Wednesday 1 August 2012

Ruby Stone



Ruby


About Rubies

Ruby is the undisputed king of gemstones. In ancient Sanskrit, ruby is calledRatnaraj which means king of precious stones. No gemstone is as spontaneously associated with passion, power, majesty and anger than ruby. Ruby has everything a gemstone should have: magnificent colour, excellent hardness and outstanding brilliance.

Since thousands of years, ruby has been considered as one of the most valuable gemstones on earth. Perfect rubies with no inclusions are extremely rare and cost a fortune. They are unlikely to be seen in everyday fine jewellery. The less transparent rubies are more affordable, although still precious.

If you are looking out for a gemstone, but not sure which one to buy, look no further, get a ruby!
Madagascar Rubies


Ruby in Jewellery 
Engagement Ring
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Necklace
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Bridal Jewellery
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Ruby Stone Pendant
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Sources of Ruby

The most famous source of fine rubies is Burma, now called Myanmar. It is believed that ruby mining here has been active for more than a thousand years, and this is the source of the rare "pigeon's blood" ruby. While Mogok is by far the most famous location in Burma for fine rubies, most of the Burmese rubies found today actually come from a relatively new and important mining area in Burma known as Mong Hsu. This rich ruby deposit produces commercial quantities of commercial quality ruby, but also significant quantities of fine quality, particularly in sizes up to a carat.

Thai rubies come from Chanthaburi province, an area of eastern Thailand bordering Cambodia.
Two deposits in eastern Madagascar - Vatomandry and Andilamena - have had a significant impact on the world's gemstone industry. Recently, a new and large deposit has been found in south Madagascar in the Tulear district.

Sri Lanka stones are often pinkish or violet 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 and Indian mines are also very famous during recent times.

Occasionally a few fine top-quality rubies appear on the market from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Pamir Mountains.

Cut & Polished Rubies
  
Ruby History

Throughout most of recorded history, ruby has been the world's most valued gemstone. Even diamond was considered common in comparison to the supreme beauty and value of this glowing red gem. To the ancients, ruby was a representation of the sun. It represented integrity, devotion, happiness, healing, courage, romance, generosity, inspiration, and prosperity. According to legends, warriors implanted rubies under their skin to bring valor in battle. 
As a talisman, ruby would warn its owner against danger and disaster. Ground to a fine powder and placed on the tongue, it was believed by some ancient cultures to cure blood diseases, stop bleeding, ensure good health, bring peace, and treat indigestion. In England, ruby was used for coronation rings and to this day enjoys popularity among royalty. Fergie, the Duchess of York received a ruby engagement ring from Prince Andrew.  


Ruby Treatments & Synthetics

Most rubies are heated almost to 2,000 degrees in order to maximize the red and remove secondary colors of blue and brown. Some rubies are also heated to improve clarity. Many a times, cracks in rubies are filled using “lead” or other similar substances. This treatment is known as “glass filling” or “lead filling” 

If ruby shows no signs of heating, it is very rare. The stone's natural color must be confirmed by a laboratory report if it is to command a premium. We recommend Natural & Untreated Rubies (especially if they are to be used for astrological purposes).


Judging Ruby Value

Color is by far the most important characteristic to evaluate a ruby and judge its value, more so than most other loose gemstones. The term “pigeon blood” color has been used in the gemstone trade to characterize a perfect, fiery luminescent red of a perfect ruby. An intense, uniform luminescent red color characterizes the most valuable rubies. Clarity is of a secondary importance, and a fine colored ruby with slight flaws is still highly valued. The quality of the cut of a ruby gemstone is also of secondary importance although a good cut will enhance the color and luminosity of the ruby to produce a vivid red color. Size is also an important consideration. Price per carat in fine gem rubies is not linear. The price per carat of a fine 5 carat gem will be exponentially higher than a fine 2 carat gem of equal quality.


