Stop light red - under what conditions?

[gemandjewelrylover]

Hello, PS experts,

I have been wondering about Ruby color. In my city, they have stoplights that have little red lights that combine to make up the beautiful stop light red color. I wonder about rubies all the time when I'm on the road. In my experience, only a ruby under fluorescence matches the exact color of the stoplights here. But of course, that's a bit unrealistic for a ruby under normal lighting conditions. So I have been wondering, when it comes to rubies, under what conditions would a (good colored, top quality) ruby be "stop light red"? Sunlight? Indirect light? (That sounds nearly impossible to me.) Indoor lighting? And what kind of stoplights? When they are lit up, or not? I read the colored stone sticky and Swissgems Educations pages, but didn't see it. Would a ruby that was a little darker indoors and bright, stop-light-like red in sunlight be considered a stop-light red ruby? Please enlighten me.

Thank you!

 

[T L]

Hello, PS experts,

I have been wondering about Ruby color. In my city, they have stoplights that have little red lights that combine to make up the beautiful stop light red color. I wonder about rubies all the time when I'm on the road. In my experience, only a ruby under fluorescence matches the exact color of the stoplights here. But of course, that's a bit unrealistic for a ruby under normal lighting conditions. So I have been wondering, when it comes to rubies, under what conditions would a (good colored, top quality) ruby be "stop light red"? Sunlight? Indirect light? (That sounds nearly impossible to me.) Indoor lighting? And what kind of stoplights? When they are lit up, or not? I read the colored stone sticky and Swissgems Educations pages, but didn't see it. Would a ruby that was a little darker indoors and bright, stop-light-like red in sunlight be considered a stop-light red ruby? Please enlighten me.

Thank you!

A good ruby should have red fluorescence under sunlight, and the same goes for a good red spinel. I find these stones therefore look reddest in daylight, on a sunny day. They can be less saturated in color, or pinker, or darker, indoors IMO.

One day I took a pic of my spinel in traffic, because I thought it looked close to the break light of the car in front of me. It was a sunny day out.

 

[Edward Bristol]

Sure not the dusty stoplights of the streets of Colombo or Bangkok (or the back lights of my dirty jeep)

Since the stoplight has its own lightsource I think it is fair to compare it with a ruby in direct sunlight.

Some good rubies may be pretty fat red even indoors but for the glow to match a (clean) traffic lights one need to turn on some extra light.

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

Hi, TL and Mr. Bristol,

Thank you for your answers. I thought maybe that was the case.....but as I said, the stop lights here are fluorescent red, so I don't think they ae fair to compare to any ruby (except under fluorescence). Lol But knowing that the stop light red color is in sunlight helps clarify things for me.

TL, your spinel looks really beautiful. Its color sure does look like the car taillight! What a fun picture.

Your advice is much appreciated.

 

[chrono]

Depends on the stop light - I notice that the colouration varies from light to light, from country to country. As with all gemstones, colour is assessed based on a general standard lighting condition, meaning indirect north noon daylight. There are surely differences in the time of the year and your actual location but at least this much is agreed upon.

 

[JewelFreak]

TL, I get a big grin out of imagining you peering at your spinel & a car's taillights, then grabbing camera. What a happy little moment!!

--- Laurie

 

[distracts]

Can someone who has a stop light red stone post it in some less flattering lighting, where it looks not so stoplighty? A super red stone is on my bucket list but I really have very little idea what I am looking for exactly.

 

[chrono]

Distracts,
I'm not quite sure what you mean.

 

[movie zombie]

imo, stoplight red should be pretty dang red in any light........bad light? no such thing for a true and really good stoplight red stone. anyone remember Widget? she had a stoplight red spinel that was divine. most of us can't afford such a stone.....sigh.

 

[distracts]

Well like if you have a stone that you consider stoplight red, like TL's, what does that look like under CFLs, fluorescent, etc? I guess usually I see them in direct or indirect sunlight, yet that isn't the lighting environment I am most in, and if I am purchasing at a gem show not the lighting environment I am in there, so I am curious as to what color red they may look like in other lights, so like what saturation in other lighting environments I would be looking for? I am not sure I know what I mean either other than more pictures please.

 

[chrono]

You want a stone that stays as red and saturated as possible under all lighting conditions. Many red spinels tend to either get pinker, orange-ier, browner, etc under fluorescents and the best stones will show very little such shifts.

 

[T L]

imo, stoplight red should be pretty dang red in any light........bad light? no such thing for a true and really good stoplight red stone. anyone remember Widget? she had a stoplight red spinel that was divine. most of us can't afford such a stone.....sigh.

Are there pics of it on here?

 

[T L]

TL, I get a big grin out of imagining you peering at your spinel & a car's taillights, then grabbing camera. What a happy little moment!!

--- Laurie

Not if I got into an accident. Only colored stone nuts could truly understand how fun it is to be taking photos of your gems at stop lights. Everyone else would think I'm nuts.

