Rubies are back and they are all ready to reenter the market with all the fanfare. Amidst the hullabaloo of trade ban and other political embargoes, United States had, for some time, stopped importing Burmese rubies. However, that ban was lifted in 2016, and since then, country’s jewelers have resumed obtaining rubies from Burma. Going forward, the two countries will be able to trade freely, as far as rubies are concerned.
Now that these stones are back in fashion and are likely to stay so for the coming few years, US jewelers are making up for the lost time making bulk imports of quality rubies. So, now is a good time to jack up your stock of ruby jewelry for everyone else is.
Countless Shades of Red
Burmese rubies are coveted around the world, and it’s a shame that we had been deprived of a fuller stock of these lovely rubies for a long 13 years.
To give an idea, here is an overview of the world-famous Burmese rubies. In Burma, rubies occur in numerous shades of natural red. Their varying color saturation and fluorescence give them perceivably different colors. From pinkish red to purplish red, Burmese rubies occur in all shades of red.
There are orange ones that are least valuable. Those that are completely purple too are inexpensive. That’s because a color too dark or too light affects the brightness of the stone. The ones that wear the richest tinge of red and have a visibly vivid and intense color are priced the higher. The Valley of the Rubies is Burma is where the largest chunks of richest red rubies are found. The largest one ever to be found in Myanmar weighed an 11.01 carat.
Rubies in Contemporary Jewelry
Despite their long absence, rubies always have a place in fashion jewelry. Although their return is a significant event in fashion, rubies never really disappeared from the market altogether. They faded a little, living in the fringes before returning fully.
In modern jewelry, rubies are used in engagement rings, studs and necklaces. Rubies and emeralds are highly popular as engagement ring stones. In other rings, they make great accenting stones. With the rise of colored gem studs, rubies have found an entry in modern earrings. Ruby solitaire studs are one of the most coveted ruby jewelry in present time. Cluster gem earrings decorated with rubies and diamonds too are on the rise.
