Rubies-what a convoluted can of worms!

I always heard if a ruby fluoresces under UV light, it's the real deal & that's kinda sorta right. But I've been getting an education. Lab grown ones won't fluoresce. So far, that's correct re: lab grown part. But what about people advertising genuine & natural rubies that are actually composites? Sure, they fluoresce because they do have SOME corundum; (chromium in corundum makes the ruby red vs a blue sapphire), yet they're same mineral. They can grind up a highly inferior ruby, add glass & heat treat it so it stays together. Naturals/genuines are being advertised & sold by the thousands recently & most consumers don't understand (Macy's REALLY got popped for that), even gemologists agree the terminologies are being highly misrepresented. If a seller says it's 'fracture filled', then it's a composite. Not cut from a single crystal but bits & pieces basically glued together. Yet I recently had a seller disagree with that, well, cause they're a seller. "Their rubies are NOT composites, they're fracture filled with glass." Same thing, as far as I've been able to find. Depending on how much leaded glass was used to fill those fractures may determine whether you want to immerse it in dish soap so it doesn't disintegrate. I just want to know what I purchased! Any ruby experts here? I realize they're highly expensive. Does anyone have more input?

ETA: I neglected to ask others' opinions on whether this would effect a stone's healing/metaphysical properties. Any thoughts?

Wow! I read your statement about Rubies right when you posted it. I have been too involved with work. Reading such a well written topic canid, you snapped me back to reality. Thank you. It's a little heavy for me to barely wrap my head around though. It least for right now!

From memory, isn't composite 2 or more minerals ground up and then put together on a high heat a process?

Where as filling fractures with glass, not really composite, but there is another name. I'll think of it!

I can tell an earth grown Ruby from any artifical crap! I dislake lab grown. It looks totally fake. Although I have seen some rare and earth grown perfect rubies- but they catch the light so different. I wish I could see your in person. Do you have a jeweler's loop? Oh- how about finding a store that has a gem scope? You'd be sure to really see what you bought. Did they say it's earth grown?

I am not sure on the properties of lab grown. Does Melody (love is in the earth) write about that particular pulse?

I know that it is now illegal to import Rubies into the United States. Last I knew anyways!

I love Rubies. You can still find Ruby beads on e-bay for excellent prices. Although they may be dyed.

But that clear Ruby you are speaking of is breathtaking.

Briar Rose said:

I can tell an earth grown Ruby from any artifical crap! Do you have a jeweler's loop?

Click to expand...

Bet you can't really tell the difference! Even with a loupe gemologists sometimes have a difficult time. Yup, I have a 30x loupe with LED & UV lights on it. You're looking for a variety of things; uniform vs misshapen gas bubbles (uniform is BAD-that shows the filled fractures), obvious cracks going in specific directions, rubies cut from crystals have flaws, they all do, but their natural growth flaws form a very specific pattern, etc. Just because the ruby is 'clear' doesn't mean it's real, like an 'earth-grown' ruby can also be opaque, & composite does mean 2+ but it doesn't necessarily mean ground up first, it's just a lot of labs are doing that. They heat-treat corundum for color enhancement, I think it's too hard to actually dye. Yes, my ruby is clear, with both types of bubbles & both types of inclusions & they did get back with me & say it's fracture filled but not a whole lot. Yet it's advertised on amazon as 'genuine' ruby. I think you'd find it difficult to find a ruby nowadays that isn't at least fracture filled without selling your house. VERY confusing lately.

ETA: Who is Melody? The one here?

Ban on ruby imports

I did not know that. There IS a ban on importing Burmese rubies, sapphires & jade to the US because of political relations! Huh. Rubies from Burma & Thailand don't always fluoresce either...ones from other parts of the world always do.

Why do some fluoresce and some don't?

I have to pull out my mineral books and study them more. I miss it so much!

Melody is the author of, "Love Is In the Earth." I don't think she would ever be on AT.

I'm so sorry that I haven't gotten back with you. But I don't know why! I've been busy researching corundum & gems in general & I'm really getting an education. It's very confusing, IMO, but here's one 'explanation' for fluorescence.

"In technical terms, fluorescence is caused by a conversion of energy. Ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by certain materials and re-emitted as visible light radiation. The cause of this phenomenon is the absorption of energy by the material’s electrons. When they absorb extra energy they jump into higher energy orbital patterns surrounding their nucleus. Eventually they release this energy as visible light when they fall back to their normal orbital shell. Various fluorescent colors are determined by the difference between the original electron orbital and the new excited orbital pattern."

Yeah, right. You got that? heehee It's like Klingon to me.

Now I'm trying to figure out why my blue topaz fluoresces pink.

I just found a new explanation of what's being done with rubies here -

http://thejewelryloupe.com/buyer-beware-that-ruby-may-be-a-glass-composite/

and I just received 20 minutes ago my 'cut from a crystal' ruby from Gemvara in platinum & palladium with aquas & diamonds...oy, FedEx just left but I'm lovin' it! Never spent so much on myself ever. It's beautiful but I could have taken a few tropical cruises. This ruby fluoresces HOT hot pink, it's gorgeous under a UV light. I'm still checking it out under my loupe...I didn't get gold, oh, no...Oh god what have I done?

http://www.gemvara.com/jewelry/elizabeth-ring/round-diamond-14k-white-gold-ring-with-diamond/t7

Picture it with a ruby center, aqua side stones in platinum. Oy. Is it ever pretty. I may have to live in it someday.

I love it. That must be amazing to see under the light.

Platinum has a good feel to it.

It is beautiful, BR! Hot hot pink lit up like a hooker under neon light! I'm still researching other stuff, about paladium & platinum...I'll post those findings on the other thread. But still, regarding rubies, it makes my brain itch when I hear about what they're doing to corundum. IF you were able to find a ruby COMPLETELY cut from a crystal, it will still have imperfections. I think Paris Hilton would have a hard time finding one that's not treated in some way, & if she did, she could buy Morocco. Well, she probably could anyway... That's just how they grow over millions of years, with inclusions & I think those natural growth 'flaws' add character. Obviously, that's OK, given the prices. 99.9% of rubies sold now are at the very least heat treated for color enhancement, & that's also perfectly acceptible by the worldwide gemologist powers that be, it's the ones ground up & glued together, well, I digress, sorry, but composites are still technically 'earth grown'. I just don't like being lied to, is all, I guess. Mine is heat treated, not fracture filled or a composite & I have it in writing. It's impossible to purchase one that's not at least heat treated. Well, one did sell for about $260,000 per carat a little bit ago...

Funny I should see this today, I just bought a ruby necklace... rubies are supposed to be natural from Mozambique, of course, I have no way of knowing. It looks great though.