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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. Jerry Ehrenwald, GG, ASA, is a graduate gemologist in New York City. When the mineral is rutile and needles are present in intersecting groups, it is referred to as "silk". Thanks! ", "My doubt was cleared. Before you embark on a ruby buying adventure, learn how to evaluate a ruby’s quality and avoid potential pitfalls. For example, this stunning 10.6 carat Pigeon Blood ruby from Mozambique is priced at more than $850,000. You don’t want the ruby to be too dark or too light, as either way it will impact the overall brightness of the stone. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. ", "Very good information, it's very helpful. You can clean it using warm water with a bit of soap. Ruby rough is very expensive, so many cutters will try to save as much weight as possible when cutting, causing the stone to have an unattractive see-through area called a "window". Needles that intersect can also cause a star effect, called an "asterism" - but this phenomenon only occurs when the stone has a curved surface, called a cabochon cut. If the color is too light, the stone could even be considered a pink sapphire. Rubies can only be scratched with a diamond, which means most real rubies have few to no scratches on them at all. If it's a real ruby, it will be unaffected, but if it's a glass composite, it will begin to cloud over in a matter of minutes. ", "I wondered about everything talked about here. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 550,756 times. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. For example, different hues include red, slight orange, strong orange, slight purple, and strong purple. If you do, then the ruby is likely fake. Compare rubies to red garnets, which are gorgeous, but not rare. He is the previous President of the International Gemological Institute and the inventor of U.S.-patented Laserscribe℠, a means of laser inscribing onto a diamond a unique indicia, such as a DIN (Diamond Identification Number). And, when the rinsing or soaking is completed and you remove it from its bath, always do so away from any drains or areas where the ruby can fall or get lost. To tell if a ruby is real, start by looking at the shine of the ruby under a light. How to Identify ruby Ruby is a precious gem after diamond, its composition is alumina, corundum clusters belonging to mineral mineralogy, hardness 9 degrees, second only to diamond, often red, pink. Nonprofit institute responsible for gemological research and education and setting gemstone buying and selling standards However, good quality rubies don’t necessarily need to cost a fortune. Does a ruby start as a regular stone that is dirty? The price per carat of a ruby goes up as the size of the stone grows. If there is a streak of red color left behind on the surface, then it is … All other color varieties of gem-quality corundum are referred to as sapphire. A jeweler can identify if a diamond ring is real or fake. Fakes are more likely to contain blemishes and impure spots. Hold the ruby in bright light. Many rubies are small, so take notice of where you are cleaning it and always have sufficient light in the cleaning room. If there are still questions about the gem's authenticity, take it to a gemologist. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. ", "Yes, very interesting and useful information. I appreciate the professional source of information. Over the years, the trade has come up with these different terms that are helpful not only in describing a stone's appearance, but also from where it was sourced. Look up the Mohs hardness scale. 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