Can somebody help me find my perfect ruby please

[kay_thunderbird]

Hi everybody,
I am looking for a ruby for an engagement ring, but I don't really know where to start. I was planning to just go to a jeweler and they could show me some rubies they received and I can just choose from them.
However, after reading some of the posts I'm worried I won't get my money's worth at a jeweler, and that there wont be a big selection to choose from.
I have decided on a pigeon blood ruby, with the best clarity for my budget, 0.70-0.90 carat round. Preferably untreated, but heat is ok.
What i'm most concerned with is the color of the ruby. I really don't like the color pink, magenta, any shade of pink etc.. haha
So i'm looking for a ruby as red as I can get. Im willing to cut carat weight for better color and clarity.
Our budget is 3k for the whole ring, but I don't think the setting will cost that much because we don't want any diamond embellishments on it or anything. I've looked at some websites like gemsny and gemfix, but I don't know if I can trust those sites.
I just want to find the perfect ruby because this ring will be my forever ring, no upgrade rings for me in the future haha

Can anybody give me some advice on how I can get the best quality ruby for a good price?
What should I look out for?
How can I tell if the rubies I'm looking at are legit?
how can I find a trustworthy jeweler or somebody that sells gemstones?

Thank you!

 

[minousbijoux]

First thing I would suggest is to read the pinned thread entitled "New to coloured gemstone buying? Read this first!" Then start looking through the list of recommended vendors, also pinned above. You'll notice that some vendors sell stones that already have lab reports, and some don't. Once you find a stone you like, if it doesn't already have a lab report, you can work with most vendors to make the sale contingent upon a lab report proving that it is as represented.

Gemfix is a well respected vendor.

 

[minousbijoux]

...and of course, Welcome and good luck!

 

[kay_thunderbird]

Thanks
I read those posts and they were very informative. i searched some of the vendors, but there isn't a large selections of rubies.
I was more wondering about what the process is to buy a gemstone. Is it best to go to a jeweler? Buy it online? Advice from experience?

 

[chrono]

You are not going to get an unheated 0.7 ct super red cleanish ruby for $3000. You probably can't even get that for a heated ruby. If you can allow a touch of modifier, you might get lucky and find one after a lot of searching. Gemfix is reputable and it seems that GemsNY is as well although their quality isn't as good.

 

[Upgradable]

Kay, I've been on the ruby train for about six months now, and I agree that given your specific wish list you're going to have a long search. My experience has been that a round shape is going to be your biggest limiting factor. Combine that with unheated, pigeon blood, and your budget might be nigh on impossible. If you're able to flex a little, I'd be happy to post some finds for you.

One thing to be wary of is someone swooping in and buying a stone out from under you. It is one of the downsides to posting on a public forum. So, if you find a stone that may be a strong contender, contact the vendor sooner, rather than later, to put it on hold for you until you can make a decision.

As for your question as to the best place to purchase? You've just arrived!! The amazing folks who post on CS will put into play their amazing ability to find stones and to help to identify potential problems all without any conflict of interest or potential of gain. It's also a lot of fun to spend OPM (other people's money)! Welcome!

 

[Upgradable]

http://www.africagems.com/ruby-g2k-509.html

http://www.ajsgem.com/ruby/burma-ruby/burma-ruby-1.17-carats.html

 

[kay_thunderbird]

i'm flexible with the requirements. I stated previously that I was willing to cut the carat weight for better color or clarity. It doesn't necessarily have to be pigeon blood. I was just stating that to give an idea of what color I wanted.

 

[chrono]

Well, if you don't want any hints of pink or blue (magenta), the only colour left is the very expensive saturated pure red. Giving up a little on size may yet be insufficient unless you combine it with some forgiveness of colour. Is your preference some pink or some blue?

 

[chrono]

http://www.africagems.com/ruby-g2k-509.html
http://www.ajsgem.com/ruby/burma-ruby/burma-ruby-1.17-carats.html

Those seem reasonably priced. The Africagems stone is a bit puzzling though. The video says it is heated but the item description says it isn't. So which one is correct?