Ruby in Astrology

The wearing of Ruby gem removes poverty, imparts prosperity, name and fame in political sphere and the son is born to the wearer. Ruby gem is beneficial to those who are aspirant to high office. Creative people, who want fame and good health, must wear Ruby gemstone. Ruby gemstone must be worn by those Whose Zodiac sign is Leo or the sun's positions in his horoscope is weak.
Day for wearing: Ruby should be worn on Sunday

Time for wearing: Ruby should be worn at Sunrise

Finger: Ruby should be worn in the Ring Finger (2nd last finger)

The ruby should be red in colour and a minimum of 2 carats. It should be set in gold of 14 Karat or more
Ruby Ring


 Ruby Facts:

• No natural gem, except diamond, is harder than ruby. Ruby has a hardness of 9.0 on the Mohs Hardness Scale (Diamond has 10.0)

• Ruby is a variety of Corundum (a group which includes sapphire)

• Various shades of ruby are bright red, purplish-red, brownish-red, pinkish-red, dark red and pink

• Ruby is the birthstone for the month of July & Sunsign Leo and is recommended for 15th and 40th anniversaries

• Refractive index of ruby is 1.76 – 1.77

• Rubies are faceted into various types of cuts but the most preferred ones are round brilliant, oval and step cut. Rubies are also as polished domed cabochons.

• Transparent rubies of large sizes are even rarer than diamond!

• Ruby is also know by the following names: Manek or Manik (Indian Name), Padmaraga, Red-lotus color gem, Shona-Ratna, Red jewel, Ravi-Ratna, Gem of the sun.

Emeralds Stones


Emerald

Emerald, the most valuable member of the beryl family and one of the most highly prized of all gems, is a chrome-rich aluminum-beryllium silicate. The name beryl (pronounced BARE-ill, not "burl") evolved from the Greek through the Latin "beryllus" the meaning of which is uncertain. Emerald is a derivative of an ancient Persian word, and has come to us through such corruptions of the Latin "smaragdus" as "esmeraude", "emeraude" and" esmeralde". The present spelling did not become a part of the English language until the sixteenth century.

Medium light to medium dark tones of green beryl are called emerald. Stones that are light or very light green are properly called green beryl rather than emerald. Since it has been used for many years, the usual trade classification based on geographical location is given below for information, but with the recommendation that the grading system on the price chart later in the assignment replaces the locality terminology.

Chemically
Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) colored green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium.[2] Beryl has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the 10 point 
Mechanically
Mohs scale of mineral hardness.[2] Most emeralds are highly included, so their toughness (resistance to breakage) is classified as generally poor.



Colombian Emeralds

The finest emeralds have always come from this South American republic. Relatively clear pure green, slightly yellowish or slightly bluish-green stones are called Colombian emeralds. Actually, the average output from the Muzo, Chivor, Cosquez arid Gachala mines differs and each, produces a range of qualities. A fine emerald may be referred to as Colombian, regardless of source, or it may be called a Muzo, Chivor etc. Muzo produces the finest colors, but the stones are usually more heavily flawed than those from Chivor.

Russian, or Siberian Emeralds

The emeralds produced by the mines of the Ural Mountain area are characteristically more yellowish green, more heavily flawed, and slightly lighter in color than Colombian stones.

Brazilian Emeralds

Most of the green material produced in Brazil is more properly classified as green beryl, but some stones are sufficiently deep in tone to be called emerald. This pegmatite material is usually almost free from flaws. Heavily flawed crystals are found in micaschist in Brazil, but they are not ordinarily designated Brazilian emeralds in the trade.

Sandawana Emeralds

These emeralds found in a schist bordering a pegmatite in the Belingwe Native Reserve country of Rhodesia are marketed under the name Sandawana emeralds. The color of this best quality material is a fine deep emerald green, but owing to the flawed nature of the crystals, cut stones over a quarter of a carat in weight are rare.

