Looking for recommendation to buy a ruby for men’s rings

[ceriano]

what’s the smallest size ruby you’d consider for men’s ring? I’ve been in the market for rubies the past couple of month and done some reasech in treatment origin etc. I have a limited budget and I’m not looking for a perfect stone. Ruby is my birthstone and I’m more of a fan of rustic ring design. I’ve already found a good local jeweler to help me with the ring design. What would be the smallest size stone you’d consider for men’s ring? And how much should I expect to budget?

 

[ceriano]

These are 2 of the stones I’ve been eyeing. Do you have any experience with these company and are any of these stones worth buying?
Not sure if I’m allowed to post links or not, if not delete

https://www.gemsny.com/ruby/2.99-Carat-Oval-ruby-R25283OV/?sku=43188&type=&prong=&selectedBand=

Loose Ruby - Oval 18.17 Ct. - #R14733 | The Natural Ruby Company

<p>Discover the allure and elegance of one of the rarest treasures from The Natural Ruby Company: an exquisite translucent 18.17 carat oval-shaped pinkish-red ruby. Sourced from the legendary mines of Burma, now Myanmar, this exceptional gemstone embodies the pinnacle of luxury and refinement...

thenaturalrubycompany.com

 

[Bron357]

Hi,
Rubies are very hard to buy and treatment is everything.
Without a proper lab report, heat treated can mean also glass filled and/or beryllium treated. Both these types of treatments mean you are buying something realistically worth $50.
The first one I wouldn’t touch. Any vendor who uses “AA” as a descriptor is selling crap. It is opaque and too dark and looks like a blob.
The second one, the company is somewhat reputable, there was some past scandal before regarding treatments not properly disclosed, can’t comment on their current disclosure practices. The cabochon is heavily pitted and also opaque.
Realistically for $1,500 USD you aren’t going to get much.
A “heated with some residues” in a reasonable colour and some transparency is circa $500 plus a carat. Be aware that Thai origin rubies usually have no fluorescence due to higher iron content,
At the other end of the spectrum, a fine Burmese unheated ruby starts at around $10,000 a carat, with gems over 3 carats rare and super super expensive.
As for size, some people would prefer a tiny ie .40 carats great ruby rather than a 5 carat blob.
Also, some people choose lab grown because you can get a perfect colour and transparency for very little money.

 

[Autumn in New England]

The second one, the company is somewhat reputable, there was some past scandal before regarding treatments not properly disclosed, can’t comment on their current disclosure practices.

Bron, where did you hear this? The prior issue I recall was that they won a court judgment to have certain negative reviews removed online, but then used the order to remove others which were outside the purview of the order. I never heard anything about them not disclosing treatments. Are you maybe thinking of JTV when they were selling andesine-labradorite as untreated and it turned out to be diffused? Please let me know. Thanks!

 

[Bron357]

Bron, where did you hear this? The prior issue I recall was that they won a court judgment to have certain negative reviews removed online, but then used the order to remove others which were outside the purview of the order. I never heard anything about them not disclosing treatments. Are you maybe thinking of JTV when they were selling andesine-labradorite as untreated and it turned out to be diffused? Please let me know. Thanks!

I read that they didn’t disclose treatment correctly as their “in house” certificate didn’t match the one the buyer got from AGS. If I recall the treatment they said was just heated but AGS said heated with residue. Their argument was the residues were part of a normal heating process which in the case of H a can be true but not H b.

 

[Starstruck8]

Welcome to PriceScope!

I have an err... fair collection of men's rings. There is no sharp minimum size for a suitable stone. You can design to any sized stone. But the smaller the stone, the more of the square-on view will be metal. Here is an example:


The purple sapphire above (note same density as ruby) is mine. It's 2.0ct, 8.2x6.3mm. The ruby below (taken from the net) is 'estimated 1ct'. You can see how a suitable design can frame a smaller stone - the wreath pattern breaks up the expanse of metal.