 

[kay_thunderbird]

i guess some blue rather than some pink

 

[kay_thunderbird]

and i also said heat treatment was ok, i heard a lot of rubies are heat treated now a days.

 

[chrono]

There are many levels of heat treatment for rubies, ranging from light to highly invasive. I've put together a comprehensive explanation backed up by lab research studies in a thread titled Ruby and Sapphire (corundum) treatment if you do a PS search. Sadly, just saying heat only is okay is insufficient. You need to know the level of heating it has undergone and decide which one is most acceptable to you.

 

[kay_thunderbird]

the least level of heat treatment i can get for my budget the better i guess. so light heat?

 

[Upgradable]

http://www.africagems.com/ruby-g2k-509.html
http://www.ajsgem.com/ruby/burma-ruby/burma-ruby-1.17-carats.html

Those seem reasonably priced. The Africagems stone is a bit puzzling though. The video says it is heated but the item description says it isn't. So which one is correct?

I'd be inclined to contact them to ask. Under description it says that has a cert from GRS. Respectable.

 

[kay_thunderbird]

http://www.africagems.com/ruby-g2k-509.html
http://www.ajsgem.com/ruby/burma-ruby/burma-ruby-1.17-carats.html

Those seem reasonably priced. The Africagems stone is a bit puzzling though. The video says it is heated but the item description says it isn't. So which one is correct?

I'd be inclined to contact them to ask. Under description it says that has a cert from GRS. Respectable.

This one is beautiful! but i'm hoping to find one smaller for more color. I'm willing to go down to half a carat. I know everybody's telling me it's going to be hard based on my budget haha but i'm willing to wait because its my engagement ring
Thanks so much for helping me!

 

[Starzin]

Hello Kay and welcome It's really good that you are flexible and I hope you've had a chance to read the stickies recommended in the first reply by minousbijoux.

Another excellent thread is this one by Chrono https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/corundum-sapphire-and-ruby-treatment.175354/ and directly relevant to all the traps in buying a ruby or sapphire. (Chrono: I just asked Ella to pin this too).

This one is beautiful! but i'm hoping to find one smaller for more color. I'm willing to go down to half a carat.

So help us to help you - what do you mean by "more" colour?

Photos rarely reflect the gem you will see in real life and this would appear to be a rather nice combination of colour, cut, clarity and size for your budget. It says there are no inclusions visible to the naked eye - i.e. "eyeclean" however it does look a little sleepy and this refers to the sparkle. For instance if you compare that photo to the two leftmost zircons below it on that page, the zirons will out sparkle the ruby probably every time. It's the difference in the crystal and you can see that the ruby pears are the lovely glowy colour of the cushion above but with a little more sparkle. In rubies and sapphires, eyeclean and sparkle are not directly correlative since you may get a stone free of inclusions but soooo sleepy it appears like a piece of velvet but there's very little/no sparkle.

If you have only seen very clear rubies in real life chances are they are synthetic, lab grown (identical to mined in every way and not synthetic) or treated to within an inch of their lives with not only heat but with glass filling, BE diffusion and the rest which are given such superb explanation in Chrono's thread that I linked to above.

If you haven't seen any rubies in real life, are you somewhere you can go window shopping? And I DO mean window shopping. Most jewellers will not know if or how what treatments have been applied to rubies in their store, but go looking. Go in and try them on. Talk to the jeweller. It's called "getting your eye in". It's also known as "knowledge is power" Don't put up with dismissive or snobby sales assistants/jewellers because those who really know their stuff are usually more that willing to share their knowledge with someone who wants to learn. Ask if they have any loose ones you can look at, other than the one ruby ring in the window.

However! Having said all that, PS is an amazing resource and we love trying to help people find their ideal gem. Hopefully we'll be able to point you in the right direction too.

PS I once saw a lapidary post that there's no such thing as "gentle heat". Heat is heat and this is around 1600C for corundum.

