There are few things as lovely as a ruby ring. Rubies are the traditional birthstone of July, but you don’t have to have been born in July to love them, or to want to have as many as possible in your jewelry collection. As with any large purchase, you should always arm yourself with a little knowledge before you shop.
You should realize before you set foot into any jewelry store or begin browsing online for the perfect genuine ruby ring that ruby jewelry may contain natural, synthetic, or imitation rubies. Natural rubies have been mined from the earth, synthetic rubies are rubies that have been manufactured, and imitation rubies may be made of glass, crystal, or may actually be spinel or a doublet. A ruby doublet is a stone that has a clear corundum top (the material natural rubies are composed of) glued to a synthetic ruby on the bottom.
Natural rubies will almost always contain flaws, or inclusions. Natural rubies with no flaws will cost tens of thousands of dollars and more and are not available in jewelry stores. Ask to see the ruby rings in question under magnification. If there are no inclusions in the stones, chances are they are synthetic or imitations.
Synthetic rubies exhibit fluorescence under a blacklight. This means they will glow brightly when exposed to the ultraviolet light. Some natural rubies will also show a bit of fluorescence when seen under ultraviolet light however, so don’t assume a ruby is synthetic if it has a bit of a glow to it.
The best way to tell what kind of ruby you are looking at is to ask to see the gemological lab report for it. Sometimes called a certificate of authenticity, these reports state clearly whether the ruby is natural or synthetic. They also contain information such as the weight of the ruby, where it was mined or manufactured, and where and how many inclusions it has. If the store (including online stores) in which you are shopping will not show you the certificate, do not purchase the jewelry.
Always arm yourself with a little knowledge when you shop, and particularly when you shop for rubies or any jewelry. Doing so will help ensure that you will end up with the perfect piece of jewelry to add to your collection.