Ruby or Sapphire flawless
- Thread starter pyramid
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2003
- Messages
- 15,808
Possible? Yes.
Probable? By no means.
Your question would be better answered by some stats about what % of the rough is clean in the whole corundum and diamond production. That, I do not know to be available. The comments below say something slightly different: what is acceptable as "gem grade" which depends on the total quantity of rough mined and how much of it is makeable into clean gems.
Remember those GIA clarity grades for gems, and the different "types" associated with the clarity grade? Those take into account the fact that some types of gem crystals are more or less often available with a certain density of inclusions. So Type I VVS means better than eye clean and Type III VVS implies small visible inclusions. These clarity grades would be defined in terms of appearance alone (eye clean to different degrees) - a somewhat simpler procedure than it is the case of diamonds clarity grades. In theory, the grads of colored gems stop at VVS, not IF.
Citing such rules I a am just trying to give a sense of just how scarce is that "possible" above. Without the excuse of the "type", some gem species would only get disreputable clarity grades - a fact of nature which did not fit into the grading system.
Sapphire is relatively often eye clean or better. Make the same material red and clarity becomes an exceedingly scarce blessing. Because of this, top color sapphires are discounted for visible inclusions while rubies would not.
These are the most common saying about ruby & sapphire expected clarity, as far as I know.
Size and color play a role here too. I might hope to find some IF corundum curiosity on the smaller side (say up to 2 cts) and still feel foolish asking.
Hope this makes sense. I hope there will be more authoritative answer to your good Q
Probable? By no means.
Your question would be better answered by some stats about what % of the rough is clean in the whole corundum and diamond production. That, I do not know to be available. The comments below say something slightly different: what is acceptable as "gem grade" which depends on the total quantity of rough mined and how much of it is makeable into clean gems.
Remember those GIA clarity grades for gems, and the different "types" associated with the clarity grade? Those take into account the fact that some types of gem crystals are more or less often available with a certain density of inclusions. So Type I VVS means better than eye clean and Type III VVS implies small visible inclusions. These clarity grades would be defined in terms of appearance alone (eye clean to different degrees) - a somewhat simpler procedure than it is the case of diamonds clarity grades. In theory, the grads of colored gems stop at VVS, not IF.
Citing such rules I a am just trying to give a sense of just how scarce is that "possible" above. Without the excuse of the "type", some gem species would only get disreputable clarity grades - a fact of nature which did not fit into the grading system.
Sapphire is relatively often eye clean or better. Make the same material red and clarity becomes an exceedingly scarce blessing. Because of this, top color sapphires are discounted for visible inclusions while rubies would not.
These are the most common saying about ruby & sapphire expected clarity, as far as I know.
Size and color play a role here too. I might hope to find some IF corundum curiosity on the smaller side (say up to 2 cts) and still feel foolish asking.
Hope this makes sense. I hope there will be more authoritative answer to your good Q
- Joined
- May 3, 2001
- Messages
- 7,516
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2003
- Messages
- 15,808
- Status
Featured Topics
Past, Present, Future: The Meaning of Three-Stone Engagement Rings
Past, Present, Future: The Meaning of Three-Stone Engagement Rings - 04/14
300x240.png)