5 Do's and Don'ts for Determining the Color Of Ruby Stone

Rubies are known for their scarlet red hues, deeply rooted attractiveness, and unparalleled charm. The red color is synonymous with love, passion, romance, and vitality which makes ruby a perfect candidate for incorporating all of the mentioned qualities into every ruby crystal. In the case of rubies, among all the quality factors, the most significant is color. Hence in this post, we have discussed the do’s and don’ts associated with the color of the rubies that one needs to keep in mind while buying them.

How do Rubies Get Their Red Color?

Rubies are derived from the same corundum mineral family that the sapphires are made up of. The only difference is the color; all the color varieties of corundum are sapphires except the red one which is called rubies. It means that chemically, all the varieties of corundum are the same except for the presence of trace elements in the mineral. Speaking of the color of the ruby stone, it is influenced by the traces of chromium element in the corundum mineral which gives ruby its red color.

Do: Understand the Science Behind Gemstone Colors

The quality of most gemstones is determined on the basis of their color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. Talking about color gemstones in particular, the most significant factor directly influencing their price is their color. The color has three traits: hue, tone, and saturation level. The hue is the basic color, the tone is the depth of the color, and saturation is the intensity of the color. So, stones that have rich color, high intensity, and deep saturation levels are highly desirable.  

Do: Identify the Ideal Colored Rubies

The ideal color of real ruby is blood-red. Recognized as pigeon blood ruby, it possesses a vibrant fluorescent red hue. Such rubies command the highest price among all the varieties of ruby having similar quality features in terms of clarity, cut, and carat weight. Even there are shades that do not fall under the category of blood-red rubies but are still vividly saturated and hence significantly valued. You can look out for them in case finding a perfect ruby color is over the budget for you.

Do: Look for Other Popular Varieties of Rubies

The color of ruby is primarily red which is available in different tones and saturation levels. Combined with the red color of ruby can be a range of secondary hues such as orange, pink, violet, and purple. Hence, the different colors of the ruby stone that one can find are pinkish red, violetish red, purplish red, and orangish red. These shades are a good option to consider for those who are not a great fan of the stark red corundum variety or could not afford them since secondary-hued rubies command less price than pure red colored rubies.

Don’t Get Confused Between Pink Sapphire & Ruby

The color tones of ruby are directly associated with the concentration of chromium in the corundum mineral. The light tones of a ruby may not be an ideal variety of red corundum but the light-colored rubies are alternatively cherished as pink sapphires. Basically both, ruby and pink sapphire are versions of a combination of chromium element with corundum mineral. As such, a low concentration of chromium leads to lighter tones, called pink sapphires, while a high concentration generates darker tones, termed rubies. 

Basically, the pink-colored corundum may be treated either as pink sapphire or ruby depending on the locale. For instance, in the United States, the color saturation level of red corundum must meet a minimum level for the stone to be called ruby otherwise it is treated as a pink sapphire only.

Do: Consider What International Gemstone Organizations Say About Ruby’s Color

According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the corundum with a dominant red color is ruby and every other color variety is sapphire. Whereas, the International Gem Society (IGS) does not distinguish between pink sapphires & rubies yet it has kept the two in separate categories since there is no clear demarcation in terms of difference and IGS has information about both. Speaking of the views of the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICGA), it considers all the red color varieties of corundum as ruby regardless of their color intensity or depth.

Parting Words

Rubies have been stealing hearts for millions of years now for their charismatic hues and mesmerizing appearance. But, just like any other color gemstone, the value and quality of a real ruby depends on the intensity and depth of the stone. So GemsNY promises to bring you the best colors of ruby gemstones at attractive prices on our official website. Do visit and curate your pick out of our ever-expanding range of loose ruby gemstones or classic ruby jewelry.