Ruby Questions

[gemmygemma]

Now we're on a ruby kick. So I have ruby questions.

1. Realistically, is it possible to purchase a ruby (around a carat, good red color, well-cut, with flour, no dying, no fracture-filling, heat okay) for less than $1200?
2. Where would one look for such a thing?
3. How long would the search take? Months? Years?
4. Are spinels better?
5. What about this: http://www.gemselect.com/ruby/ruby-53736.php? I know it's on the pink side, but how will it look in real life? How is the cut? It looks like it has flour. That's the look we like.

 

[LD]

Now we're on a ruby kick. So I have ruby questions.

1. Realistically, is it possible to purchase a ruby (around a carat, good red color, well-cut, with flour, no dying, no fracture-filling, heat okay) for less than $1200? Meeting every single one of your parameters - Highly/extremely unlikely
2. Where would one look for such a thing? No idea but if you find it then you'll have to tell us where to look!
3. How long would the search take? Months? Years? Light years
4. Are spinels better? Matter of opinion. Finding a true red Spinel will be difficult also.
5. What about this: http://www.gemselect.com/ruby/ruby-53736.php? I know it's on the pink side, but how will it look in real life? How is the cut? It looks like it has flour. That's the look we like. Interesting! I would suspect that this has probably had more treatment than heating - the reason I say this is because of the clarity/colour/price. It doesn't add up to a heated only Ruby of over 1ct. The only certificate offered is AIGS and I believe that their testing is limited - certainly they can't test for BE diffusion. I'm unsure what AIGS CAN/DO test for in Rubies. I'd love to be wrong and hope that this is the real deal!

 

[soberguy]

For me, I am not comfortable enough purchasing a ruby without seeing it person, and of course am only comfortable buying certified rubies. The color is just too difficult to see online. Rubies (in my opinion) are about the most difficult stones to purchase. I have purchased around 30 rubies online (before and after my PS education on treatments), and I still only have a parcel of 12 truly nice rubies (3mm princess cut).

 

[kelpie]

I think looking through www.naturalunheatedruby.com will give you an idea of what's available for $1200 however meeting all parameters does sound like a pipe dream within the budget. I wish.

 

[Lee Little]

''No fracture filling' is the main stipulation that makes your search nearly impossible as almost all heat these days includes flux no matter what origin. Flux is generally considered acceptable world wide. Leaded glass is not acceptable. Both flux residue and leaded glass fillers can be interpreted as 'fracture filling'.
Probably it would be easier to find unheated than it would be to find heat only. Of course a ruby like you described unheated will be much more expensive.
Should you revise your search to include flux healed (which will have flux residue in fissures when viewed with high magnification) then you may be able to find one for that price but I have no websites to direct you to. Best regards, Lee

 

[T L]

A top Burma ruby, no way. A pinkish ruby from Africa, perhaps.

 

[innerkitten]

Have you looked on gemfix? I don't know what quality your looking for but they have some in your price range.

 

[velouriaL]

Following Kelpie's lead, this one is a little over budget and a little undersize, but looks nice... I'm not great at rubies, so if anyone else has opinions..?
http://www.naturalunheatedruby.com/inc/sdetail/327

 

[T L]

Gene of precisiongem.com also sometimes has these Lake Barringo rubies, and they're often around 1 ct, and near $1K if I remember correctly. They're a very pretty pinkish red.

 

[SB621]

I think he is much more expensive but you could also try Richard Wise. http://www.rwwise.com/index.html

 

[chrono]

1. Something has to give, you will not be able to fit all your parameters for that price.
2. Some good suggestions have already be shared by the other PSers.
3. Years or even impossible if you are not willing to budge on your specifications.
4. Not necessarily but given your price range, you are more likely to get a spinel before the ruby. A spinel also has its own downsides but at least it will be a good colour and untreated.
5. Do not presume fluorescence and etc. Get it checked out (get your own UV penlight). Also, AIGS does NOT test for diffusion. In addition, this vendor is highly suspected of photoshopping the pictures to make the stone appear better than it does IRL.