Don't buy either of the stones you linked to! The first is way too dark. The cab is opaque. The point of rubies is the intense red and, for faceted stones, the intense red flashes.

I don't have a single good quality ruby. I just know that any ruby I would want would cost more than I would want to pay. So I can't help you with buying one. But if you want a natural ruby for a budget of $1000-2000, compromises on either size or quality will be required. You may be able to find a compromise that works for you.

 

[Autumn in New England]

I read that they didn’t disclose treatment correctly as their “in house” certificate didn’t match the one the buyer got from AGS. If I recall the treatment they said was just heated but AGS said heated with residue. Their argument was the residues were part of a normal heating process which in the case of H a can be true but not H b.

Thank you! Well that's certainly a bogus argument on their behalf. The difference in value between traditional heat and flux-healing is not insignificant... not to mention the mind-clean issue. The items I purchased from them either came with GIA certs or I sent them in anyway, so luckily I didn't have this problem. Do you have a link to this info, Bron?

 

[toomuch8]

what’s the smallest size ruby you’d consider for men’s ring?

Its personal taste/preference. For men's jewellery I find I either like small stones or large 10mm+ stones.
The middle ground weights, like 2-3ct, is a bit awkward for me in a men's ring. For a quick/rough visualization of what I mean: I like the green (small) and red (big) stone rings here, but the blue (medium) less. But everyone is different and there are exceptions depending on design/material.



If your budget is around the mark of the stones you linked I would go for a small but higher quality stone, especially in clarity, personally.

 

[Autumn in New England]

OP! I need to correct my original reply. Apologies, I read your post wrong. You said you are NOT looking for a perfect stone. Naturally, this is going to be much easier to attain on a budget. Then I wholeheartedly agree with @toomuch8, and still stand by my comment that 1ct is a nice, round number for a ruby men's ring. Ultimately, it will be personal preference and price range. But if you're after a faceted stone, shoot for better transparency. The first example you posted is very opaque. I really love ruby cabs like your second example, but again, if you go smaller, you'll be able to afford a much finer stone. Maybe a few carats for a cab? They will generally be less expensive, so you can go a bit larger than faceted. But 18ct is quite large. Good luck!

 

[Saphir]

I would buy a big red garnet for that budget

 

[ceriano]

Hi,
Rubies are very hard to buy and treatment is everything.
Without a proper lab report, heat treated can mean also glass filled and/or beryllium treated. Both these types of treatments mean you are buying something realistically worth $50.
The first one I wouldn’t touch. Any vendor who uses “AA” as a descriptor is selling crap. It is opaque and too dark and looks like a blob.
The second one, the company is somewhat reputable, there was some past scandal before regarding treatments not properly disclosed, can’t comment on their current disclosure practices. The cabochon is heavily pitted and also opaque.
Realistically for $1,500 USD you aren’t going to get much.
A “heated with some residues” in a reasonable colour and some transparency is circa $500 plus a carat. Be aware that Thai origin rubies usually have no fluorescence due to higher iron content,
At the other end of the spectrum, a fine Burmese unheated ruby starts at around $10,000 a carat, with gems over 3 carats rare and super super expensive.
As for size, some people would prefer a tiny ie .40 carats great ruby rather than a 5 carat blob.
Also, some people choose lab grown because you can get a perfect colour and transparency for very little money.

Thanks a bunch. I think the first company listed some as composite treated, I assume those are the ones that are worthless. No mention of composite/glass filled for the second company. Not sure if they sell any or they just don't list it but I'll have to do more research on that.
What's a good resource for lab grown?

 

[Saphir]

I would buy a red garnet,
for your budget would be the best option i think and for the rest of your stones budget u let make diamonds around the garnet. Cut, color, clarity and origin on this garnet are fantastic.
When u want a ruby that look nearly the same like the garnet, i think you would pay more than minimum 100k+ per carat.