 

[kay_thunderbird]

Hello Kay and welcome It's really good that you are flexible and I hope you've had a chance to read the stickies recommended in the first reply by minousbijoux.

Another excellent thread is this one by Chrono https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/corundum-sapphire-and-ruby-treatment.175354/ and directly relevant to all the traps in buying a ruby or sapphire. (Chrono: I just asked Ella to pin this too).

This one is beautiful! but i'm hoping to find one smaller for more color. I'm willing to go down to half a carat.

So help us to help you - what do you mean by "more" colour?

Photos rarely reflect the gem you will see in real life and this would appear to be a rather nice combination of colour, cut, clarity and size for your budget. It says there are no inclusions visible to the naked eye - i.e. "eyeclean" however it does look a little sleepy and this refers to the sparkle. For instance if you compare that photo to the two leftmost zircons below it on that page, the zirons will out sparkle the ruby probably every time. It's the difference in the crystal and you can see that the ruby pears are the lovely glowy colour of the cushion above but with a little more sparkle. In rubies and sapphires, eyeclean and sparkle are not directly correlative since you may get a stone free of inclusions but soooo sleepy it appears like a piece of velvet but there's very little/no sparkle.

If you have only seen very clear rubies in real life chances are they are synthetic, lab grown (identical to mined in every way and not synthetic) or treated to within an inch of their lives with not only heat but with glass filling, BE diffusion and the rest which are given such superb explanation in Chrono's thread that I linked to above.

If you haven't seen any rubies in real life, are you somewhere you can go window shopping? And I DO mean window shopping. Most jewellers will not know if or how what treatments have been applied to rubies in their store, but go looking. Go in and try them on. Talk to the jeweller. It's called "getting your eye in". It's also known as "knowledge is power" Don't put up with dismissive or snobby sales assistants/jewellers because those who really know their stuff are usually more that willing to share their knowledge with someone who wants to learn. Ask if they have any loose ones you can look at, other than the one ruby ring in the window.

However! Having said all that, PS is an amazing resource and we love trying to help people find their ideal gem. Hopefully we'll be able to point you in the right direction too.

Thanks for your help Starzin. I guess when I say more color I mean like a more deeper richer red?
Yes it's hard to discern how a gem looks like from online photos. That's why I'm kind of wary about buying online, but I'm also scared a jeweler might over-charge, so I'm basically scared to buy haha
I'll try to visit as many jeweler as I can to get a feel for what's out there.
Hopefully I can find a ruby that's just right

 

[kay_thunderbird]

There are many levels of heat treatment for rubies, ranging from light to highly invasive. I've put together a comprehensive explanation backed up by lab research studies in a thread titled Ruby and Sapphire (corundum) treatment if you do a PS search. Sadly, just saying heat only is okay is insufficient. You need to know the level of heating it has undergone and decide which one is most acceptable to you.

I just read your thread and it was highly informative. Thanks for making my expectations more realistic. I never knew rubies were this expensive. One of the reasons I wanted to get a ruby engagement ring was because I thought they were cheaper than diamonds. However, rubies are just so beautiful so even if I get one very small, its worth it

 

[Starzin]

Thanks for your help Starzin. I guess when I say more color I mean like a more deeper richer red?
Yes it's hard to discern how a gem looks like from online photos. That's why I'm kind of wary about buying online, but I'm also scared a jeweler might over-charge, so I'm basically scared to buy haha

Okay...is there anything on this page that appeals? Don't worry about the price for the moment, find a colour.
http://www.gemfix.com/ruby.html

Being wary of buying online is a good thing but the list of recommended vendors means that someone (often many) here on PS has bought from them and been pleased with their purchase. Then you also have the PS army to vet it for you as best they can from photos. However what many do once they have found a gem they are really taken with, is to buy the stone after checking the vendor's return policy, ten they get the stone posted to them so they can check it out in person and return it if it isn't everything they expected/wanted. This can get expensive if you live in a different country from where the stone is - are you in the US?

