Rare Red
Rare Red
The very finest, top quality ruby is so rare that it has been the world’s most valued gemstone for thousands of years. In fact, even today, flawless top quality rubies are more valuable and rare than top quality colorless diamonds. A 16 carat ruby sold at auction for US$227,301 per carat at Sotheby’s in 1988. A 27.37 carat Burmese ruby ring sold for US$4 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva in May 1995, or $146,145 per carat. A 32 carat ruby sold for US$144,000 per carat at Sotheby’s in 1989. In contrast, eight D-color internally flawless diamonds over 50 carats were sold in the past 9 years and the largest, a pear-shape of 102 carats, fetched a mere US$125,000 per carat. Top rubies are so rare even the world’s top gem dealers must incessantly comb through wealthy estate sales and auctions to find them. Clean bright stones in sizes above five carats are particularly rare.
Ruby is the gem quality form of the mineral corundum, and one of the most durable minerals which exists, a crystalline form of aluminum oxide. Corundum has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale and is also extremely tough. In its common form, corundum is even used as an abrasive. Colors of Corundum other than red are known as Sapphire. The element Chromium is responsible for the red color of this gem, but too much Chromium can actually turn corundum emerald green in color. Heat treatment is very common in ruby gemstones (as is true for all forms of corundum) and is used to dissolve “silk” inclusions, which results in a more transparent, more intensely colored stone. The heat treatment is considered permanent and does not usually detract from the value of the stone.
The most famous source of fine rubies is Burma, which is now called Myanmar. The ruby mines of Myanmar are older than history: stone age and bronze age mining tools have been found in the mining area of Mogok. Rubies from the legendary mines in Mogok often have a pure red color, which is often described as “pigeon’s-blood” although that term is more fanciful than an actual practical standard in the trade today. Myanmar also produces intense pinkish red rubies which are also vivid and extremely beautiful. Many of the rubies from Burma have a strong fluorescence when exposed to ultraviolet rays like those in sunlight, which layers on extra color. Burma rubies have a reputation of holding their vivid color under all lighting conditions.
Fine rubies are also found in Thailand. Thai rubies tend to be darker red in tone: a real red, tending toward burgundy rather than pink, as Burma rubies do. This makes them very popular in the United States where consumers generally prefer their rubies to be a darker red rather than a darker pink. Some Thai rubies have black reflections, a phenomenon called extinction, which can make their color look darker than it really is. But Thai rubies can also have a rich vivid red that rivals the Burmese in intensity. Sri Lankan rubies can also be very beautiful. Many Sri Lankan stones are often pinkish in hue and many are pastel in tone. Some, however, resemble the vivid pinkish red hues from Burma.
Rubies from Kenya and Tanzania surprised the world when they were discovered in the sixties because their color rivals the world’s best. Unfortunately, most of the ruby production from these countries has many inclusions, tiny flaws which diminish transparency. Rubies from the African mines are rarely transparent enough to facet. However, their fantastic color is displayed to full advantage when cut cabochon style. A few rare clean stones have been seen which are top quality.
The most important factor in the value of a ruby is color. The top qualities are as red as you can imagine: a saturated pure spectral hue without any overtones of brown or blue. An intense pure, red color, uniform color is the most valuable gem. Clarity is also of secondary importance, but a fine colored gem with slight flaws is still highly valued. Large sizes rubies are more rare than diamond and a value of fine gem ruby increases significantly (more so than other gems) with increased weight.
The word red is derived from the Latin for ruby, ruber, which is derived from similar words in Persian, Hebrew, and Sanskrit. The intensity of color of a fine ruby is like a glowing coal, probably the most intensely colored substance our ancestors ever saw. It is no wonder they ascribed magical powers to these fires that burned perpetually and never extinguished themselves.
After color, the other factors which influence the value of a ruby are clarity, cut, and size. Rubies that are perfectly transparent, with no tiny flaws, are more valuable than those with inclusions which are visible to the eye. Cut can make a big difference in how attractive and lively a ruby appears to the eye. A well-cut stone should reflect back light evenly across the surface without a dark or washed-out area in the center that can result from a stone that is too deep or shallow. The shape should also be symmetrical and there should not be any nicks or scratches in the polish.
Ruby sometimes displays a three-ray, six-point star. These star rubies are cut in a smooth domed cabochon cut to display the effect. The star is best visible when illuminated with a single light source: it moves across the stone as the light moves. This effect, called asterism, is caused by light reflecting off tiny rutile needles, called “silk,” which are oriented along the crystal faces. The value of star rubies and sapphires are influenced by two things: the intensity and attractiveness of the body color and the strength and sharpness of the star. All six legs should be straight and equally prominent. Star rubies rarely have the combination of a fine translucent or transparent color and a sharp prominent star. These gems are valuable and expensive.
For photos and more information on ruby gems, see the authorÂ’s website at: http://nevada-outback-gems.com/Encyclopedia_pages/Ruby.htm
The author has an entire set of web pages which are devoted to providing information about the world of gemstones. His gemstone information Encyclopedia page can be seen at: http://nevada-outback-gems.com/Encyclopedia_pages/Gemstone_Encyclopedia.htm
Chris Ralph writes on small scale mining and prospecting for the ICMJ Mining Journal. He is a rock hound and prospector and owns his own turquoise mines in Nevada. His website on gemstones and jewelry can be viewed at: http://nevada-outback-gems.com
Is it rare to have red hair and green eyes?
thats what i have and my friend said it is rare…is it?
