Ruby Gemstone Guide

Gemstone color is typically the most important aspect of a gemstone. Rubies with a saturation of pure red are less common than other rubies, and they’re more expensive. Rubies that are less red and more pink are more affordable—and just as luscious as deep-red varieties. Rubies in all shades of red may exhibit a secondary tone, including orange, pink and purple, but all other colors of the mineral corundum are classified as sapphires.

A gemstone’s cut should highlight its best aspects and provide symmetry and balance. Our rubies are cut to showcase their distinctive combination of color, clarity and brilliance. To maximize reflection, rubies may have a more shallow cut to allow in more light and sparkle, or they may be cut more deeply to showcase a dark color saturation. 

Gemstone clarity refers to how “eye-clean” a gemstone is. Most natural gemstones contain inclusions, which are materials like gas bubbles, minerals or liquid that are trapped within the stone while it forms. The fewer visible inclusions in a ruby, the more valuable it is. A typical ruby includes needles, an inclusion characterized by intersecting patterns called silk. 

Rubies are denser than diamonds, so what we consider a carat weight for a ruby differs from that of a diamond. That’s why the size of gemstones, including rubies, is measured by their diameter in millimeters. A ruby measuring six millimeters in diameter is roughly equivalent to one carat. Rubies over one carat are very rare. 

Most gemstones on the market today, including rubies, are enhanced with heat treatments or infusions to help improve the color and clarity. Our rubies undergo rigorous internal inspections and are of the highest quality.