 

[kay_thunderbird]

Thanks for your help Starzin. I guess when I say more color I mean like a more deeper richer red?
Yes it's hard to discern how a gem looks like from online photos. That's why I'm kind of wary about buying online, but I'm also scared a jeweler might over-charge, so I'm basically scared to buy haha

Okay...is there anything on this page that appeals? Don't worry about the price for the moment, find a colour.
http://www.gemfix.com/ruby.html

Being wary of buying online is a good thing but the list of recommended vendors means that someone (often many) here on PS has bought from them and been pleased with their purchase. Then you also have the PS army to vet it for you as best they can from photos. However what many do once they have found a gem they are really taken with, is to buy the stone after checking the vendor's return policy, ten they get the stone posted to them so they can check it out in person and return it if it isn't everything they expected/wanted. This can get expensive if you live in a different country from where the stone is - are you in the US?

mmm i don't see any that i think is the perfect color (based on my preference not experts haha)

but this one is ok if it were a little less pink (description says no pink but i see some pink) ruby_542

this one's ok too but the description says no orange but it look kind of orangy to me, i don't know why haha No.: ruby_545

i like the richness (like blood red) of this one but it might be too dark and i can't really tell the shade of red since its so dark No.: ruby_546

this one is a good red too but it reminds me of garnet kind of No.: ruby_548

sorry for being so picky haha
yes I live in Louisiana
thanks!

 

[kay_thunderbird]

Also which certification is best to have when buying a ruby? GIA? AGS? or should i ask for both? or is there something else?

Thanks

 

[chrono]

It is a misconception that diamonds are rarer and less expensive than coloured gemstones. Ruby is the most expensive in the corundum family.

I like Starzin's idea if scouring online just to see which colour you want. Doesn't matter if it is a diffused or photoshopped ruby at this point in time. Umm...would you consider a red spinel, which is untreated and within your budget?

 

[kay_thunderbird]

It is a misconception that diamonds are rarer and less expensive than coloured gemstones. Ruby is the most expensive in the corundum family.

I like Starzin's idea if scouring online just to see which colour you want. Doesn't matter if it is a diffused or photoshopped ruby at this point in time. Umm...would you consider a red spinel, which is untreated and within your budget?

I knew rubies were rarer than diamonds but I still thought diamonds would be more expensive since they are so popular so their prices are very inflated.
i really want a gemstone that is hard because I will be wearing it daily. That's why I picked ruby because it is a 9 on the mohs scale. how hard is a red spinel? I'm pretty set on ruby though, i guess im stubborn haha
if not ruby, i would consider sapphire next (maybe violet or purple or red), unless there's a gemstone I don't know of that's also as hard.

Thanks!!

 

[corundum_conundrum]

I knew rubies were rarer than diamonds but I still thought diamonds would be more expensive since they are so popular so their prices are very inflated.
i really want a gemstone that is hard because I will be wearing it daily. That's why I picked ruby because it is a 9 on the mohs scale. how hard is a red spinel? I'm pretty set on ruby though, i guess im stubborn haha
if not ruby, i would consider sapphire next (maybe violet or purple or red), unless there's a gemstone I don't know of that's also as hard.

Both Sapphire and Ruby share the same underlying chemical structure (called corundum) so there is no red sapphire-- just ruby. They are equally hard because of this chemical structure. While the term "ruby" denotes just red corundum, "sapphire" traditionally applies to blue corundum, but "sapphire" can also refer to the various fancy colors of corundum (pink sapphire, purple, green, yellow--basically any color, though almost never argyle )

Ruby is generally more expensive than any sapphire. A true deep purple can still be a costly sapphire. A medium or light violet will be far more of a bargain, especially if you don't mind if its heated. Green is a huge bargain. Depending on your time frame, I'd look around at rubies in person and online for at least a week or so before switching to some other stone. If you can't find anything that remotely interests you at remotely the right price, then consider switching to a different color or to spinel. Settle on what color you want (perhaps post a picture here) , what treatment is acceptable and a budget for the actual stone and we will try to find some options for you.

