Ruby Sapphire Ore Specimen #109

$ 48.00

  • Ruby Sapphire Ore Specimen #109
  • Measures approx. 2 1/4" x 1 3/4" x 1 1/2"
  • People who know about gemstones know that a sapphire is blue in color and a ruby is red. This is the basic difference between sapphires and rubies. What most people do not know is that they are made of the same mineral called corundum. Ruby is a red precious stone; it is made of the mineral corundum.
  • Ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral Corundum. The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, which is Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called Sapphires. The ruby is considered one of the four Precious Stones; the Sapphire, the Emerald, the Ruby and the Diamond. Rubies are essentially just the name for a red Sapphire.The price of a ruby is mostly attributed to its color. The brightest red, called, “pigeon blood,” are the most valuable. Pink, orange, and purple are the normal secondary hues in ruby. A rich purple undertone reinforces the red making it appear richer. Like diamonds, clarity, cut, and carat are also contributing factors. Some rubies have either a 3-point, or 6-point asterism called a “star.” They were originally mined only in Burma, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, although in the past century, deposits have been found in Tanzania, Madagascar, Vietnam, and Pakistan.Very recently, large amounts of rubies were found in Greenland. An early record of the transport and trading of rubies is seen in the literature on the North Silk Road of China, where rubies were carried along this ancient trade route moving westward from China as early as 200 BC.
  • Sapphire is the birthstone for those born in September and for the Zodiac, it is regarded as the stone for Taurus. Ruby and sapphire are the same material, the mineral Corundum, and the second hardest gemstone after Diamond. Red corundum is known as Ruby, while all other colors are referred to as Sapphire. While blue is the classic sapphire color, Sapphires are actually found in a wide range of colors, including yellow, pink and green. The coloring agents in blue Sapphire are iron and titanium and in violet stones, Vanadium. Small amounts of iron impurity will result in yellowish and greenish stones. Chromium will produce pinks and iron and Vanadium will produce orange tones as well. Rutile needle inclusions will result in a silky shine to the stone. If these needles are aligned in the same direction, then this causes the six-rayed star sapphire affect.Like rubies, sapphires can display a 6-point asterism called a “star.” Sapphires are considered one of the four Precious Stones; the Sapphire, the Emerald, the Ruby and the Diamond.
  • Sapphires come from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Tanzania, and the Kashmir region of India, and Burma. Today, Sri Lanka and Madagascar produce most of the fine sapphires on the market. Throughout history, Sapphires were gemstones of the highest level. In Folklore, the Sapphire was believed to be a talisman that would protect you against evil spirits and demons of the night. The ancients regarded star sapphires as a powerful talisman protecting travelers and seekers. In contemporary stone folklore, they are believed to enhance focus and creativity, and still to protect from evil spirits.
  • Origin is India