How to Judge the Value of a Ruby

Rubies are gorgeous, classic and are a great alternative as the center stone for an engagement ring. Gemologists will look at the color and size of a ruby to help determine its value.

• Color

Rubies are revered for their beautiful red hue, but the color can be neither too light nor too dark. Look for a ruby that has a rich, intense red, but not so dark that it will be confused with a garnet. Similarly, a ruby shouldn’t be so light as to look like it has hints of pink.

• Size

Carat weight is an important way to determine the value of a ruby. Large rubies are quite rare; as such, naturally large, high-quality rubies will cost a small fortune – perhaps even more so than most diamonds!

Choosing a Ruby

When choosing a ruby for an engagement ring, it will be quite difficult to locate a stone free of flaws or imperfections. With that being said, it’s important to keep in mind that a ruby’s clarity is not always as good as other gemstones. With that in mind, look for a ruby that does not have any large cracks that could signal future problems down the road, and make sure the color is consistent throughout the entire stone. Avoid gems that have visible fractures or cracks, because you will inevitably need to take your ring in for repairs sooner than anticipated.

Shapes and Treatments

While the shape you choose for your ruby is a highly personal choice, ovals are arguably one of the most popular cuts for an engagement ring. Some shapes are harder to cut than others, and you should always choose a shape based on your budget and your bride-to-be’s personal preference. The majority of rubies also happen to be heat treated, which helps to enhance the color of the stone. Rubies that have not been treated with heat are exceptionally rare, and thus cost more. However, treated rubies have a more intense color and can often look even more beauty than rubies that have not undergone treatment.

Things to Check For

If you notice words such as “synthetic,” “created,” or similar terms describing a ruby, the stones have been created in a lab and are not technically natural. While lab-created rubies are grown to resemble a natural ruby in every visible way, they are not real and this should be disclosed prior to the sale.

Rubies are beautiful gemstone, and are a classic symbol of passionate love and commitment. If your bride-to-be desires a gemstone engagement ring, consider a ruby for a beautiful look.

If you choose to go this route, there are many gemstones that are historically linked with love and similar emotions. A gemstone engagement ring with this kind of symbolism can be a wonderful break from tradition and offers an affordable, unique alternative to traditional rings.

Red Gemstones

Red gemstones are usually associated with love and passion. Rubies are used to symbolize love and enduring friendship, but other red gemstones can be used as the center stone for an engagement ring. Garnets are an affordable alternative to Rubies, and symbolize passionate devotion to your loved ones.

While more pink than red, rose Quartz has long been used to promote love and bring peace to relationships. This gemstone would be an exceptionally unique stone to use in an engagement ring.

Green Gemstones

Symbolically linked to faithfulness, green gemstones are a beautiful alternative to traditional diamond engagement rings. Emeralds are the most popular choice and were historically believed to promote love and faithfulness among partners. Green Tourmaline, Jade, or Tsavorite (green Garnets) are also excellent choices.

Blue Gemstones

Blue gemstones have long been linked to purity and spirituality, and are an excellent choice as a center stone for engagement rings. Sapphires are a popular choice because they symbolize reliability, permanence and harmony. Lapis Lazuli, while traditionally more expensive than other gemstones, symbolizes friendship and trust, making it the perfect stone for an engagement ring.

Aquamarine signifies trust, harmony and lasting relationships and can be very attractive as a center stone. Iolite also works well as the center stone because of its amazing durability and beautiful color. Blue Tourmaline, said to represent honesty and tolerance, can also be used.

Pearls

Pearls have long been associated with weddings and would make an exceptionally unique choice when used in an engagement ring. Said to represent purity and innocence, pearls are a gorgeous testament to undying love between a couple. If you choose to use a pearl as the center stone, look for a setting that will complement the stones beauty, such as an antique setting.

If you’d like, you can have small diamonds on each side of the center pearl for a truly unique engagement ring that combines the symbolism of both stones.

Birthstones

Birthstone engagement rings are truly symbolic of a couple’s love for one another. Combine a birthstone ring with small diamonds within the setting, or allow the ring to stand alone as a testament to your love. Whatever you choose, the ring will be a lasting reminder of the one you love and are an excellent choice for an engagement ring.

Gemstone engagement rings are an affordable alternative to traditional diamonds and are a unique way to express true love and passion. Because many gemstones are historically symbolic of love, purity and enduring relationships, choosing a gemstone engagement ring offers a beautiful representation of your love and life together.

If you are determined to purchase a diamond for the center of your engagement ring, and seek an alternative to a white diamond, yellow diamonds have become incredibly popular. They are more expensive than white diamonds, of similar quality, but really make an impact when seen on a woman’s finger.

Another popular choice is pink diamonds. These diamonds are rarer than yellow diamonds and also cost more than the traditional white diamond.

Still, many women have learned about an issue that has taken place for some years. This issue was dramatically brought to the world’s attention via a movie called “Blood Diamond” staring Leonardo DiCaprio. The issue, also known as “non-conflict” diamonds or “conflict-free” diamonds has forced some women, and men, to look at the ethical issue of purchasing diamonds that may have been the cause of torture, rape and murder.

When this issue became better known, some women, who still wanted a center diamond for their engagement ring, insisted upon learning where the diamond was mined and how it was delivered to the jeweler. If the jeweler is reputable, he can produce documentation showing the origins of the diamond and proof that the diamond is a “conflict-free” diamond.

However, some women do not accept this documentation as proof positive and have decided to go in a different direction. Some have opted for other precious gemstones including Sapphires, Rubies, Emeralds, and the rare, and very expensive, Paraiba Tourmaline.

If you are searching for a gemstone to replace a white diamond, there are two substitutes that I can recommend that most people will think are real white diamonds. There are cubic zirconia and white sapphires. Cubic zirconia is well known as an extremely low cost replacement for real diamonds. Then there are white sapphires. White sapphires cost a fraction of diamonds the same size, but good quality white sapphires are not that easy to come by.

Sapphires, rubies, emeralds and Paraiba tourmalines are all very good replacement gemstones for diamonds. They all come in either different colors or different shades. For example, sapphires come in white, green, pink, purple, blue, yellow and variations of all these colors.

Paraiba Tourmaline also comes in a few different colors with variations of blue and green being the most widely available.

 
There are quite a large number of precious and semi-precious gemstones that can substitute for the traditional center white diamond in your engagement ring. Here are just a few of the gemstones that you could substitute: Alexandrite, Amethyst, Andesine Labradorite, Apatite, Aquamarine, Blue Topaz, Citrine, Fire Opal, Green Beryl, Green Tourmaline, Kunzite, Mandarin Garnet, Morganite, Peridot, Pink Tourmaline, Precious Topaz, Red Spinel, Rubellite, Tanzanite, Tsavorite and Yellow Beryl (just to name a few).