Bought an AAAA Grade Ruby...looking for a second opinion.

[fpastrader]

This ring cost 5000GBP roughly with a 1.09ct AAAA Grade ruby. I customized and bought it online, had wanted a ruby ring for many years.

The colour is a deep red, what appears to be pigeon red, nice cut - there are eye visible inclusions. But my main concern is that in room light it because completely dull and looks black.

I'm wondering if I'm trying to have the best of both worlds, a deep red in bright light - not a washed out pinkish colour - but still bright red under dimmer light and this is an unrelistic expectation. i.e it can either be bright red under dim light and washed out in bright light, or as mine is, a deep red in bright light and very dark under normal evening lamp light.

I'm a complete novice and would welcome your views, thanks.

 

[musicloveranthony]

It's highly saturated and look to have inclusions that cause opacity.

Long story short, it looks dark because it is dark

 

[T L]

There is no such thing as AAAA grade in the trade. That is a in house grade that a vendor uses as a selling tactic. Gemstones are best evaluated through an independent and reputable lab report, and even then lab reports can often be generous with color quality.

 

[lovedogs]

without a lab report it is completely unclear what you actually purchased. It is very dark, and IMHO not worth the price you paid.

 

[fpastrader]

Thanks for the responses.

I shone a light through the back of it and the clarity is abysmal, it's certainly not top 1% of rubies (as they labelled AAAA grade). The colour is fine, but the lack of clarity too much. I'm going to return it.

 

[musicloveranthony]

Thanks for the responses.

I shone a light through the back of it and the clarity is abysmal, it's certainly not top 1% of rubies (as they labelled AAAA grade). The colour is fine, but the lack of clarity too much. I'm going to return it.

If it were my ring and my money, I would return it

 

[woweezowee]

Thanks for the responses.

I shone a light through the back of it and the clarity is abysmal, it's certainly not top 1% of rubies (as they labelled AAAA grade). The colour is fine, but the lack of clarity too much. I'm going to return it.

That's the right call. I am glad you can return it! I do see some tradespeople using the whole AAA, AA, A grading stuff and it's meaningless. I have never seen AAAA! That in itself would make me run with my money. Bottom line: Buying gems is a learning experience, and I'm glad you're not on the hook for this potentially super-pricey one. Also, I know if you start a new thread, many people could direct you to vendors known for rubies. Good luck finding yours!

 

[JackTrick]

In general, if you’re spending enough that this is a « special purchase » I’d recommend a reputable lab report to make sure it’s as represented.

 

[fpastrader]

Thanks for your response and information. Much appreciated.

 

[Bron357]

Best to return it for a refund.
Without a lab certificate it could be glass/ flux treated. They still call such material “natural” but it could be full of fissures filled with red colour flux.
While not all rubies fluoresce strongly, the “flatness” of colour makes me think it is a treated stone.
That would also explain the “lack of glow”.
The diamonds surrounding the ruby don’t look like good quality either so I think the price way way too high for a treated ruby and I2 clarity diamonds.
There is no “AAA” grading with rubies.
Grading by a lab report indicates what treatments are evident and if applicable an origin and a colour designation.

 

[LilAlex]

"AAA"? Bonds, maybe. Not colored stones.

I buy used camera equipment on eBay, where "Mint +++++++" means "some obvious signs of wear." "Excellent" means found at the dump on a snowy day, etc. It's like that.

 

[fpastrader]

Bron357 that was very interesting; thanks for the insight. It seems like the opagueness of the ruby is giving an illusion of a deeper colour/saturation, under normal non-bright room lightning it appears almost like an onyx from even a few feet away.

If you shine a light through the back, which is the only way to actually see into it, you realize it is completely cloudy:


LilAlex, it's because of resources like this all over the internet - https://www.diamondere.com/blog/a-buyers-guide-to-ruby-qualities-natural-aaaa-vs-aaa-vs-aa/.

 

[fpastrader]

Apologies for the double post, I just got some photos in direct sunlight. The others were under normal lighting, camera flash:

Have these changed the consensus at all? It's 22g total weight (the gold is very thick) in total which may account for a lot of the price.

 

[Tourmaline]

No. Return it.

 

[mrs-b]

I'm not a fan of the setting, either. It has a lot of gold, but the design is straight out of the 90's. Is it a vintage / second hand ring?

 

[fpastrader]

Wanted to double check in the day light.

No, it's new, the choice for mens Ruby rings is unbelievably limited. I thought it was the best setting I found by far to be honest.

If you have any links for mens rings that can hold a 1ct Ruby that isn't completely plain I'd be interested to see.

 

[JackTrick]

The world of men’s colored stone rings is fairly limited. If you’re having trouble finding something you’d like, I’d recommend purchasing a loose stone you like and work with a jeweler to get it set into something you love (like via a custom setting or one from Stuller).

 

[mrs-b]

The world of men’s colored stone rings is fairly limited. If you’re having trouble finding something you’d like, I’d recommend purchasing a loose stone you like and work with a jeweler to get it set into something you love (like via a custom setting or one from Stuller).

Ditto this. Pre-made with colored gems leaves the door open to all sorts of quality issues that are hard to check when a gem is already in a setting.

 

[LilAlex]

Bron357 that was very interesting; thanks for the insight. It seems like the opagueness of the ruby is giving an illusion of a deeper colour/saturation, under normal non-bright room lightning it appears almost like an onyx from even a few feet away.

If you shine a light through the back, which is the only way to actually see into it, you realize it is completely cloudy:


LilAlex, it's because of resources like this all over the internet - https://www.diamondere.com/blog/a-buyers-guide-to-ruby-qualities-natural-aaaa-vs-aaa-vs-aa/.

Respectfully, that is not a resource; that is an advertisement. Although I love the hilarious little empty "seal of approval" in the upper left!

 

[fpastrader]

LilAlex, absolutely - and misleads you to believe the grade is regulated like a diamond which most are familiar with.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

I'm going to purchase the Ruby separately on the merits of the Ruby itself and I will expect it to have a certificate to establish what treatments it has received too.

It is clear this is a very nuanced field, it's not as simple as buying a finished item online and hoping it to meet high standards.