Description
Ruby, Natural, Chips, approx. 4x6mm, One 16in Strand
Ruby is the red variety of the mineral corundum. Any other color of gem-quality corundum, such as blue, pink, or yellow, is classified as sapphire. The vivid red hue comes from trace amounts of chromium. Higher chromium content yields a deeper red, while slight traces of iron can introduce brownish or orange undertones.
Many rubies fluoresce under ultraviolet light, and even sunlight, due to chromium content. This gives them a distinct inner glow or look of "burning embers." The world's first working optical laser, built by Theodore Maiman in 1960, used a synthetic ruby crystal to generate a focused red laser beam.
The most expensive colored gemstone ever sold at auction is the Sunrise Ruby, a 25.59-carat untreated Burmese "Pigeon's Blood" ruby mounted by Cartier. It sold for over $30 million in 2015.
Primary global sources include Myanmar (Burma), historically the premier source for rubies, Mozambique, currently the largest global supplier, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Tanzania, Afghanistan, and the United States.
Ruby is the official birthstone for July. It is also traditional for marking 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries.
Hardness 9
This is a natural stone with no treatment other than cutting, drilling, and polishing in China
