Geographic Origin Determination of Ruby By GIA
Geographic Origin Determination of Ruby By GIA
Over the last several decades, geographic origin determination for fine rubies has become increasingly important in the gem trade. In the gemological laboratory, rubies are generally broken down into two groups based on their trace element chemistry: marble-hosted (low-iron) rubies and high-iron rubies. High-iron rubies are usually a straightforward identification based on their inclusions and trace element profiles. Marble-hosted rubies can be more challenging, with some deposits showing the overlap in some of their inclusion scenes. But many marble- hosted rubies, especially Burmese stones from Mogok and Mong Hsu, can be accurately identified based on their internal features and trace element profiles. This contribution will outline the methods and criteria used at GIA for geographic origin determination for ruby.
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The ruby is certainly worthy of its ancient Sanskrit name, "Ratnaraj"; ‘King of Gems’. Rubies are very much in their own league.
Famous for their beguiling shades of red - rubies come in light and velvety crimson tones with pink and purple overtones. Especially precious and rare are rubies known in the trade as pigeon-blood red
