Ruby Gemstones - Natural or Not? - Part 1

In the world of gemstones, modern technology can be a good thing or a not so good thing. For at least the last decade, there has been an ongoing raging debate in the gemstone world over new types of treatments for ruby gemstones; treatments / enhancements that can take an extremely poor quality ruby and transform it into a real beauty. Worldwide production of these enhanced rubies has increased the availability of rubies but at what cost and are they even genuine rubies?

Heat enhancement has been used with ruby gemstones (and other types of gemstones) for hundreds of years. Heat treatment (enhancement) can improve the clarity and color of a gemstone but the gemstone is still considered natural because the use of heat is considered a continuation of what Mother Nature started.

But more and more, rubies have been treated by newer "enhanced" heat treatments. These rubies start their lives as extremely poor quality basically unsellable rubies and after they finish their “treatments”, they appear like the best of the best ruby gemstones. Unfortunately, some retailers are pricing these rubies as if they were in the rare and very valuable category and they are not properly disclosing the treatments. Customers are paying thousands of dollars per carat for something that should probably be priced at a few dollars per carat or $100 per stone at most.

If you are considering purchasing a ruby or jewelry containing rubies, as a consumer you need to do a few things to protect yourself. First, buy from someone you trust, i.e. a reputable jeweler, preferably someone who either is a gemologist or who has all their gems certified. Second, ask questions like "What type of treatment has this ruby (or these rubies) undergone?" Third, ask what type of care or special care is needed for this gemstone and if possible, get this in writing? Fourth, find out what the store’s (even an Internet store) return policy is? And if you want to take the extra step, have the stone examined by a qualified independent gemologist or gemologist-appraiser.

AfricaGems.com is proud of its collection of ruby gemstones offered for sale. We carry untreated / unheated natural ruby gemstones and traditionally heated natural rubies. Our loose ruby gemstones come with gem certificates and we do not sell rubies that have been treated by the new heat treatments. And our return policy is above reproach if for some reason you have to return any gemstone purchased from AfricaGems.com

You can feel confident when you purchase a ruby from AfricaGems.com.