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Ruby

By: Angara

Passionate, powerful, fascinating and vivacious red – the color of Ruby. Throughout history ruby has been known to beautify mortals and immortals with its allure and brilliance. The dramatic color and the regal heritage make this precious gemstone even more valuable

Ruby derived its name from the Latin word ‘ruber’ meaning ‘red’. The ancient legends from the east talked of rubies as the gleam of life – “a deep drop of the heart's blood of Mother Earth”. According to other myths, ruby was believed to be self-illuminated, and was also referred to as the glowing stone. According to Hindu mythicism the palaces of Gods are lit by enormous emeralds and rubies . The Ruler of China used a ruby to light-up his room. More folklore talks of ruby as a promoting long, healthy and blessed life. Women in ancient times used it to assist in fertility, and warriors from Burma inserted genuine rubies beneath their skin as they believed it would protect them from being injured in battle.

Traditionally India was regarded as ruby's classical country of birth. Ancient Indian literature, composed some two thousand years ago, has a rich store of knowledge about gemstones and their influence on one’s life. The term 'corundum', which we use today for this particular mineral, is originated from the Sanskrit word 'kuruvinda' meaning ‘hard stone’. The Sanskrit word for ruby is 'ratnaraj' means 'king of the gems'.

Prior to the 20th century, Rubies were considered more adorable than diamonds, and in the mid-16th century were even valued around 8 times greater than comparable diamonds.

Ruby is the jewel for the month of July and the anniversary gift for the 15th and 40th years of marriage. It is the astrological jewel for the zodiac sign Capricorn.

Know your gemstone
Composition, cut, clarity, color, sizes

Ruby (Aluminum Oxide, AL2 O3) is the red colored variety of the mineral corundum with a hardness of 9 on Mohs scale. Corundum is the hardest of all minerals next to diamond, which has a hardness of 10 on Mohs scale. Higher the level of hardness, better the chances of the gemstone’s resistance to scratches and damages. Also, the chemical structure of ruby makes it very strong and tough, helping in resistance to breaking, chipping and cracking. The hardness of this gemstone combined with the toughness makes ruby perfect choice for regular wear.
Sapphire is the sister stone of ruby menber of the corundum mineral family. Red corundum is called ruby rest all are termed as sapphire. Even the pink variety with a tint of red is also classified as sapphire. The finest quality of ruby is the one that is intensly saturated, pure red with no essence of brown or blue. This color is reflected in the gems from Burma which have the famous 'pigeon-blood-red' hue.

Rubies, like the other celebrated stones (diamonds, sapphires and emeralds), are usually not free of inclusions. Flawless rubies are found rarely and are very precious. But for the beauty of the lively color, the inclusions are accepted. Moreover, these inclusions are finger prints of the gems giving a distinct character and color to each piece. It is said that a perfect ruby is as precious as perfect love.

Up to 2 carats, rubies are readily available but the gems are extremely available in large sizes. Top quality rubies can be more precious than colorless diamonds particularly in sizes above 5 carats. For instance, in the year 1995, a ring with Burmese ruby weighing 27.37 carats was sold for $4 million at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland – an astounding $146,145 per carat!
Cradle
The stones from Burma (now Myanmar) are the best quality rubies available. These stones have the purest and the most spirited red that can be imagined. The color is popularly termed as 'pigeon-blood-red', but the term 'Burmese color' is a more apt description. These rubies are exclusive, valuable and often found adorning a connoisseur’s collection. These stones are generally found in Mogok, North of Myanmar. Here, the much celebrated stones lie in a mountain valley situated between high peaks in a tough terrain. Another important deposit is from a small town of Mong Hsu in the North-East of Myanmar. These gemstones had a purple black core with a bright red boundary. These stones were initially not accepted in the jewelry market for the unexceptional color characteristic. But when it was disclosed that heat treatment could transform the dark core into deep red, the gems became an instant hit.

Lapidary – from crystal to gemstone

From the mines, the raw crystal is taken for lapidary. The crystal is carefully cut into different parts maxinizing the size of each piece for the best color and quality available. Once this is done, the appropriate shape and cut for that particular piece is determined. The crystal is then shaped accordingly. The facets are important as they help in reflection and refraction of the light from the inside of gem which gives the gemstone its spark and lustre. A skilled lapidist can transform a rough stone into an admirable piece of jewel.

The filmy or the lighter hues of ruby are most often faceted. In lighter hues it is important that the light that enters the gem should reflect back evenly across the face of the gemstone, making it vivacious and more dazzling. The darker gemstones look pleasant in all shapes and cuts. Rubies can be found in various cuts and fancy shapes including triangles, squares, emerald cuts, marquises, pear shapes, baguette shapes, and cabochon cuts (dome shape). The rare star rubies with an unusual kind of tiny needle-like inclusions are cut in a cabochon shape showing a six-rayed white star on its surface.

Treatment
Like other gemstones, rubies are rarely found perfect in nature - which is why these gemstones are heat-treated to intensify or lighten their color or improve their color and clarity. Heat enhancement for gemstones is a permanent, stable process and an accepted norm in the jewelry market.

Tips for buying your gemstone

The most important factor to be considered while buying any gemstone is color. More vivid the color, more precious the gem. Stones of Burmese origin generally command the highest prices and are rare. One thing typical to rubies is that a large variety of these gems are "native cut" in the country of origin. Custom cut rubies are usually valued more per carat.

Gemstone in jewelry

The passionate color combined with the excellent lusture makes ruby irresistible for jewelry lovers. Fine, large stones may be worth more than clear diamonds of comparable size. They make beautiful center stones for rings and pendants. Smaller stones make great accents for these pieces as well as brooches, bracelets, rings and earrings. Small rubies combined with diamonds make lovely jewelry pieces. Rubies look elegant against a backdrop of white, black, royal blue or emerald green.

Gemstone care

Ruby jewellery can be cleaned using hot soapy water, or gentle detergent. Brushing with an old tooth brush to remove dirt and grease, or using a soft moist cloth damped in warm water cleans it very well. Cleaning agents containing chlorine or acrid chemicals, or petroleum products must be avoided.

For more information please visit at-
http://www.angara.com/ruby.do
http://www.pendantstilsoldout.com
http://www.jewelrytilsoldout.com

Article Source: http://www.articlebankonline.com

Gemstone Jewelry, Discount Bracelet, Platinum Rings

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