 

[Upgradable]

http://www.thegemtrader.com/Oct12RPairPage.htm

These are quite small, but unheated and a great color. They'd make fabulous side stones for a diamond center. Would that be a consideration?

 

[kay_thunderbird]

http://www.thegemtrader.com/Oct12RPairPage.htm

These are quite small, but unheated and a great color. They'd make fabulous side stones for a diamond center. Would that be a consideration?

mmm those are only about $200, so can't I get a single ruby slightly bigger for my budget?
I only want one stone on my engagment ring, a ruby hopefully (but if i can't, then something else)
I don't really want a diamond
Thank you for helping!

 

[Upgradable]

http://www.thegemtrader.com/Oct12RPairPage.htm

These are quite small, but unheated and a great color. They'd make fabulous side stones for a diamond center. Would that be a consideration?

mmm those are only about $200, so can't I get a single ruby slightly bigger for my budget?
I only want one stone on my engagment ring, a ruby hopefully (but if i can't, then something else)
I don't really want a diamond
Thank you for helping!

It sounds like you think your can just "order" one to your specs. I love rubies, but it took me about a year of keeping my eyes open (and my CS friends eyes too) to find a stone that fit most of my want list. I suggest you be patient, go with your first choice, because, as you said, it IS your engagement ring.

 

[kay_thunderbird]

I knew rubies were rarer than diamonds but I still thought diamonds would be more expensive since they are so popular so their prices are very inflated.
i really want a gemstone that is hard because I will be wearing it daily. That's why I picked ruby because it is a 9 on the mohs scale. how hard is a red spinel? I'm pretty set on ruby though, i guess im stubborn haha
if not ruby, i would consider sapphire next (maybe violet or purple or red), unless there's a gemstone I don't know of that's also as hard.

Both Sapphire and Ruby share the same underlying chemical structure (called corundum) so there is no red sapphire-- just ruby. They are equally hard because of this chemical structure. While the term "ruby" denotes just red corundum, "sapphire" traditionally applies to blue corundum, but "sapphire" can also refer to the various fancy colors of corundum (pink sapphire, purple, green, yellow--basically any color, though almost never argyle )

Ruby is generally more expensive than any sapphire. A true deep purple can still be a costly sapphire. A medium or light violet will be far more of a bargain, especially if you don't mind if its heated. Green is a huge bargain. Depending on your time frame, I'd look around at rubies in person and online for at least a week or so before switching to some other stone. If you can't find anything that remotely interests you at remotely the right price, then consider switching to a different color or to spinel. Settle on what color you want (perhaps post a picture here) , what treatment is acceptable and a budget for the actual stone and we will try to find some options for you.

oh ok I just read online somewhere about red sapphires, so I thought they existed haha
Yes i'm going to keep searching for a ruby, I have plenty of time to look so there's no rush
a purple/medium violet sapphire is just my backup if all else fails.
is spinel hard on the mohs scale? I would like a hard stone for daily wear
Thank you!

I will post pictures of the colors, acceptable treatment soon, budget is still around 3k for the engagement ring and carat weight is around 0.55-0.85, size matters less than color and quality but i would like the stone to be at least half a carat.

 

[kay_thunderbird]

http://www.thegemtrader.com/Oct12RPairPage.htm

These are quite small, but unheated and a great color. They'd make fabulous side stones for a diamond center. Would that be a consideration?

mmm those are only about $200, so can't I get a single ruby slightly bigger for my budget?
I only want one stone on my engagment ring, a ruby hopefully (but if i can't, then something else)
I don't really want a diamond
Thank you for helping!

It sounds like you think your can just "order" one to your specs. I love rubies, but it took me about a year of keeping my eyes open (and my CS friends eyes too) to find a stone that fit most of my want list. I suggest you be patient, go with your first choice, because, as you said, it IS your engagement ring.

I'm not expecting this to be easy at all. I'm willing to wait to find the right stone