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Choosing a Ruby

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timmy!

Rough_Rock
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I thought I would start a new thread beucase my first isn''t really getting responses anymore. I''ve recieved my first ruby today. It''s a cushion cut 1.5 carat burmese ruby. I have two weeks to return it, and will incure no cost. My question is, what do I do with these two weeks?

I''m meeting another jeweler or two that will be showing me more rubies. Hopefully that will give me some comparison. It already has a GRS cetrificate with no indication of thermal treatment so I dont think I have to send it out to a lab (or should I). Have it apraised? Cuddle with it?

I''m excited to see how it changes in different lighting. So far I''ve only seen it in office lighting and cloudy mid day outdoor type lighting. I''ll try and get some pictures up in a day or so.

14 days and counting. Any words of wisdom?
 

DiamondExpert

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
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Any words of wisdom?...don''t drop it!
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strmrdr

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Look at it in as many different lighting envirements as possible.
Does it speak to you? Do you love it?
If not return it and move on.

and yea dont drop it :}
 

timmy!

Rough_Rock
Joined
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63
So far nobody in town has gotten back to me, and I''ve had nothing to compare this stone too. I thought I would ask you guys about the window problem it has. Widget in another thread nailed it. The blurry section in the center is letting light right through. You can read text on a piece of paper through it. Otherwise I think this stone is perfect. It''s the largest I have seen, the color is bright (though a little pink maybe), and I want a lighter stone so it doesnt apear to dark when set.

How big of a deal is a window. Do they make a stone untouchable? How badly should it affect value? This is also the least expensive tone I''ve looked at 4500 a carat. I''d like to be more critical but looking at un-heated rubies has given me few options......very few.

Thoughts?

U8hy6tched02.jpg
 

innerkitten

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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5,623
Has anyone gotten back to you yet where you live?
 

widget

Ideal_Rock
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Ohmygosh...I''ve only just ths morning discovered this new thread!

Timmy! Where are you at?? Did you decide to keep this stone? Did you get to compare it to some others like you''d hoped to?

I wouldn''t have been able to add much to the window question anyway. I think it''s really a matter of how the stone looks to the eye. As I said elsewhere...since it scored pretty high on CP''s cut grading system, it couldn''t be too bad...

Let us know if you pulled the trigger!

widget
 

timmy!

Rough_Rock
Joined
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I thought you guys forgot about me. After a few days of no responses, i gave up on the thread and headed out alone. I gave up on un-treated stones as well, and went to one of the nicer jewelers in DC. I told them my price range and looked at a lot. The stones were great. I had a ring all speced out and looked at the final cost and it was well over what I wanted to spend. I''m depressed because I''ve spent so much time at this store. Their settings are crazy expensive though, and in the end I didn''t want to spend almost 4k on a gold setting with some tiny diamond side stones.

I''d rather blow the whole wad on an exceptional ruby, and set it solitaire style, and add a nicer setting down the road. So now I''m starting all over and Christmas is right around the corner. I''m stressed, and almost depressed.

I envy guys that get to buy their girls diamonds.
 

swingirl

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 6, 2006
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5,667
It must have been a busy September for everyone!! I hope you get some responses about your ruby search because I wan to see what everyone says! I agree that you should spend your budget on the stone. THAT is what will make the statement.

I've never shopped for a colored stone so I am no help to you. But I hope to some day!!
 

belle

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 19, 2004
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10,285
i hope you find your ruby timmy. you''ve got it right...diamonds are easy! i would also agree with putting your $$ into the stone instead of the setting for now. you can always get a more elaborate setting down the line.

best of luck!
 

widget

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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I''m sorry to hear you''ve had such a tough time.

I did think of a possible source for a great ruby that you might not have checked out: Richard Wise at: www.rwwise.com He sometimes has some fabulous (looking) rubies for sale...often heat treated. You might give him a call and see if he could help you. He''s in Massachusetts.

If you''re considering unheated rubies, I''d put myself in the hands of Richard Orbach at Cherrypicked, or Robert Genis at http://www.preciousgemstones.com/ , and let them find a stone for me...

Don''t give up!

widget

PS: I just noticed in you last post that you liked some of the rubies you saw in the DC store. I''m confused...why didn''t you buy one and have it mounted either less expensively there or take it elsewhere for mounting?
 

timmy!

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
63
I went to the DC store after looking a t a few un-treated stones that disappointed me. They told me un-treated was out of my price range, and I guess I believed them. The stone I liked was 8k, and I thought I could get it set and out the door for under 10. I couldnt find a setting I liked for under 3 k. The one I loved was 4. after looking at a price tag of 12 total, i was like, "what the heck am I doing"?

I know I can get an un-treated stone in a solitaire mount for this price. I realized that the place I was shopping was very nice, and very hi end, but a tad over priced. It''s just not speaking to me.
 

starryeyed

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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2,398
Hi Timmy.

