Mozambique ruby price?!

[HelenA30]

Hello dear all!

I was just quoted 85k for a 7 ct red colour unheated Mozambique ruby Heart shape.
Can't that possibly be any close to a fair price?

 

[valeria101]

If the stone is nice, sure ...

 

[HelenA30]

The original question should read "can that possibly be a fair price?" ...couldn't amend the OP...

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

I think I remember some 8 carat ruby making several millions in an auction, so yes, sure, BUT $250 may also be a fair price if it is a heavily treated ruby or terrible quality.

People must have images and lab report to get answers here

 

[valeria101]

I do not ... exactly how GRS assigns its coveted designations of 'Vivid Red' or some such (pidgeons & royals might be involved in the official wording for the outmost ruby-red ...). If such distinction was witheld, it simply means that this enormous ruby of superb clarity, might be a step or two removed from RED Heaven ...

It is not that expensive for the SIZE.

 

[valeria101]

Example: 'Vivid Red' GRS designation for a small, comparably deep red ruby - see report WWW; & another 'Vivid' in lighter tone - WWW .

[I had taken a look at this shop for other reasons - hence too many mentions today !]

The GRS website seems to be down...

 

[Sagebrush]

Ruby buying is a brave new world which should be approached with trepidation. The discovery of vast quantities of this heretofore rare gemstones in Mozambique has radically altered the valuing equation. In the old days, say ten years ago, a 7 carat ruby of any quality was a rarity. Today Gemfields, the company that controls much of this vast track, is regularly offering rough at auction that will cut up to 25 carats. This was unheard of just a few years ago.

As with all gems, quality is variable and gems worth hundreds of thousands are regularly offered alongside material worth a few hundred. The factors influencing quality are complex. Mozambique stones sometimes resemble Burmese and sometimes the old Thai material.

GRS reserves its "pigeon blood" designation for medium dark toned red to purplish red stones with vivid saturation. As a rule of thumb, "red" as opposed to "vivid red" would be a stone considered to be in about the middle of the color quality scale, then there is cut, clarity and crystal to be considered.


A GRS graded vivid red/pigeon blood ruby from Mozambique. Not all labs would agree with this designation.

RWW

 

[valeria101]

In the old days, say ten years ago, a 7 carat ruby of any quality was a rarity.
RWW

Hence, ever more reason to act per(s)nickety about colour ?

 

[Arcadian]

It would not be worth 85K TO ME.
If it had Pigeon blood designation from GRS, it still wouldn't (I can't afford that!!) But I could see why why it could cost as much.

Reality is, its going to be worth what you can afford. 7cts of ruby is rare, unheated even more so.

Richard, great to see you posting again!

 

[Sagebrush]

The trade's obsession with geography insures that every ruby source will be compared to Burma. Location aside, the quality of the color comes down to Iron content. In Burmese the ruby is found in white metamorphic marbles that are relatively iron free.

Mozambique may be low iron to iron rich. Iron rich stones have a brownish mask and appear "garnety" meaning they have hue/saturation and tone similar to almandine garnet. I saw some fabulous stuff on my last trip to Bangkok. The best of the Mozambique stones will stand toe to toe with the best of Burma.

RWW

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Did the OP say it is a GRS 'vivid red' or do I miss something?

 

[minousbijoux]

Norman: for a short while, the OP had pics up of the ruby along with the lab report, which read simply "red," not "vivid red." HTH

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Minousbijoux, thanks.

 

[pregcurious]

A GRS graded vivid red/pigeon blood ruby from Mozambique. Not all labs would agree with this designation.

RWW

Interesting. That is too purple for my tastes. Sagebrush, thank you for the education.

 

[Sagebrush]

Ruby with a purplish secondary hue fits one definition of pigeon's blood. I think you could say the range would be from a pure red to a slightly purplish red. A large percentage of heated Mong Hsu stones were exactly this color. Heating drove off some of the purple. Mozambique stones occur in, perhaps, the broadest range of hues of any source.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Ruby with a purplish secondary hue fits one definition of pigeon's blood. I think you could say the range would be from a pure red to a slightly purplish red. A large percentage of heated Mong Hsu stones were exactly this color. Heating drove off some of the purple. Mozambique stones occur in, perhaps, the broadest range of hues of any source.

I thought it is violet as 2nd hue that makes ruby a pigeon blood? Or is this because violet and purple are considered different shades in different countries/languages? If purple is the wanted 2nd hue then I can't see how pigeon-blood is a rare color? Most rubies are purplish red, no?

 

[Sagebrush]

norman,

The definition of purple does, indeed, change depending upon the color wheel. Some call it purple, others violet. My suggestion, stay with Munsell, it is the system that underlies most discussions of gemstone color including the GIA system for describing colored diamonds. Purple is a modified spectral hue precisely halfway between red and blue, violet lies halfway between purple and blue.

For an excellent discussion of colour theory I recommend Stephen Hofer's Collecting and Classifying Coloured Diamonds, Ashland Press, 1998.

Richard

 

[valeria101]

The discovery of vast quantities of this heretofore rare gemstones in Mozambique has radically altered the valuing equation. In the old days, say ten years ago, a 7 carat ruby of any quality was a rarity. Today Gemfields, the company that controls much of this vast track, is regularly offering rough at auction that will cut up to 25 carats. This was unheard of just a few years ago.

No kidding ... WWW

OK

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Yes, thanks, and I also figured that languages translate it differently. German-routed cultures (if one can say that) seem to call 'purple' 'violet' and then translate it into 'violet'.
When we speak of the pigeon blood 2nd hue, do we then mean the part closer to blue (violet) on the wheel, or the part closer to red (purple)? I was thinking it is the blue part?