Fashion & Beauty

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Ruby is definitely the most valued gem throughout history. Even in the history of the emperors, ruby has been 'graced' the emperors and kings in the past time with its rich and bright colors. In Indonesia, ruby known as Mirah [red], symbolizing passion and romance.

Ruby is the July birth stone and also the recommended gem for couples to celebrate a wedding anniversary on days 15 and 40. This stone is also a symbol of courage and fortitude.

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The gem, which is a variation of corundum, sapphires brother (sapphireini) is located at the "9.0" level of  mineral hardness on the Mohs scale, which makes it the second hardest stone after diamonds.

The most valuable ruby comes from Myanmar (formerly Burma). They also mined throughout Southeast Asia, where good quality stones come from Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Kenya and Tanzania is also an important resources site for ruby mining.

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We have to look careful to its color when buying a ruby. Ruby comes from various color from purple and bluish red to orange-red. Alike sapphire, there are also a transparent ruby which can display a six-point star if the cut stone is fine.

The best Ruby is the one that experience intense saturation, pure red with no brown or blue tones. After the color, other factors affecting its value is clarity, cutting, and size. A clear of ruby stone with no visible inclusions are more valuable than those with visible internal defects.

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Ruby rarely found perfect in nature – this is why many of ruby should passed the heat-treatment to brighten the color or improve clarity. The permanent increasing of heat is a stable process.

Some ruby also has a fracture surface or a hole, which was then filled with glass material to improve their appearance. This field is very abrasive, fragile, fall out or come out from time to time if exposed to heat. The safest cleaning method for ruby is to use soapy water (or a mild commercial solvent) and a brush. (Various sources)