Buying Rubies

When buying rubies there are some factors to take into account to ensure you get the best possible ruby for your money.

The first thing to look at is the color. Rubies come in a wide variety of red tones with the darkest considered the best and most valuable. However your budget and taste should monitor what quality and shade of ruby you buy, also such things as the color of your skin the type of clothes you wear, all can have a bearing on what color and style of ruby looks best on you.

Like many gems rubies have inclusions or bubbles within the stone. The less inclusions the more you will have to pay for the stone. It is a good idea to spend at the top of your budget to get the best stone possible. You should get a certificate from an independent gem laboratory with the ruby to show what inclusions there are. Do not just take the jewelers word for it.

The cut of the ruby should be clean and give out an inner glow. Try to see the ruby in natural light not artificial as the color will be different. The red should be lusterous and sparkling.

Check the setting our mounting of the stone. The mounting should be a claw setting with 3 or 4 prongs holding the stone in. Ensure it is a tight fit and the stone is not lose or the prongs broken or bent.

A ruby is a relatively hard stone and can be cleaned with warm soapy water or an ultrasonic cleaner. If washing ensure it is rinsed really well and completely dried so there is no residue to dull the stone or react with the setting.

It is prudent not to wear rubies when doing rough or strenuous work. It can be easy to scratch a ruby or dislodge it from it's mounting. Take a ring or what ever the jewelery piece is off and store Safely away from other jewelery when not in use. Gems such as diamonds and rubies are quite hard gems and can scratch percious metals or even other gems if stored or lumped together.

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