The History Of Rubies

The history of rubies as gemstones and set in jewelry is rather interesting. The largest ruby of gem quality is 250 carats and is set on the crown of Charles IV of Luxembourg who lived in the 1300's. There is a larger ruby of lesser quality that weighs 6465 carat! The Smithsonian is home to a 137 carat star ruby - a cabochon shaped stone that has the rays of a star when the light hits it just the right way. The most expensive ruby is a 15.97 carat stone sold at auction in 1988 for 3.63 million.

When buying rubies, one should always buy the best quality stone that you can afford, which of course may not be the largest. Historically, almost all rubies are treated with heat to improve color so don't be scared off by this. Look for rubies that are deep fiery red with not too much of a purple hue (the more purple it is, the less value).

Most rubies have inclusions - the better ones will have them, but they will not be visible to the naked eye. When buying rubies, look for clear stones with few inclusions but if you need to decide between a stone with bad color and few inclusions as opposed to one with good color and more inclusion, go with the ruby that has the best color.

Make sure the ruby has a good cut as this will cause to stone to look like it is glowing with deep fire. This look is what has caused it to be used in ceremonies and set in many crowns and jewels throughout history. Make sure that you inspect the stone in good light and that there are no scratches or chips.

Rubies have been mined throughout history and can be found all around the world but most commonly in Burma, Sri Lanka and Madagascar.