2.34ct Red Malaya Garnet

A stunningly red Malya Garnet cut in an Omni Oval design. This gem is eye-clean with only minor inclusions under 10x magnification.

www.stagandfinch.com

 

[ceriano]

These are both reputable sellers, so no worries there. I've purchased from the NSC... Lauren was lovely to work with. I think a 1ct. ruby is a nice round number for a men's ring. I'm a little confused as to what you're after though, because at first you asked what the smallest gem would be for the ring and said you were looking for a perfect stone. And then you posted an 18ct stone and 3ct stone which are very low quality. Please clarify. Oh and welcome aboard!

I mean a large stone will defiantly work but I also don't want to spend $2K on a worthless stone. these are two designs that I like. matte brushed gold and modern looking. both are larger rubies. not sure about the quality of the stone on Yurman's ring but it's rustic looking and I like that.
super tiny ruby may look more like a wedding ring. Another option would be to get a square face signet ring and flush mount an accent stone on the corner. Alexandrite is my other birthstone and that I can only afford a super tiny one, or I think

https://www.davidyurman.com/mens/ri...ring-in-18k-yellow-gold-14.5mm-R35021M88.html

3.37 Carat No-Heat Burmese Ruby 21 Karat Gold Ring

A richly saturated Burmese Ruby, weighing 3.37 carats and designated natural - no heat by the American Gemological Laboratory (AGL), speaks for itself in this classic ring crafted in weighty, rarely seen, 21 karat (900) yellow gold finished with a soft satin texture. This also works as a bold...

www.langantiques.com

 

[ceriano]

Welcome to PriceScope!

I have an err... fair collection of men's rings. There is no sharp minimum size for a suitable stone. You can design to any sized stone. But the smaller the stone, the more of the square-on view will be metal. Here is an example:


The purple sapphire above (note same density as ruby) is mine. It's 2.0ct, 8.2x6.3mm. The ruby below (taken from the net) is 'estimated 1ct'. You can see how a suitable design can frame a smaller stone - the wreath pattern breaks up the expanse of metal.

Don't buy either of the stones you linked to! The first is way too dark. The cab is opaque. The point of rubies is the intense red and, for faceted stones, the intense red flashes.

I don't have a single good quality ruby. I just know that any ruby I would want would cost more than I would want to pay. So I can't help you with buying one. But if you want a natural ruby for a budget of $1000-2000, compromises on either size or quality will be required. You may be able to find a compromise that works for you.

Beautiful rings thanks for sharing. The second one was actually one of the designs I shared with my jeweler. I've never wore a pinky ring but smaller stone with wider band may work great as a pinky ring too.

I hope this doesn't get me banned on the forum but I'm actually colorblind, picking the right color would definitely be a challenge for me.

I know there to compromise when buying diamond but when it gets to rubies where would you compromise? I guess not the color right?

 

[ceriano]

Its personal taste/preference. For men's jewellery I find I either like small stones or large 10mm+ stones.
The middle ground weights, like 2-3ct, is a bit awkward for me in a men's ring. For a quick/rough visualization of what I mean: I like the green (small) and red (big) stone rings here, but the blue (medium) less. But everyone is different and there are exceptions depending on design/material.



If your budget is around the mark of the stones you linked I would go for a small but higher quality stone, especially in clarity, personally.

I don't disagree. This is one of the designs I had in mind if I can't get a bigger stone. basically a simple signet ring with a small stone in the corner.

 

[Autumn in New England]

I mean a large stone will defiantly work but I also don't want to spend $2K on a worthless stone. these are two designs that I like. matte brushed gold and modern looking. both are larger rubies. not sure about the quality of the stone on Yurman's ring but it's rustic looking and I like that.
super tiny ruby may look more like a wedding ring. Another option would be to get a square face signet ring and flush mount an accent stone on the corner. Alexandrite is my other birthstone and that I can only afford a super tiny one, or I think

https://www.davidyurman.com/mens/ri...ring-in-18k-yellow-gold-14.5mm-R35021M88.html

3.37 Carat No-Heat Burmese Ruby 21 Karat Gold Ring

A richly saturated Burmese Ruby, weighing 3.37 carats and designated natural - no heat by the American Gemological Laboratory (AGL), speaks for itself in this classic ring crafted in weighty, rarely seen, 21 karat (900) yellow gold finished with a soft satin texture. This also works as a bold...

www.langantiques.com

I like the idea of a signet ring with an accent stone! But I do think you can find something you like on budget if you compromise a bit on size.