I haven''t bought a ruby recently, but I have bought a pink sapphire. Rubies are the same mineral family - corundum, and I believe in some parts of the world, there is no such thing as a "pink sapphire" - they are considered rubies. Interesting, right?

I found a ton of info on the PalaGems site. Here''s a link for Rubies: http://www.palagems.com/burma_ruby.htm#ruby_buying_guide

When I bought my pink sapphire, I requested that the stone be certified by the AGTA - the American Gem Trade Association. The dealer was happy to honor this request. It may be a good idea for you to ask your dealer to do this also for two reasons. First, historically many red spinels have been called rubies. The Timur Ruby of the British crown jewels is actually a spinel. You want to make sure you are getting corundum. Second, without a certification, how can you be certain that the ruby isn''t heat-treated? It would stink to pay for a natural stone and wind up with something heat-treated. You may trust your dealer, but what about all the other hands that come before him/her? My dealer ordered the certification free-of-charge.

Just wondering - is there any reason why you don''t want something heat-treated? For sapphires it is quite common and the clarity can be greatly improved. Not to mention, there is a good cost savings. In fact with sapphires, it is usually assumed that a stone is heat-treated since a vast majority are. Heat-treated stones are just as beautiful, if not more, and there isn''t a stigma like there is with treated diamonds.

Diamonds are like an exact science, but colored gemstones are extremely subjective. It''s really all about the color and brilliance of the stone. When I bought my pink sapphire, I was concerned because the "keel" was off-center. I kinda freaked at first, but then found out that this is quite common. As long as the stone doesn''t have bad "zoning", the cut can be a matter of interpretation.

You have to figure out for yourself if the window bothers you. From what I''ve seen with sapphires, windows make the stone worth less.

When I first got my pink sapphire, I walked around the house with the stone for hours. I looked at it in every possible lighting condition at varying times of the day to really determine if I liked the color. I even asked other people to hold it for me. I drove everyone completely nuts, for sure.

The most important thing is for you to LOVE the stone. If there is any doubt in your mind, that will not go away and you will never be satisfied. Good luck - I understand completely what you are going through!
 

movie zombie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 20, 2005
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11,879
re widget''s recommendation re richard wise [www.rwwise.com], richard has stones ''in the vault'' that are not listed at his website. he is not inexpensive. however, he does carry a variety of stones and is a very very good source for quality color stones. he is easy to work with long distance both by phone and e-mail.

movie zombie
 

starryeyed

Ideal_Rock
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PS - I bought my stone from www.gemnation.com. They are very honest, have access to just about anything you could want, offer VERY affordable prices, and are extremely knowledgeable. What is listed on their site for gemstones is meant as "representative" of what they can get for you. You literally can specify carat weight, clarity, hue, color, tone, etc. and they will find it for you at a price better than anything you will find locally or even from some of the other online vendors. And they are in NYC, so for you in DC, there''s no sales tax. I can''t say enough good things about them. Ask for "Barry".
 

starryeyed

Ideal_Rock
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PPS - Sorry Timmy, I just re-read your post and see that you already have the GRS report. Whew. Forgive me.
 

timmy!

Rough_Rock
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She''s back!

ruby113.jpg
 

timmy!

Rough_Rock
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63
If you''ve followed my other thread you may remember this picture. When I first saw her I thought it was too expensive, because I was worried about the cost of a setting. Now that I''m not so into a setting, she''s become affordable. The funny thing is, a few different jewelers have shown her to me, at significantly different prices. You can imagine my surprise, when the exact same stone I saw in VA, was shown to me again elsewhere. It''s like she was calling to me. (whatever)

She''s, red as is gets, very clean, and almost perfectly cut. If there were any flaws I''d say it''s size (1.13) and the depth of the color (dark). I think I''ve picked out my stone, and I''m paying a pretty penny for it. In fact I''m blowing my whole ring budget on it.

....oh yeah I need a setting.

From the beginning I have always thought I would use yellow gold because 1)it brings out the red in the ruby, and 2) everyone is going with Platinum, and I like to be different. Now that I have a ruby that''s this red, I think point 1 is moot. I''m not sure how important point 2 is.

So.....Any tips on choosing settings that 1) make a stone look big, 2) takes advantage of as much light as possible so my ruby doesn''t show like a garnet and 3) wont break the bank?

I''m inclined to go with a simple solitaire setting, but I''m worried about the size.
 

MustangFan

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
935
To be honest I think you did the right thing and returned the stone

Any city is going to be over priced and gold forget get about it! That''s ridiculous!

I like this new stone, where did you find it?

I''m having a custom setting made for my sapphire that''s costing 2k in white gold with .34 pts of diamonds
but it''s taking a long time to make
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MustangFan

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
935
how much do you have to spend for the setting now?

I think a thin band would emphasize stone size and a higher setting

but I''m thinking a lucida setting would look nice...
with a 3/4 eternity band (when the time comes)
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timmy!

