Price for heated TE2 mong hsu ruby?

[terracentric]

Hi, it''s my first time here. I thought this might be a great place to get your opinion on a mong hsu ruby. It''s got an AGTA cert and looks like Timmy''s ruby (shown):

1.43ct
6.24 x 6.11 x 4.21
Cushion
Burma
Indications of heating, TE2 (minor residue in fissures)

It''s transparent, has great red color, with very faint purple, great overall color coverage, and very lively/sparkly.

I don''t quite get the suggested formula I''ve read like "deduct 50% if treated, another X % if it has this or that treatment." So, I''ve been doing some comparison pricing but it''s all over the place and wanted to find out what you thought.

Some comparison:
1.00 ct. $8,000 (Unheated)
1.13 ct. $9,600 (Unheated, Timmy''s stone on Pricescope)
1.43 ct. $6,000 (Heated flux-healed mong hsu)
1.44 ct. $15,500 (Presumably heated only)

Thanks!

 

[Pandora II]

Gorgeous stone.

There isn''t a fixed scale as such as there are too many variables that go into the price.

What are they asking for this one?

 

[chrono]

That stone is a beauty - clear material with beautiful colour and pretty cutting. Pricing can run the gamut based on so many variables from origin, colour (tone, hue and saturation), clarity, cut, etc.

 

[terracentric]

The ruby I show (1.13 ct. unheated ruby) is someone else''s who posted on PS (Timmy). Here is the link to that post. He said his stone was $9600 but appraised for $5000. I''m not sure if he ever resolved the appraisal. There was no follow-up post.

The stone I''m interested in looks just like the photo. But it is a heated Mong Hsu ruby with evidence of minor inclusions in fissures (a.k.a flux healed). It''s stunning though. I''ve read that flux-healed Mong Hsu rubies "cost a fraction" of stones that are heat treated only. But can a "fraction" mean $6000 retail?

 

[terracentric]

Oops correction on pricing running the gamut. The 1 ct. is heated:

Some comparison in order by weight, all Burmese:
1.00 ct. $8,000 (Unheated) (Presumably heated only.)
1.01 ct. $9,090 (Unheated certified)
1.13 ct. $9,600 (Unheated, Timmy''s stone on Pricescope)
1.41 ct. $4,230 (Heated flux-healed Mong Hsu)
1.43 ct. $6,000 (Heated flux-healed Mong Hsu)
1.44 ct. $15,500 (Presumably heated only)

 

[chrono]

Some reading about flux heating meant to fill natural fractures within rubies, especially Mong Hsu rubies.
http://www.palagems.com/flux_healing.htm#_ftn2

Personally, I would not purchase any gemstone that has been altered this way even though this treatment is stable and irreversible. However, there IS a market for it, so it's up to you if you accept this. That said, a flux ruby should really be very cheap, not even $6K for a stone that looks like the one you posted.

 

[Sagebrush]

All,

Difficult to comparison shop among images. Expect a 50% price difference between heated (H or Ha or TE1) and unheated all other quality factors being equal in fine stones. TE2 will obviously require a discount of at least 15-20%. That % will increase to 100% by the time you get to 2 carats in fine and 1.5 carats in ultrafine.

 

[terracentric]

Thanks for the general guidelines Richard. I wish I had a copy of The Guide; Drucker mentioned in 2005 that he''s revising (if he hasn''t already) how he recommends pricing for rubies since heating with flux (Mong Hsu) is so common. He''s assuming that all rubies are heated with flux...that''s the starting point.

By the way, great job on the redesign of your website! Navigation and layout is so much better!