I love Elizabeth Taylor's ruby ring, that was sold at auction in 2011. It was a beautiful Burmese ruby, but even then, people said that it looked pinker in person. I bet it glowed a neon red in sunlight. This picture is taken in artificial light.

http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4ed7ce3369bedd4b2b000020-1200/this-8-carat-ruby-ring-was-a-gift-from-richard-burton-its-so-perfect-in-color-its-called-pigeon-blood-burton-told-taylor-hed-waited-to-find-the-perfect-ruby-before-giving-it-to-her-he-did-and-gifted-it-for-christmas-1958-its-expected-to-sell-for-1-million-to-15-million.jpg

 

[Xrisus]

@ Distracts: Here is a rhodonite I have, I took some pictures under some incandescent bulbs (1st and 3rd pic) and fluorescent lighting (2nd pic). It's kind of an oddball mineral to have as a faceted gem as they are fairly difficult to cut (tough cleavage planes), and not the hardest of stones (5.5 - 6.5); but I really love the color of this one...even with indoor lighting! Another of my favorites is some stones Dana at Master Cut Gems has. He has some BEAUTIFUL South African Rhodochrosite that he cut that look drop dead gorgeous. I hope he doesn't mind me posting it as the last picture on here.

 

[pregcurious]

Stop light red is very subjective. The trade considers top color for ruby to be a red with slight purple modifier. The rubies at the Smithsonian look slightly pinkish purple in the case. An orange modifier is considered not as desirable. I posted some pics and links here:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/museum-of-natural-history-dc.168110/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/museum-of-natural-history-dc.168110/[/URL]

 

[T L]

Stop light red is very subjective.

True, some stop lights can look orangy red too. The reddest object I ever saw was a newly painted fire hydrant across the street from my home. The color has since faded, but it was very very red when freshly painted.

In any case, red is the most expensive color for a gemstone, and the purer the red, and stronger the saturation, the more expensive it will be. This is why fine Burmese rubies are the most expensive of colored gems. Photos never do the color justice as well.

I tend to dislike more orangy red stones, and stick with pinkish reds, with a touch of blue. Some people like orangy reds though, but in the trade, orangy red is not as valuable as pinkish red.

 

[chrono]

imo, stoplight red should be pretty dang red in any light........bad light? no such thing for a true and really good stoplight red stone. anyone remember Widget? she had a stoplight red spinel that was divine. most of us can't afford such a stone.....sigh.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/spinel-vintage-art-deco.58336/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/spinel-vintage-art-deco.58336/[/URL]

 

[chrono]

Since we have entered ruby waters...

 

[Niel]

richard homer i saw had a red spinel that to my very untrained eye looked well saturated.

 

[movie zombie]

imo, stoplight red should be pretty dang red in any light........bad light? no such thing for a true and really good stoplight red stone. anyone remember Widget? she had a stoplight red spinel that was divine. most of us can't afford such a stone.....sigh.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/spinel-vintage-art-deco.58336/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/spinel-vintage-art-deco.58336/[/URL]

long ago there was a GTG in SF. we lunched at Absinthe and while we were few I got to meet Widget and saw that ring. I tell you that the pictures I no way even came close to what it looks like IRL.

there was someone else that had a stoplight red stone way back when that was to die for.......but age has taken its toll and I don't remember who it was! sigh.

 

[chrono]

long ago there was a GTG in SF. we lunched at Absinthe and while we were few I got to meet Widget and saw that ring. I tell you that the pictures I no way even came close to what it looks like IRL.

there was someone else that had a stoplight red stone way back when that was to die for.......but age has taken its toll and I don't remember who it was! sigh.

Widget has a truly envious collection and gifts her DILs generously with jewellery too. Wish she adopted me so I can get her leftovers.

MZ,
If you can recall even a hint of the name, avatar or subject matter, I can look it up....or at least attempt to.

 

[movie zombie]

I tried, Chrono, and nothing thata came up rang any bells..........sigh.

yes, Widget has an enviable collection. very nice woman, too. enjoyed talking with her.

 

[Rosebloom]

One of my favorite red eye candies...



https://www.pricescope.com/blog/2767-carat-ruby-ring-july

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

I thank everyone for their input and photos. Lots of good examples. Love the Bulgari ring - drool.
But all of the examples are yummy! Thanks

 

[derbygal]

Rosebloom, that ring is amazing!

 

[distracts]

I guess when I am saying what they look like in not so flattering light I mean like... restaurant lighting, parking garage lighting, movie theater pre-movie lighting, standing on the sidewalk with a streetlamp half a block away, etc. Anyone have pics in THOSE conditions? I'm curious.

 

[chrono]

Distracts,
Under those conditions you've described, there is very low lighting and nothing, I mean absolutely, no gemstone is going to look nice. I'm guessing they will all look like dark blobs due to insufficient light bouncing back out the stone. I've observed mine under restaurant lighting but did not photograph it. It became more watermelon instead of stop light red (pinkish rather than reddish). I've not gone to movie theaters in years, walked on sidewalks after dark or frequent garage parking so I do not know how it looks there.

 

[AGBF]

One of my favorite red eye candies...



https://www.pricescope.com/blog/2767-carat-ruby-ring-july

Do you know what kills me? You can't trust anything. I was going to say that this was one ruby that I agreed was red. It really does look red to me in this shot on my monitor. But then I saw it next to a lipstick in another shot and it no longer looked red to me. It had too much pink in it. I realize that this is all on my monitor, but if the stone looked the same in real life, I am not sure I would think it was a real red, not the red I like, that is! It would depend on which photo it resembled more!

Deb/AGBF

 

[AGBF]

there was someone else that had a stoplight red stone way back when that was to die for.......but age has taken its toll and I don't remember who it was! sigh.

Well, I believe widget also had a ruby. Was that it?

Deb

 

[AGBF]

...and I just came upon a thread by aljdewey that I had not been aware existed. She, also, has a beautiful red spinel. But perhaps you knew that?

Alj's Red Spinel Ring...[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/did-someone-say-stop-light-red.173108/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/did-someone-say-stop-light-red.173108/[/URL]

AGBF