Ruby - Is it Natural or Not? - Part 2

Large untreated top quality natural rubies are still extremely rare and very valuable.  In 2006 a completely natural unheated 8.60 carat ruby was sold at auction for $465,000 per carat ($3.6 million dollars). That ruby is the exception even in this category but I have included it to make a point, that completely natural unheated rubies can be worth more per carat that a diamond.

New ruby treatments are not inherently a bad thing, but they should be disclosed as they greatly affect value, the durability, how that gemstone is to be maintained and how things like chemicals (even lemon juice) can affect the gemstone.  Any treatments must be disclosed to the consumer and then it would be up to the customer to make an informed decision as to their value.  Less expensive rubies treated with these newer treatments do have a place in the gem world because they offer a good alternative for those who wouldn’t normally be able to afford a ruby.


Briefly, there are 5 types of color / clarity treatments that rubies can undergo: traditional heat treatment, surface diffusion, fracture-filling with oil or epoxy resin or cavity-filling with epoxy resin or glass and finally, ruby treatments that are basically lead-glass / ruby composites and treatments that should define the stone as a composite ruby not a natural ruby.  The gemological laboratories are working toward common language to describe these “new” categories of ruby material.

Traditional heat treatment is considered natural, has been used for hundreds of years, and is a very common, acceptable and permanent treatment.  This treatment may be detected by a trained gemologist or gemological laboratory but it also can be undetectable yet assumed by a gemologist because of the prevalence of heat treated rubies.

AfricaGems.com is proud of its collection of natural rubies. Our 100% natural loose ruby gemstones come with gem certificates.  Our ruby gemstones are backed by our unparalleled guarantee policy, guaranteed grading and we even cover the shipping costs.  You can feel confident when you purchase a ruby from us.

For the month of July, all ruby gemstones and ruby jewelry is offered at a 25% discount off our whole prices. Use the code ruby2010 at checkout.

Please see “Ruby – Is It Natural or Not - Part 3” for information about the new treatments. We do not sell rubies that have been treated by the new heat treatments.