Burmese rubies are popular among collectors, and it is said that they are more expensive than other rubies. Let's find out if this is true. Ruby is a gemstone from the corundum mineral family, the same family as sapphire. The hardness of ruby is 9 on the Mohs scale. The color of ruby mostly ranges from red to purplish-red, depending on the amount of chromium. The most popular color in the global market is vivid red or pigeon's blood red. Sources where rubies are found include Myanmar, Vietnam, Kenya, Tanzania, Thailand, etc.
How to Spot a Genuine Burmese Ruby
Burmese rubies are mostly mined in the towns around Mogok in northern and northeastern Myanmar. These mines yield up to 90% of pigeon's blood red Burmese rubies, ranging from pure vivid red to pinkish-red, or with a slight bluish tint. Another key feature of Burmese rubies is that they have few inclusions, and the type of inclusions is unique, making Burmese rubies highly sought after worldwide. Burmese rubies are also believed to be full of sacred energy, protecting their owners from all kinds of dangers. How to spot a genuine Burmese ruby? It's not difficult.
- Genuine Burmese rubies have a "jelly-like" appearance inside with natural rutile silk inclusions or silk-like threads interwoven. This indicates a genuine Burmese ruby because fake rubies won't have these patterns, as it's difficult to replicate natural formations.
- Genuine rubies can be identified by their weight. One carat of ruby weighs 200 milligrams. If the weight of the ruby is significantly more or less than 200 mg, it is likely fake.
- Check the hardness. Ruby has a high hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, making it difficult to scratch. If the ruby scratches easily when rubbed against various objects, it's not a genuine ruby.
- Examine the inclusions. Most rubies have natural inclusions. If no inclusions are found, assume it's not genuine. Although Burmese rubies have fewer inclusions, it doesn't mean they have none.
Differences Between Burmese and Siamese Rubies
How are Burmese rubies different from Siamese rubies? This is something many people wonder. There are four main differences: ruby color, ruby texture, inclusions, and price. Untreated Burmese rubies have a purplish-pink color, while untreated Siamese rubies have a purplish-red color. Next, regarding the texture, if you look at a Siamese ruby under a 10x magnification, the inside will have a glassy appearance, whereas a Burmese ruby will be jelly-like. In terms of inclusions, Burmese rubies that have been heat-treated to improve quality will show bubble-like inclusions or lead glass substances, visible to the naked eye. Siamese rubies, on the other hand, do not have inclusions visible to the naked eye. The inclusions in Siamese rubies resemble feathers, fingerprints, or Saturn's rings. Lastly, in terms of price, Siamese rubies are about 20-30% more expensive than Burmese rubies because they are very rare nowadays.
It's not hard to spot a genuine Burmese ruby, and there are clear differences between Burmese and other rubies. We hope this information will be beneficial and help you know more about Burmese and Siamese rubies. When buying rubies, beware of fakes. We recommend trustworthy jewelry stores like Petchchompoo, which you can definitely rely on. The store sells beautiful jewelry, carefully selecting only good-grade and high-quality gemstones, delivering premium items right to your hands.