Not to people in Ireland. It’s very common there. Otherwise, green eyes are probably the rarest eye color, but definitely common with red hair. I have red hair and brown eyes myself.
*Rare* Red Hot Chili Peppers – My Friends (OFFICIAL ALTERNATIVE VERSION Music Video)
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SEXY Warlord of Mars DEJAH THORIS # 8 Martian Red VARIANT Cover JOHN CARTER Rare $14.99 |
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stardust hardcover edition hc red binding (rare) neil gaiman movie comic book $20.00 |
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AMAZING SPIDERMAN 1/2 ONE HALF COA WIZARD RED FOIL VARIANT NM RARE $28.00 |
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The Tick #1 Comic Book Rare Red 2nd Printing Few Printed $15.00 |
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THE AVENGERS #7 Rare RED HULK VARIANT! ~NEW~ $10.20 |
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Amazing Spider Man #600 RARE RED COVER $19.99 |
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CROSSED #3 RARE RED VARIANT AVATAR COMICS (NM-) GARTH ENNIS JACEN BURROWS 2008 $9.89 |
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TONKA “FUN BUGGIN’” VINTAGE RED AND WHITE RETRO VAN TOY RARE HTF! $7.99 |
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CROSSED #7 RARE RED VARIANT AVATAR COMICS (NM) GARTH ENNIS JACEN BURROWS 2008 $9.89 |
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CROSSED #8 RARE RED VARIANT AVATAR COMICS (NM) GARTH ENNIS JACEN BURROWS 2008 $8.39 |
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R. ROBERT CRUMB MR. NATURAL UNDERGROUND COMIC WRAPPING PAPER 16 x 24″ RED RARE! $50.00 |
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CROSSED #9 RARE RED VARIANT AVATAR COMICS (NM+) GARTH ENNIS JACEN BURROWS 2008 $18.99 |
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CROSSED FAMILY VALUES #2 RARE RED VARIANT AVATAR COMICS (NM) GRANT WOOD GOTHIC $11.69 |
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RARE VINTAGE MOVIE POSTER:Back to the future part II+Red arrows planes $9.99 |
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DAREDEVIL RED MARVEL COMICS HARD HERO STATUE – A/P #23 OF 100. EXTREMELY RARE!! $275.00 |
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Samuel Adams Sensory Perfect Pint | Set of 4 $27.50 Samuel Adams Celebration Perfect Pint Brand New, without box…. |
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Libbey Polaris Drinking Glasses and Tumblers, Set of 16 $26.99 16-piece set of drinking glasses with heavy, 1-inch-thick rounded bases that impart substance and stabilityWith 16 glasses total, the set includes eight tumblers and eight glassesThe glasses measure 2-3/4 by 2-3/4 by 6-1/2 inches and hold 16-1/4 ounces; tumblers are 3 by 3 by 4 inches and hold 12-1/4 ouncesLayers beautifully with a variety of dinnerware and table settings; crystal-clear glass cons… |
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Royal Albert 100 Years of Royal Albert Teacups and Saucers, Set of 5, 1900-1940 $202.98 Royal Doulton announces the international launch of the 100 Years of Royal Albert collection, celebrating a century of English craftsmanship through ten patterns representing design trends of each decade of the 20th century. Royal Albert’s success dates back to the late 1800′s, and the new collection celebrates the brand’s vitality, longevity and rich design history. The collection features all bo… |
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Rare Bird Alert $10.33 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
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In Rainbows [Vinyl] $12.55 On the deliriously satisfying In Rainbows, Radiohead returns to a more straight-ahead (though subdued) rock sound. Much hubbub has been made about this record’s innovative release. Radiohead allowed fans to pay what they wished to download fairly low-resolution tracks from the band’s own website. Like so many innovations, it already seems funny both that it was such big news and that someone else … |
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Sublime $7.90 For all his tattoos and bulked-up frat-boy persona, singer Bradley Nowell had real soul, which made his fatal heroin overdose even more tragic. There’s more to this Long Beach, California, trio’s debut, released shortly after Nowell’s death in 1996, than white suburban punks imitating Jamaican ska music. The band comes up with great songs, notably the catchy MTV hit “What I Got”; spooky dub-reggae… |
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Walt Disney’s Masterpiece) [VHS] $0.01 Walt Disney’s Classic Masterpiece movie. Comes in plastic protective case enjoyable entertainment for young and old…. |
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Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer $1.25 “America’s #1 Christmas Classic” Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer was directed by Max Fleisher. Tape also features two other rare animated classics shorts “Christmas Comes But Once A Year” and “Christmas Toyshop”…. |
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Rudolph’s Shiny New Year Father Time sends Santa a message telling him that the baby new year, Happy, is missing! When Baby New Year disappears, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer dashes into the foggy night to rescue him in time for New Year’s Eve. Without the baby new year, it’ll remain the old year forever. But Aeon the Terrible, a big beaked monster bird, is also searching for the missing tyke – with sinister motives so t… |
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Striker Hand Tools 00-105 Magnetic Light Mine Hands-Free Task Light $4.99 Though not much smaller than a golf ball, the new Striker Magnetic LED Light is a powerful spotlight that can be used almost anywhere you need illumination. It has an intensely bright, wide angle LED and 12 powerful rare earth (neodymium) magnets that allow you to stick it to any steel surface or rest it on any surface and aim the light towards the workspace at almost any angle. Professionals, inc… |
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