Ruby or Emerald????

[Efleon]

Gotta say I'd feel like I'm "buying high" with rubies now. So much buzz around Burmas, etc. Not as bad as Kashmir sapphires, of course, but I feel like the market is out of control. It may never come back down to earth and I may have missed my window.

I think high-end ruby buying requires the most sophisticated buyer of any colored stone. Origin, clarity, glow, role of fluorescence, worn in bright sun or even overhead bright sun...it all quickly gets overwhelming. I would not buy a fine ruby without third-party professional guidance.

I feel a lot "safer" buying a no-oil Colombian emerald in a color that knocks me out...assuming I trust the vendor enough to know that it was not re-oiled after the report. All the "new" top emeralds I see (like on IG) look well-cut and well-proportioned.

But if we are talking a perfect 2-ct ruby vs a perfect 2-ct emerald, I'd take the ruby any day. Of course it would be 10X the price of the perfect emerald, if not higher.

Wow! Thank you @LilAlex that is a tutorial in a nutshell.
Great advice.
I too have been looking for the perfect ruby and I’m literally exhausted. I found one once that’s sold now but even though it was very close, actual Burma pigeon blood on the GIA and no-heat it was so tiny! So I passed.
I’m seriously considering either a super nice spinel or tourmaline/rubellite or just continue on my emerald collection.
I honestly don’t know….

 

[peacechick]

Wow! Thank you @LilAlex that is a tutorial in a nutshell.
Great advice.
I too have been looking for the perfect ruby and I’m literally exhausted. I found one once that’s sold now but even though it was very close, actual Burma pigeon blood on the GIA and no-heat it was so tiny! So I passed.
I’m seriously considering either a super nice spinel or tourmaline/rubellite or just continue on my emerald collection.
I honestly don’t know….

I really wouldn’t be attached to the GIA pigeon blood description. There’s been a lot of discussion here in the past trying to pin down what exactly a pigeon blood colour should be and ultimately people agree it’s meaningless because the perfect red differs for different people. Unless you are buying for investment. The qualities LilAlex listed would be better for assessing a ruby.

 

[voce]

I really wouldn’t be attached to the GIA pigeon blood description. There’s been a lot of discussion here in the past trying to pin down what exactly a pigeon blood colour should be and ultimately people agree it’s meaningless because the perfect red differs for different people. Unless you are buying for investment. The qualities LilAlex listed would be better for assessing a ruby.

I want to second this opinion, and a lot of bigger rubies I like are either out of budget for me or not the color to make my heart sing (which I require to pay a high price).

Bron357 has a perfect Burmese ruby, but I don't know what it would take to get her to sell it to you.

If you want a ruby to wear yourself and not for investment, go for your ideal color and not a specific origin. Top rubies of other origins easily outshine mediocre rubies of Burma origin.

 

[Sparklemore]

Strictly theoretical question here.
All things being equal, would you choose a ruby or emerald and why???
The question is assuming each stone is the same size (within realistic parameters) and color and shape that you prefer.
So for instance, a 2 carat pigeon-blood ruby or a 2 carat Colombian no-oil emerald!!!
You can only pick ONE
I’m just trying to get an idea of modern tastes in colored stones as I’m hoping to purchase one more (either emerald or ruby) to complete my collection….
Which stone makes YOUR heart flutter more???

Both lol! but Ruby first just because it’s more durable for every day wear

 

[Efleon]

It’s so true @Sparklemore @peacechick @LilAlex and all!
This ruby thing is so very difficult.
So far in my journey I’ve passed on a GIA certified “pigeon’s blood” Burma ruby because it was so silky I flat out didn’t like it even though I felt I should. Just no sparkle.
Then I passed on an unheated larger Burma ruby because it was so dark all I thought was “oh, hello garnet!” And garnet being my birthstone I’ve always run away from them fast because the ones I’ve been acquainted with are so brown. I admittedly have a bad attitude regarding garnets so anything that looks like one is a no-go.
Then there was a lovely Burma reddish/pinkish one that I liked but this one was very included. Just didn’t float my boat.
So I’m at the point that I am even considering a lab-created ruby!!!!!
Heaven forfend.

 

[MagpieMama]

Emerald every time! Although I love a beautiful ruby, green is my favorite color and emerald is my mother’s birthstone.

 

[Tanzie]

Strictly theoretical question here.
All things being equal, would you choose a ruby or emerald and why???
The question is assuming each stone is the same size (within realistic parameters) and color and shape that you prefer.
So for instance, a 2 carat pigeon-blood ruby or a 2 carat Colombian no-oil emerald!!!
You can only pick ONE
I’m just trying to get an idea of modern tastes in colored stones as I’m hoping to purchase one more (either emerald or ruby) to complete my collection….
Which stone makes YOUR heart flutter more???

Emerald. I like green more than red.

 

[waffle]

Strictly theoretical question here.
All things being equal, would you choose a ruby or emerald and why???
The question is assuming each stone is the same size (within realistic parameters) and color and shape that you prefer.
So for instance, a 2 carat pigeon-blood ruby or a 2 carat Colombian no-oil emerald!!!
You can only pick ONE
I’m just trying to get an idea of modern tastes in colored stones as I’m hoping to purchase one more (either emerald or ruby) to complete my collection….
Which stone makes YOUR heart flutter more???

Ruby. They are harder than emerald, and less likely to get scratched. They make my heart putter patter. They look like candy!

 

[luckygreen317]

You might be surprised by my answer because green is my favorite color, but I would choose a ruby if both were amazing color and cost wasn't a factor.

Emerald on the stone hardness scale rates 7.5 versus a Ruby at 9. Unless put into a pendant, that limits the setting it "should" be put into for a ring.

I had a co-worker get engaged with a heart-shaped emerald years ago. She lost the stone within a month of wearing the ring. This proved to me that a prong-set emerald is not a daily-wear stone. She ended up getting a diamond instead.

 

[Efleon]

Fascinating topic.
So far, it’s:
Ruby: 17
Emerald: 12

 

[leslie1956]

I know that rubies are more durable, but being a blue, green, purple lover, I'd go for a high quality emerald any day, even though it's not a daily wear gem.