buy it on looks alone. The minor residues is also a no-go for me. Sorry.

 

[LilAlex]

^ same. Usually we say it will look worse than a vendor glamour shot. I am not crazy about that ring, either --looks a little like fish scales.

It may be a decent price -- but an elephant for a dollar is only a good deal if you need an elephant and have a dollar.

 

[Avondale]

Two questions first.
1. Do you like this particular colour, is that what you’re after?
2. Do you know what minor residues means?

If this is the colour that you like, you don’t need to buy a Burmese ruby to get it. You can find a much nicer and clear specimen among garnets and spinels, and also across African rubies, where your money will be better spent. The Burmese origin premium exists for the Burmese colour and fluorescence, and if the ruby has neither, then it’s a waste of money to pay the extra.

If this is not the colour that you like, obviously, don’t buy.

Regarding the treatment, if you’re looking for a Burmese ruby, you’re facing the choice of either having to track down and pay for an unheated one, or accepting some amount of residues. That’s because virtually all the material coming from Mong Hsu is cooked with borax. Same applies to everything from the mines in Greenland. For reliable heat only, look at African rubies.

 

[Maria L]

Truthfully, the ruby looks completely dead. I wouldn't buy it on looks alone. The minor residues is also a no-go for me. Sorry.

Thank you so much. I will do more research on minor residues which I don't really know much about it .

 

[Maria L]

I thought the price was good

^ same. Usually we say it will look worse than a vendor glamour shot. I am not crazy about that ring, either --looks a little like fish scales.

It may be a decent price -- but an elephant for a dollar is only a good deal if you need an elephant and have a dollar.

I thought the price was good because its a preloved item? You are right, I shouldn't just look at the price .

 

[T L]

No, the ruby looks like an opaque brownish red rock. Just because a stone comes from a premium location, does not mean it’s decent quality. The price you’re paying is primarily for the setting.

 

[lovedogs]

Absolutely not. The stone looks lifeless and dead.

 

[Bron357]

Agree, the ruby looks opaque and lifeless.
Just because it’s a certified Burmese ruby doesn’t always mean top quality.
Burmese rubies are revered for their amazing fluorescence which makes them glow. That’s what you want to be paying the big bucks for. That ruby may as well be a garnet.
The setting I quite like but overall not a great price at all.
For the setting I’d pay want to less than £600 pre loved and wouldn’t buy the ruby at all.

 

[Maria L]

Truthfully, the ruby looks completely dead. I wouldn't buy it on looks alone. The minor residues is also a no-go for me. Sorry.

Thanks you are right , I did not do enough research on the meaning of minor residues. I now understand it's not a good thing to have .

 

[Maria L]

No, the ruby looks like an opaque brownish red rock. Just because a stone comes from a premium location, does not mean it’s decent quality. The price you’re paying is primarily for the setting.

Thanks I have to admit I only attracted to the origin .

 

[Maria L]

Absolutely not. The stone looks lifeless and dead.

Thanks

 

[Maria L]

Agree, the ruby looks opaque and lifeless.
Just because it’s a certified Burmese ruby doesn’t always mean top quality.
Burmese rubies are revered for their amazing fluorescence which makes them glow. That’s what you want to be paying the big bucks for. That ruby may as well be a garnet.
The setting I quite like but overall not a great price at all.
For the setting I’d pay want to less than £600 pre loved and wouldn’t buy the ruby at all.

Thanks I do like the setting but also I have to admit that I was attracted to the origin. I don't know much about ruby (still learning) so glad for all the opinions here .

 

[kenny]

@Maria L I will say big kudos to you for checking in here before buying.
I wish more people were like you.

Too many people come here for feedback after buying, often non-refundable.
They are often disappointed to learn they've made a mistake, sometimes an expensive one.

 

[Avondale]

I now understand it's not a good thing to have .

It’s not good or bad per se, just like any treatment isn’t inherently good or bad. The amount of gems that come out of the earth pretty enough to sell straight to consumers is really small and selling treated gems is what allows the mining operations to survive financially.

However, you, as the customer, have the right to be informed and buy at the right price for the level of treatment. You also have a right to your own personal preferences. Some people are purists and insist on no treatments whatsoever, some are okay with some treatments, and some prioritise having a pretty pebble above all else. Neither is right or wrong. All that matters is what you want to buy, wear and enjoy.

 

[jeaniefish]

I have an antique Burma ruby ring and a modern Burma/diamond eternity band,. The rubies glow from within.Also, as Bron357 said, they have wonderful fluorescence. That is what sets good Burma rubies apart. I don’t see the glow in this ruby.