Education
Diamond Education
- Diamond Buying Guide
- Diamond Cut
- Diamond Cut Types
- Ideal Cut Diamonds
- Hearts and Arrows Diamonds
- What is Diamond Depth
- Diamond Table
- Antique Cut Diamonds
- Brilliant Cut Diamonds
- Rose Cut Diamonds
- What Is The Most Expensive Diamond Cut?
- What Are Step Cut Diamonds?
- Diamond Bow Ties
- How Are Diamonds Cut
- Diamond Brilliance
- Spread Diamonds
- Diamond Fire
- Crushed Ice Diamonds
- Diamond Carat
- Diamond Color
- Diamond Clarity
- IF Diamonds
- FL Diamonds
- Flawless vs Internally Flawless
- Which Diamond Clarity Is Best?
- VS2 vs VS1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- Diamond Inclusions Guide
- Accent Diamond Clarity
- VVS2 vs VVS1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- SI2 vs SI1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- SI1 vs VS2: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- VS1 vs VVS2: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- SI Diamonds
- VS Diamonds
- VVS Diamonds
- Diamond Shape
- Asscher
- Cushion
- Emerald
- Marquise
- Oval
- Pear
- Princess
- Radiant
- Round
- Which Diamond Cut Is Best?
- Round vs Princess Diamond Cut
- Round vs Cushion Diamond Cut
- Cushion vs Princess Diamonds
- Cushion vs Oval Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Asscher Cut Diamond
- Princess vs Marquis Diamonds
- Princess vs Radiant Cut Diamonds
- Cushion vs Asscher Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Radiant Cut Diamonds
- Oval vs Marquise Cut Diamonds
- Oval vs Pear Cut Diamonds
- Pear vs Marquise Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Cushion Cut Diamonds
- Elongated Cushion Cut Diamonds
- Diamond Certification
- Diamond Fluorescence
- Diamond Symmetry
- Diamond Polish
- Diamond Girdle
- Diamond Culet
- Diamond Pricing
- Diamond Sourcing
- Diamond Size Chart Carat & MM
- Natural vs Synthetic Diamonds
- Buying Natural Diamonds
- How Diamonds Are Formed
- Diamond 4 C's
- Fancy Colored Diamonds
- Engraved Rings
- NY Diamond District
Engagement Ring Education
- How To Buy Engagement Rings
- Engagement Rings For Second Marriage
- Affordable Engagement Rings
- Cost of a One Carat Diamond
- How to Buy An Engagement Ring In a Time Crunch
- How to Choose An Engagement Ring
- How to Pick Your Engagement Ring Budget
- Everything You Need to Know About Dainty Engagement Rings
- Best Time to Buy An Engagement Ring
- How to Buy An Engagement Ring As a Couple
- Future Mother In Law's Guide to Engagement Ring Shopping
- Engagement Ring Financing
- Why You Need an Engagement Ring Appraisal
- Best Round Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Square Cut Engagement Ring
- Top Teardrop Engagement Rings
- Best Asscher Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Oval Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Radiant Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Marquise Cut Engagement Rings
- Twisting Rings
- Best Emerald Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Dainty Engagement Rings
- Best Unique Engagement Rings
- Best Traditional Diamond Engagement Rings
- Best Split Shank Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top 10 Square Halo Engagement Rings
- Top 10 Unusual Engagement Rings
- Black Diamond Engagement Rings
- Edwardian Engagement Rings
- Antique Style Engagement Rings
- Nature Inspired Engagement Ring
- Filigree Rings
- Art Deco Rings
- Wide Band Engagement Rings
- Infinity Engagement Rings
- Best Two Tone Diamond Engagement Rings
- Victorian Style Engagement Rings
- Minimalistic Engagement Rings
- Big Style Engagement Rings
- Cute Style Engagement Rings
- Modern Style Engagement Rings
- Past Present and Future Rings
- Most Expensive Celebrity Engagement Rings
- Noteworthy Celebrity Engagements (and Rings) of 2017
- Thin Engagement Rings
- Pretty Style Engagement Rings
- Double Band Engagement Rings
- 1 Carat Diamond Ring
- Top Princess Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Women's Rose Gold Engagement Rings
- Top Round Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top East West Engagement Rings
- Top Pave Engagement Rings
- Top Split Shank Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Unique Halo Engagement Rings
- Rose Gold Pear Shaped Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Pear Shaped Engagement Rings
- Top Oval Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Engagement Rings
- Top Marquise Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Emerald Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Bypass Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Oval Engagement Rings
- Top Emerald Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Oval Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Emerald Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Oval Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Floating Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Princess Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Simple Engagement Rings
- Vintage Style Engagement Rings
- Types of Accent Diamonds
- Everything You Need to Know Before Setting Diamonds
- Engagement Ring Prong Guide
- All About Ring Resizing
- Identifying Your Ring After A Repair
- Everything You Need to Know About Milgrain
- Everything You Need to Know About Wide Band Engagement Rings
- Eternity Rings vs Infinity Rings
- When To Propose
- What Are Baguette Diamond Engagement Rings
- What to Say When You Propose
- What Are the Groom's Parents Responsible For?
