Ruby

Ruby is named Ruby because of its red color called as Latin Rubeus. The coloring pigments are chrome and for brown hues some iron deposits additionally.  The red color varies with individual deposits. 

Rubies have no cleavage, but have certain preferred direction of parting.  Because of its brittleness, care must be taken with while cutting and setting the stone to any ornamental jeweler.

Inclusions are common which are used in differentiating between a natural and a synthetic stone. The type of inclusion are normally minerals, canals, cavities, rutile needles produce an effect of cats eye a six rayed star which moves over the surface when the stone is moved.

The host rock of ruby is mainly dolomite type which has been formed from the lime stone by contact of metamorphism from grainite.  The yield of Rubies from such primary deposit is not economically profitable.

Important deposits are in Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. The ruby bearing layer runs several yards under the surface and is worked by means of pits and shafts.

Rubies are often of most valuable pigeon’s blood color.  The deposits of Rubies are found mostly in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Queensland (Australia), Brazil, Cambodia, Malagasy Republic, Malawi, Pakistan, Rhodesia and in Montana and North Carolina in the US.

Though diamonds are considered to be the most expensive gemstone, there are some large rubies that are much more expensive than comparable diamonds, as they are hard to get.  The largest cuttable ruby which was found was weighing 400 carats. It was found in Burma and was divided into three parts.

One is named as Edward Ruby, the other one being the Reeves Star Ruby and the last one to be names as Long Star Ruby.  The first one weighed about 167 Cts, and the second one about 198.7 cts and the last one to be about 100 cts.

Rubies are usually cut at the same place they are found.  As the cutters usually aim for maximum weight to fetch a higher value and the stones are re-cut and redone in abroad to give a better look with a best shapes.

Nowadays in the market we find a lot of imitations, especially the glass imitations and doublets.  These stones have a garnet crown and glass underneath them.  There are also many false names like Balas Ruby which is supposed to be Spinal in nature, Cape Ruby which again is called as garnet, Siberian Ruby called as Tourmaline and so on.
Each country has their own production wing with the establishments being established easily and the expert cutters from Northern India being available for a high price tag.

Since the beginning of the century, synthetic gem rubies have become more available in the market.  These have the same chemical, physical and optical properties of the natural stones. 

The ruby transmits short wave ultraviolet light.  The synthetic varieties are now days used in watches, ready made garments and clothe materials, footwear, and decoration of wall pictures and so on.