 

[iLander]

Just buy this one. More to choose from at:

http://www.gemfix.com/ruby.html

Andrew has great stuff and it looks like the pictures. Heat only on this and it's 1.5 ct. He's an excellent, award-winning cutter. I have been all over the net for many months searching for a red stone (MUCH smaller budget, though) and this is a good one.

Search time; 20 seconds.

 

[T L]

Now we're on a ruby kick. So I have ruby questions.

1. Realistically, is it possible to purchase a ruby (around a carat, good red color, well-cut, with flour, no dying, no fracture-filling, heat okay) for less than $1200? Meeting every single one of your parameters - Highly/extremely unlikely
2. Where would one look for such a thing? No idea but if you find it then you'll have to tell us where to look!
3. How long would the search take? Months? Years? Light years
4. Are spinels better? Matter of opinion. Finding a true red Spinel will be difficult also.
5. What about this: http://www.gemselect.com/ruby/ruby-53736.php? I know it's on the pink side, but how will it look in real life? How is the cut? It looks like it has flour. That's the look we like. Interesting! I would suspect that this has probably had more treatment than heating - the reason I say this is because of the clarity/colour/price. It doesn't add up to a heated only Ruby of over 1ct. The only certificate offered is AIGS and I believe that their testing is limited - certainly they can't test for BE diffusion. I'm unsure what AIGS CAN/DO test for in Rubies. I'd love to be wrong and hope that this is the real deal!

I know AIGS can check to see if a stone is unheated, due to microscopic inclusions that are tell tale of an unheated stone. If a stone is unheated, than it is not diffused, because diffusion requires heating. Therefore, if AIGS were to see a heated stone, they could not tell it was diffused. As a result, they would only write "heated" on their report, and no further information.

IMO, that's another reason to stick with corundum that have the tell tale inclusions of an untreated/unheated stone. It's very expensive to get a lab report that tests also for diffusion (as opposed to just heat treatment). With a stone that has inclusions that do not indicate heating, you save some money there, and you also have an unadulterated stone, and all natural.

 

[m76steve]

to gemmygemma-i dont think this was brough up but spinel is about 200 times more rare than ruby-not quite as hard on the scale as ruby & readily available on ebay at good prices on sweet stones-grab a few bucks & go shoppin-steve-my 2 cnts as usual....

 

[Gempassion]

This is slightly above your budget but Gene, at precisiongem, just posted a new Winza ruby (Gem 1045) and it's quite beautiful:

http://www.precisiongem.com/html/html/Ruby.html

 

[Edward Bristol]

to gemmygemma-i dont think this was brough up but spinel is about 200 times more rare than ruby-not quite as hard on the scale as ruby & readily available on ebay at good prices on sweet stones-grab a few bucks & go shoppin-steve-my 2 cnts as usual....

Spinel is 200times rarer than ruby??? Good spinel is readily available? Are you serious?

 

[arjunajane]

This is slightly above your budget but Gene, at precisiongem, just posted a new Winza ruby (Gem 1045) and it's quite beautiful:

http://www.precisiongem.com/html/html/Ruby.html

I was also going to recommend this stone, I understand it is unheated, all natural and not too much higher than your stated budget. Go for it!

to gemmygemma-i dont think this was brough up but spinel is about 200 times more rare than ruby-not quite as hard on the scale as ruby & readily available on ebay at good prices on sweet stones-grab a few bucks & go shoppin-steve-my 2 cnts as usual....

Spinel is 200times rarer than ruby??? Good spinel is readily available? Are you serious?

Steve, I would like to ask the same as Ed - sorry, but neither of your comments appear to make sense
I don't think sending someone to ebay for cheap spinel, when they are looking for a completely natural ruby, is a great idea.

 

[chrono]

Steve,
I am afraid I have to agree with Ed and AJJ. Spinels are plentiful and inexpensive on eBay. Sure. Fine quality pure red with that perfect medium to medium dark tone that don't shift into some mucky orangish brownish stone? Highly unlikely.

 

[lavatea]

I just came on to recommend Gene's ruby, but I see a couple of you beat me to it.