How much does a ruby ​​cost?

Ruby is very beautiful, there are a lot of legends about him. It is believed that the owner of the stone becomes happy in love. Red gem is able to warn the owner of the danger by changing the color. Magically, in a person who is constantly in contact with ruby, all positive qualities are enhanced.

It is not surprising that those who wish to receive a piece of jewelry with a noble mineral do not become smaller. Those who buy ruby ​​for the first time have a natural question about its cost.

In order to find out the value of the jewelry, you need to take into account the mass of characteristics.

Here are the main ones:

• the origin of the mineral;
• stone color;
• the presence of cracks;
• presence of blotches, bubbles and blackouts;
• mineral weight;
• cut;
• treatment.

Deposits of rubies are found on each of the continents, with the exception of frosty Antarctica. Commercially, gems are mined in Asia: in Ceylon, in Vietnam and in Thailand.

Famous African deposits are located in Kenya, Mozambique, Madagascar and Tanzania. Russia is searching for stones relatively recently. After the war, mining is carried out in the Polar Urals and in the Pamir pegmatites.

In Myanmar (formerly Burma), the most famous, largest, highest quality, and most expensive specimens of the radiant mineral are found.

The largest stone of 400 carats was found in Burma. Unfortunately, it was not preserved in its original form. He was divided into three parts.

By now the Burmese mines have become poorer. Nedra many centuries gave the world the beauty and pretty exhausted.

A promising region for mining is India. It is known that rubies are found in the same place as sapphires. And Kashmir deposits are rich in sapphires. Along with the main minerals, come across and rubies. Perhaps soon India will become a new major supplier of raw materials for the jewelry industry.

We give an example of the cost depending on the origin.

For one carat of the Burmese large ruby ​​they pay from two to 90 thousand US dollars. And not heated stones from Mozambique are much cheaper. With a weight of 4-5 carats, a high quality ruby ​​will cost the buyer from $ 500 to several thousand.

In nature, ideal stones are extremely rare. Most have various defects: blotches, voids and cracks. Those nuggets that have difficult to see flaws or do not have them have high quality.

Some inclusions give rubies more value. For example, the presence inside the stone of microcracks in the form of a star with six rays significantly increases its value. Such specimens are extremely rare, therefore they are highly valued.

Quality measure is cleanliness. By purity, minerals are divided into 3 categories:

• the first one includes clean stones and those that have miserable inclusions or thin stripes-cracks;
• corundum with small defects and thickening is attributed to the second;
• the third consists of opaque specimens or stones with large turbidity.

Processing has a significant impact on the price. Highly valued cut with the correct form and proportions. After cutting on the stone, there should be no dredging and chips, scratches and scratches.

In an effort to preserve the size of the ruby, the cutters make its lower part, called the pavilion, elongated. Similar actions worsen appearance.

The best form of crystals have a round shape, their value is higher than that of pear-shaped “relatives” and “Marquis” type faceting. Cabochon cut is used for minerals with a large number of inclusions and divorces, which are called “star” in the professional language.

Heat treatment is used to improve the quality of gems, their purity and color. The operation is called ennobling. The source material is placed in special chambers and heated to 800-1900 degrees. Under the influence of heat, the colors change, shades are eliminated. The inclusions inside the ruby ​​melt and the purity rises.

If we compare the stones that have undergone heat treatment, and ordinary, the prices of the latter are twice or even three times higher, all other things being equal.

Refining often ends with an abundance of cracks. Defects are eliminated by filling with lead glass. It looks like a beautiful clean stone. However, such rubies fall into the category of the cheapest. They are most often found in jewelry stores, along with synthetic counterparts. The cost of "patched" corundum varies in the range of 1-20 US dollars per carat.

With regard to precious stones, it is customary to speak not about size, but about weight. Mass is the most significant feature. Weight is measured in special units - carats. For a better comparison with conventional weight measures, you need to know the ratio: 1 carat = 0.2 grams.

The price of the mineral is set for 1 carat. However, everything is ambiguous. For small stones, the cost per carat is less than for large gems. There is no direct relationship between weight and cost of carats. All individually.

The price is tied to both the size of the stone and its quality. But the larger the envelope, the less the likelihood of impeccability. So, it is known that rubies of three or more carats are extremely rare. A 5 carat mineral without defects is simply impossible to find. If it works, it will be a sensation. It is believed that ideal stones weighing no more than one carat are commercially available.

No less important in determining the value of the color of the ruby. Primary color is red. By saturation varies from pale to bright saturated. There are gems with pink, purple and orange hues. The deviation from the base is given by natural inclusions.

An expert opinion is drawn up for the most valuable stones. It indicates the color. Pure bright red ruby ​​is designated by the term "pigeon blood".

According to the color classification, rubies are:

• bright red;
• normal or medium red;
• light red.

The estimated cost of the crystals is established by specialized organizations.

The results are printed in the relevant journals.

• Low quality stones evaluated by origin. One carat can cost both $ 75 and $ 3,500. More expensive Burmese corundum, cheaper than African.
• For rubies of average quality from Myanmar they ask from 5 to 12 thousand dollars. Gems from Mozambique are somewhat cheaper - from 2 to 5 thousand dollars. The cost of the processed stones is even lower - from one and a half to four thousand dollars.
• Real Raw Ruby very good quality from Burma is estimated at between 16 and 40 thousand dollars. From other deposits - from 5 to 9 thousand dollars.
• Average price of heated crystal excellent quality 12000-23000 $. Mozambican and Burmese species cost more: $ 20,000-30000 and $ 40000-70000, respectively.

Large stones weighing 4 carats and more are valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars. They can be bought at auction for 60-90 thousand dollars. If we take the average value, a gem weighing 1 gram will cost $ 375,000.

Industrial production of artificial rubies is established in the USA, Great Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany.

Stone is obtained from molten corundum. Initially received product is transparent. Supplements give it any desired color.

Despite the fact that the unnatural ruby ​​looks better than natural, it costs half as much.

The Russian classification of rubies distributes them into 3 quality groups, depending on presence of defects and colors.

• The first includes those in which a minimum of defects. Small stripes or dots are scattered throughout the volume, and not grouped in one zone, and they can only be viewed with an “armed” eye. High quality is estimated at least 800, maximum - $ 1500. In the free market are not found.
• The second category allows for visible defects and minor inclusions in different zones of the stone. The cost of $ 500-800.
• Ruby turbid and having many defects make up the third category. Their cost is 200-500 $.

Prices are per 1 carat.

Abroad, when setting prices for precious stones, their origin is primarily taken into account. Stones from Burma (Myanmar) are rated higher than others.

Selling a ruby ​​for a record price is shown in the following video.