 

[ceriano]

I would buy a red garnet,
for your budget would be the best option i think and for the rest of your stones budget u let make diamonds around the garnet. Cut, color, clarity and origin on this garnet are fantastic.
When u want a ruby that look nearly the same like the garnet, i think you would pay more than minimum 100k+ per carat.

2.34ct Red Malaya Garnet

A stunningly red Malya Garnet cut in an Omni Oval design. This gem is eye-clean with only minor inclusions under 10x magnification.

www.stagandfinch.com

would you say garnet would be a better choice than lab grown ruby?

I haven't had a chance to look at this one in person yet but I like old vintage rings from early 1900s.

https://schwarzschild.com/collections/estate-jewelry/products/art-nouveau-english-circa-1915-18ky-garnet-ring

 

[ceriano]

I like the idea of a signet ring with an accent stone! But I do think you can find something you like on budget if you compromise a bit on size.

Where would you compromise when shopping for rubies? realistically what size do you think I should be looking for under $2K?

 

[ceriano]

OP! I need to correct my original reply. Apologies, I read your post wrong. You said you are NOT looking for a perfect stone. Naturally, this is going to be much easier to attain on a budget. Then I wholeheartedly agree with @toomuch8, and still stand by my comment that 1ct is a nice, round number for a ruby men's ring. Ultimately, it will be personal preference and price range. But if you're after a faceted stone, shoot for better transparency. The first example you posted is very opaque. I really love ruby cabs like your second example, but again, if you go smaller, you'll be able to afford a much finer stone. Maybe a few carats for a cab? They will generally be less expensive, so you can go a bit larger than faceted. But 18ct is quite large. Good luck!

Perfect thanks for the tips. 5-6 carat cab would be ideal if I can find anything decent under $2k

 

[Autumn in New England]

Where would you compromise when shopping for rubies? realistically what size do you think I should be looking for under $2K?

Personally, I would always compromise on size first... then probably cut (which may not always help with price), then clarity, and lastly color. But it depends on your tolerance. In light of what you posted as the 2 examples, I think you could very well find a 1ct stone you like that has overall better quality, while staying on budget.

 

[LilAlex]

what’s the smallest size ruby you’d consider for men’s ring? I’ve been in the market for rubies the past couple of month and done some reasech in treatment origin etc. I have a limited budget and I’m not looking for a perfect stone. Ruby is my birthstone and I’m more of a fan of rustic ring design. I’ve already found a good local jeweler to help me with the ring design. What would be the smallest size stone you’d consider for men’s ring? And how much should I expect to budget?

Contrarian view here: not sure where you are based but paying retail for an unmounted gem and then for the cost of creating a mounting -- that's not the way to stretch a budget, imo. I would blow more than your total budget just making the ring in my country. I think you should shop used/vintage/antique. I always say start with Lang website (or similar) and reverse-sort by price to get an idea of the market. Yes, if your standards are low enough vis-a-vis gem size, performance, treatment you can find something at almost any price point.

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

Contrarian view here: not sure where you are based but paying retail for an unmounted gem and then for the cost of creating a mounting -- that's not the way to stretch a budget, imo. I would blow more than your total budget just making the ring in my country. I think you should shop used/vintage/antique. I always say start with Lang website (or similar) and reverse-sort by price to get an idea of the market. Yes, if your standards are low enough vis-a-vis gem size, performance, treatment you can find something at almost any price point.

I second this. Best way to get value.Then remount the stone.