Emerald Stone Finger Ring                      Green emerald stone necklac      Emerald Stone Choker Necklace


Pliny the Elder, that learned Roman scholar whose observations on the beauties and wonders of nature are so often quoted today, once gave this reverent appraisal of emerald in these words:
"Indeed, no stone has a color that is more delightful to the eye, for, whereas the sight fixes itself with avidity upon the green grass and the foliage of the trees, we have all the more pleasure in looking upon the emerald, there being no green in existence more intense than this. And then, besides, of all the precious stones, this is the only one that feeds the sight without satiating it. Neither sunshine, shade nor artificial light effects any change in its appearance; it has always a softened and graduated brilliancy."
The Romans also took a seriously medical view of emerald's pleasing qualities on the eye. Pliny further records:
"If the sight has been wearied or dimmed by intensively looking on any other object, it is refreshed and restored by gazing upon this stone. And lapidaries who cut and engrave fine gems know this well, for they have no better method of resting their eyes than by looking at the emerald, its soft, green color comforting and removing their weariness and lassitude."


The verdant beauty of the emerald has entranced mankind throughout the ages. It is particularly appropriate that this lovely green gem has been chosen as the birthstone for the month of May to symbolize the beauty and promise of nature in the spring of each year. It is equally appropriate that it has been chosen to symbolize faith, kindness and goodness. Long ago, emerald was dedicated to the goddess Venus, and lovers were told that it was endowed with the power of revealing the faithfulness of the beloved


Bridal jewellery collection by ‘David Yurm'

Engagement Rings

Thursday 26 July 2012

Sapphire Stone

Sapphire (Greek: σάπφειρος; sappheiros, "blue stone") is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide (α-Al2O3). Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, copper or magnesium can give corundum blue, yellow, pink, purple, orange or greenish color. Chromium impurities in corundum yield a red tint, and the resultant gemstone is called a ruby.


White Sapphire Stone

Sapphires are commonly worn in jewelry. Sapphires can be found naturally, by searching through certain sediments (due to their resistance to being eroded compared to softer stones), or rock formations.


The sapphire is one of the three gem-varieties of corundum, the other two being ruby – defined as corundum in a shade of red—and padparadscha—a pinkish orange variety. Although blue is their most well-known color, sapphires may also be colorless, and are found in many colors including shades of gray and black.


Blue sapphire

Color in gemstones breaks down into three components: hue, saturation, and tone. Hue is most commonly understood as the "color" of the gemstone. Saturation refers to the vividness or brightness or "colorfulness" of the color, and tone is the lightness to darkness of the color.[4] Blue sapphire exists in various mixtures of its primary (blue) and secondary hues, various tonal levels (shades) and at various levels of saturation (vividness)




Fancy color sapphire

Yellow and green sapphires are also commonly found. Pink sapphires deepen in color as the quantity of chromium increases. The deeper the pink color the higher their monetary value as long as the color is tending towards the red of rubies..


Color change sapphire

A rare variety of sapphire, known as color change sapphire, exhibits different colors in different light. Color change sapphires are blue in outdoor light and purple under incandescent indoor light; they may also be pink in daylight to greenish under fluorescent light. Some stones shift color well and others only partially, in that some stones go from blue to bluish purple. While color change sapphires come from a variety of locations, the gem gravels of Tanzania is the main source.


Synthetic sapphire

Synthetic sapphire is industrially produced from agglomerated aluminium oxide, sintered and fused in an inert atmosphere (hot isostatic pressing for example), yielding a transparent polycrystalline product, slightly porous, or with more traditional methods such as Verneuil, Czochralski, flux method, etc., yielding a single crystal sapphire material which is non-porous and should be relieved of its internal stress.
In 2003 the world's production of synthetic sapphire was 250 tons (1.25 × 109 carats), mostly by the United States and Russia.[31][32] The availability of cheap synthetic sapphire unlocked many industrial uses for this unique material.


Engagement Rings engraved with Sapphire 

Bridal jewellery collection by ‘David Yurm'


Types of jewellery


anklet

band

bangle

bracelet


brooch

cameo


choker

circlet

clip


costume jewellery

diadem


diamanté


earring


engagement ring


locket


medallion


necklace


nosering


pendant


pin


pin


ring


signet ring


sleeper


stickpin


stud


tiara


tiepin


tie tack


wedding band

wedding ring