This month on the blog, we've been discussing coloration in gems a lot. Although we often learn to identify gems most quickly due to their color, the truth is that there is much more to mineral identification and composition than color. In fact, a diamond can be blue, a topaz can be green, and sapphires can be yellow. However, there's one gem that will always be roughly the same color: rubies. Rubies, in fact, are from the corundum family, just as sapphires are. However, when these stones have hues ranging from pink to blood-red, they're identified as rubies. Rubies are the most valuable member of the corundum family per carat, although their value can vary greatly according to their unique characteristics. 

Here are 6 major types of rubies found around the world, and the unique aspects that give them their classification:  

Burmese Ruby Stones

These stones are probably exactly what you picture in your mind's eye when you hear the word "ruby". Burmese stones are the most common rubies, but they're also extremely desireable due to their rich, blood-red shade. These are found primarily in Myanmar. These stones can also be quite big. To give you some context, one was featured at Marina Bay Sands in 2015 weighing in at a whopping 950 carats! 

African Ruby 

While these ruby stones are not nearly as deep red as the ones above, they are still quite beautiful in their own right. These ones tend to have an almost purplish red to dark red color to them. A lot of the African Ruby Stones have an almost "cloudy" look. These ones are usually found in and around Kenya or Mozambique.

Thai Rubies

These are the second most common and popular rubies, right behind the Burmese. These ones have an almost Merlot red color to them. These are considered inferior to the other rubies we're featuring in this blog post, largely due to their lack of fluorescing qualities. However, if you're looking for a more affordable ruby option, this can work to your advantage. 

Tanzania Ruby

These specific rubies are mined from Songea. While they look more like Burmese, they are even less expensive than Thai rubies. When it comes to the Tanzania Ruby the intensity of the red is reduced with the size. Because of this, the smaller sized ruby stones, which are brighter, are the more valuable stones. 

Madagascar Ruby

These are actually pretty new to the ruby gem market. As of right now, there are only 2 major mining sources where these originate: Vatomandry and Andilamena. These are usually the least in-demand because while they do have a nice red color, they also have a little bit of orange in them too, which is considered undesireable in a ruby. 

Afghanistan Ruby 

Rubies have been mined in Afghanistan for centuries. However, these are on the lower scale in terms of quality. These stones, while they have reddish tones, usually have a more pinkish look than the blood red you would see with the other stones listed here. These rubies are primarily found in Jagdalek and Badakshan.

You can learn more about the different types and characteristics of ruby gemstones from the International Gem Society here. If you want to sell ruby stones or ruby jewelry, contact Ralph Mueller and Associates for more information.