Gemstone Education
Jewelry Education
Metal Education


Natural Ruby Grading and Ruby Color Chart
Rubies are gemstones that are more expensive than most others. They are one of the most important gems in the colored stone market. There are a few important factors considered when assigning natural ruby grades. These include color, clarity, inclusions, and transparency. The cut and weight are also reviewed, and sometimes the origin of the ruby can affect its grade as well.
With this system, rubies can be graded according to different ranks. The categories of this grading system include AAA, AA, A, and B qualities. Above you can see a ruby color chart with the different grading ranks labeled under each stone.
- Natural AAA - This grade represents just 1% of all natural gemstones. Any rubies in this category are extremely rare and expensive
- Natural AA - This grade accounts for 10% of all natural gemstones that are available in the world. Any rubies in this grade are typically considered high quality, and this is the best grade to use for fine jewelry making
- Natural A - This grade forms the top 20% of natural gemstones. It’s not as amazing as the AA grade, but it’s still considered to be great. Fine jewelry is also made using this grade
- Natural B - This category accounts for over 50% of natural gemstones
Red Ruby Color
The name ruby is derived from the latin word “ruber,” which means red. When determining the quality of ruby based on its color, the hue, saturation, and tone must always be taken into account. Hue is important because it refers to the basic color of rubies. For example, different hues include: red, slight orange, strong orange, slight purple, and strong purple. If a ruby has a red hue, that is considered to be ideal. Saturation is what gives ruby its color purity and intensity. It’s the extent to which the hue is masked by brown or gray. The color saturation categories include vivid, strong, fair, medium, and weak. The highest quality rubies always have vivid color saturation. Finally, the tone refers to how much color is in a ruby. Its ranges include very dark, dark, medium, light, very light. A medium tone is ideal for rubies.
Clarity and Inclusions
The clarity in rubies refers to how many inclusions it has. Here are some in-depth clarity grades that can determine the overall clarity of natural rubies.
- VVS - Very, very slightly included. These inclusions are minor and can only be seen under 10x magnification. They have no effect on the appearance of the natural ruby.
- SI1 - Slightly included. There are large or many inclusions that can easily be seen with 10x magnification, and they’re also apparent to the naked eye. They have a slight effect on appearance, but little effect on overall brilliance.
- SI2 - Slightly included. Inclusions are easy to see under 10x magnification. They have a slight effect on appearance, and also a slight effect on brilliance.
- I1 - Obvious inclusions. There is a significant on the appearance, brilliance, and transparency.
- I2 - Prominent i nclusions. These have a very significant on the appearance, brilliance, and transparency.
- I3 - Many prominent and obvious inclusions. There is a severe effect on brilliance, appearance, and transparency.
Rubies that are graded as VVS and VS are considered to be the highest qualities.
There are many different kinds of inclusions that are found in rubies. An inclusion is any characteristic that is found inside the stone. Inclusions are natural. Here are common inclusions that are found in natural rubies.
- Crystals - solid inclusions ranging in shape and size
- Needles - Long and thin inclusions that consist of crystals or tubes filled with gas or liquid
- Silk - Fine fibers of rutile or other minerals that resemble silk. Silk is the preferred inclusion in rubies
- Cracks - Feather-like inclusions that also go by the names fractures or fissures
- Twinning - Two crystals that have grown out of one another, or next to each other
- Parting - Any breakage that occurs along a plane of weakness
- Halos - Circular features that surround a crystal
Ruby Transparency
The degree of visibility through natural rubies is referred to as transparency. It’s a quality that is often overlooked when discussing rubies. The categories of transparency include transparent, semi-transparent, translucent, semi-translucent/semi-opaque, and opaque. Transparent rubies have excellent brilliance regardless of any inclusions that they might have. Objects always look clear and distinct through the stone. With semi-transparent rubies, objects appear slightly blurry through the stone. Translucent rubies make objects hard to see. Light can pass through, but it’s slightly diffused. Semi-translucent rubies have a small fraction of light that can pass through the gemstone. Finally, with opaque rubies, almost no light can pass through the stone. Having a transparent ruby is considered ideal, and it’s the highest quality.
Ruby Treatments
The most common treatment for a natural ruby is heat treatment. Rubies are heated to improve their clarity and color. Temperatures more than 1,700 degrees Celsius are used to dissolve silk and improve the overall clarity and color. This can affect their grade and make them higher-quality and more appealing.
Overall, natural rubies are amazing gemstones. They follow the similar process of grading that other gemstones do. Their color, clarity, inclusions, transparency and treatment are taken into consideration when determining their quality and grade.
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