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
63
I think my budget might really be zero. What I really want is a 3 stone (2 diamonds on either side), but I think thats going to have to wait till a 5 year anniversary.

In essence I guess I''m almost looking for a throw away setting? What do you do with an old setting when you have a stone re-mounted anyway?

Also I don''t think I want a setting thats too thin. I want the ring as a whole to have presence. Especially if I go with yellow gold. I want to have enough of it to bring out that "pigeons blood red"
 

starryeyed

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
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2,398
Timmy, that stone is GORGEOUS! I can''t believe how clean it looks. This is a great choice! I am posting the link to your other thread so newcomers can see.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/rubies-in-washington-dc.48819/

Is there any paper with the stone? I''m not clear if this comes with a cert. Hope so - if not, get it!

I''m going to post a few setting for you to consider. I know your budget is tight, but if you have any wiggle room at all, please put some diamonds with this beauty. Even if they are small, I think they will help bring out the liveliness in this stone.

This is great news!
 

starryeyed

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
2,398
Here are a few setting ideas. You can do these in yellow gold, or in a combination of YG and White Gold or Platinum. The one ring has 4 invisible set rubies, but I''m sure you can do something similar with just one big one!

Maybe you could talk to the jeweler from whom you are buying the stone to see if he/she could cut you a deal on a setting. If he/she doesn''t have anything pre-made, you could try to save on something custom by sourcing some small diamonds yourself from Pricescope.

You definitely made the right decision to go with the stone that speaks to you - congrats!

RubyRings YGWG1.jpg
 

timmy!

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
63
It''s super clean. You can see a tiny bit of silk under a microscope, and a natural on the girdle but otherwise it''s clean.

There may be some wiggle room, but not a lot. I dont want to buy a ruby of this caliber, and then put poopie diamonds beside it. I''d rather wait a while, and then set it with diamonds, that are the same caliber as the center stone.

At the pricey DC place, a .5 ct total weight diamond side stone setting was 5k. I know that''s a bit much, but they were very nice diamonds. How low do you think I could get it, if I shopped around?
 

starryeyed

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
2,398
Timmy, you may want to check out www.pearlmansjewelers.com. They have a section for "Great Deals" with a decent selection of semi-mounts that might work for you. Here is a link for the attached photo - they are asking $600. The only problem might be the prongs - they are WG. Not sure if this can be changed.

http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/jewelry-specials/closeout-jewelry/rings/094CO1/8/

JabelMount600.jpg
 

starryeyed

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
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Here are a few more settings on Pearlman''s close-out. The first is $1000 - YG with 0.37 carats of princess diamonds and holds a 6mm stone. The second is $1250 - Plat with 0.35 carats for a 1 carat stone. You might want to call to find out the diamond quality in these settings. I know you said you want YG, but that Plat setting is nice, in case you had a change of heart. I know I''d LOVE IT!

PJSettingsRuby1.jpg
 

canuk-gal

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 19, 2004
Messages
25,649
HI Timmy:

I have been looking for a ruby myself--and have seem many already set in both white and yellow metals. I like both, but would likely use y/g when I finally get a loose stone I like. Altho I have seen many rings preset with rubies and diamonds, I have found that the solitares look every bit as good and would seriously consider setting a fine ruby alone. And if she wants diamonds, then get a diamond wedding band!

Timing is everything...and this beauty seems to be following you around......
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cheers--Sharon
 

MINE!!

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 25, 2005
Messages
3,287
WHY not just a simple solitare setting? Let the stone be the big focus.
 

starryeyed

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
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2,398
And for just a little more - $1400 - here is a Jeff Cooper, Platinum 3-stone Trellis Ring with 0.48 tcw G VS diamonds. I really hope you go for this one! I think Platinum is classic for an engagement ring. These diamonds are a really nice quality and BIG - almost 1/4 carat each! The Trellis design is fabulous. Because this is a pre-made semi-mount, you could order and and be done quickly - I think time is an issue for you, right?

There is also a 5-stone, with the same diamond carat weight, but two larger diamonds are worth more than 4 smaller ones. This is a very expensive-looking setting at a great value.

http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/jewelry-specials/closeout-jewelry/rings/087CO1/16/
 

widget

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 12, 2004
Messages
4,255
OH MY!!! Congratulations! It''s just beautiful!!!
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Here''s a link to rings with smaller centerstones for you to peruse for inspiration:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/under-1ct-diamonds.25028/

Also...do you like antique-style mountings? I found these at Fay Cullen.

First, Art Deco for $650 (!) (They say they can acommodate OMCs, which means to me your cushion would work)

faycullen 650.jpg
 

pricescope

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 31, 1999
Messages
8,266
Timmy! how about this setting (Alexah''s)?
You can get reed of diamonds and make a hummer finish to give the ring a medieval feel too.

RubySetAlexah.jpg
 
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