When it comes to bold and magnificent colored gemstones, Burma rubies are the first ones to be noticed. Apart from exhibiting the impressive color they are known for, rubies generally represent love, romance, and passion. These exquisite gemstones are among the four precious and share space with sapphires and emeralds. The fascination for ruby engagement rings has surged with time; undoubtedly, the intense red color has been the reason. So if you want to go for the best of rubies, which would you choose? Let's look at the type of ruby stone available and which one to choose.
The Allure of Ruby: A Know-how
These beautiful red gemstones come from the corundum family. The color of this stone varies from solid red to blood red, orange-red, purple-red, or even pink-red tone. This corundum stone gets its color from elements like chromium in trace amounts. Despite the color being only the factor, rubies are known for their perfect hardness. This hardness increases the longevity of one's jewelry as the gemstone is less susceptible to damage. Apart from being the birthstone of July, these red stones are also 15th and 40th-anniversary stones.
INQUIRY NOW
These beautiful rubies are mined in various parts of the countries; Mozambique, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Japan, Thailand, and Australia are just a few.
Ruby stone is referred as ‘ratnaraj’, ‘ratnanayaka’, Padmaraga in Sanskrit, Manikya in Hindi. Chunni or Chuni in Bengali, Kempu Stone in Telugu, Manik in Marathi, Yakrit in Persian, Yaqoot or Yakut in Urdu and Ksath rung in Cambodia.
Burma Ruby: What's best about it?
As the name implies, these rubies are obtained from the mines of Burma and hence named so. These coveted gemstones are known for their rich, appealing red color. This amazing has inspired the royals to seek out this stone and use it for jewelry color purposes. The Mogok Valley mines in Burma have been known to produce rubies and sapphires for over 800 years. The most desirable shades of rubies are from Burma, as they have a deep intense pigeon blood-red color that stands out from other varieties of rubies. Burma is not only the place where rubies are found, but there are other countries, too, as mentioned above. Let's make a comparison between a few of the varieties.
Burma Ruby and other Rubies: Comparison on the basis of origin
- Thai Rubies: The rubies from Thailand are considered second quality. These gemstones differ from Burma Ruby's as they exhibit less intense color. The presence of chromium and iron leads to the unique color of Thai rubies.
- Mozambique Ruby: The rubies from Mozambique Ruby display purplish red-to-red color. Though these rubies are also considered the finest quality, their hues differentiate those from Burma. The Burmese ruby showcases brilliant color, the most intense color being the 'Pigeon Blood' color. Apart from this, these stones' silky smoothness and strong fluorescence are highly remarkable.
- African Rubies: The deep red and purple-red color of rubies are found in mines in African countries like Kenya and Mozambique. These African rubies showcase incredible color.
- Sri Lankan Ruby: These rubies from Sri Lanka are characterized by pink and purple overtones. The fluorescence, however, is not so strong as those of the Burma Ruby.
Fascination for Burma Rubies
Cartier the Sunrise Ruby: Sunrise ruby is the most expensive ruby with a 25.59-carat weight. This Burmese ruby is defined by its extraordinary pigeon blood-red color. The beautifully hued gemstone is set perfectly in a Cartier ring with white diamonds. This Burma Ruby boasts worldwide records due to its outstanding color and rare quality in size, cut, and tone.
The Graffy Ruby: The cushion-cut Burmese ruby weighing 8.62 carats is considered the most valuable. One of the wonders of nature, this red colored ruby is a remarkable stone known for its fantastic tone and hue. This gemstone is considered so precious that it was sold and bought by the same person twice.
The Crimson Flame: The beautiful Crimson Flame ring auctioned in 2015 featured a Burma Ruby in the center flanked by diamonds. This extraordinary ruby displays a perfect pigeon blood-red color, a characteristic property of rubies from Burma.
Elizabeth Taylor's Ruby and Diamond Necklace: The 'king of gems' as rubies are formerly known, has always been popular amongst royals and notable personalities. The stone's irresistible beauty is well-addressed in Cartier's fabulous necklace. His husband, Mike Todd, gifted this ruby and diamond necklace to the gorgeous actress Elizabeth Taylor. This valuable jewelry marked history with Burma rubies gaining popularity and fame worldwide.
These are just a few pieces of evidence that highlight the beauty of Burma ruby in jewelry or just a single specimen. This beautiful gemstone has been appreciated for its beauty throughout history. It has continued to do so in modern times as well.
Judging Burmese Ruby based on other Factors
Features: Rubies from Burma are the most expensive, characterized by their perfect hardness and remarkable hue. The high refractive index of these rubies offers more fire and brilliance, adding more to their value.
Color: The stunning pigeon's blood-red hue is the most critical factor determining Burma ruby's popularity. The medium dark red saturated hue of these stones is considered perfect and determines their value too.
Cut: There are different cuts, each of which has its importance. Cushion, oval, emerald, and round-cut Burma rubies offer more fire and brilliance.
Carat: High-carat rubies are expensive, their limited availability being the main reason.
Treatments: Untreated rubies are challenging to find, and this increases their value as well. Heat treatment enhances the hue of the gemstones. Thus, most of the gemstones are treated for the same reason.
Rubies are indeed the most beautiful and unique gemstone of all. The wide presence in the history of jewelry highlights the popularity of these gems. With time, ruby production has increased, but out of the bulk, Burma ruby are amongst the finest qualities. The astonishing color, perfect hardness, and breathtaking shine make this variety gain popularity.