Rubies are distinguished by their blood-red color. Hailing from Vietnam, Brazil, Afghanistan, Kenya, and Mozambique; these precious gemstones are most commonly found in Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Prized for their rarity, rubies have a rich and colorful history. Treasured by ancient civilizations, this red stone was used as a core stone in the British royal jewels and was traded along the Silk Road towards Western China. These fiery stones are thought to signify authority, wealth, and passion.
So lets get answers to some of the most common questions about selling rubies:
WHERE DO RUBIES COME FROM?
The term “ruby” derives from the Latin word “rubens”, meaning red. Just like the gemstone sapphire, it is a variety of the mineral corundum. They are formed deep in the Earth at temperatures up to 670°C.
There are certain ruby terms, popular in the gemstone community, to familiarize yourself with:
- Burmese Rubies – Rubies mined from Burma are often considered to be the highest quality rubies. The US banned the import of rubies from Burma until 2016.
- Pigeon Blood Red – This term is used to describe the most vivid and valuable of ruby colors.
- Star Ruby – Similar to the Star Sapphire, these stones exhibit asterism, creating a pattern resembling a six-rayed star.
- Ruby Zoisite – This mix of ruby and zoisite crystals creates a colorful green and red stone, only found in Tanzania.
- Ruby Fuchsite – Said to be a healing gemstone, this stone is a mix of Ruby and Fuchsite
HOW MUCH IS MY RUBY WORTH?
Some record breaking rubies have sold for millions of dollars. Like most gemstones, there are several factors that determine a ruby’s value:
Color is the most important factor when valuing a ruby. Ruby colors vary from pink to red. Highly prized rubies are are a bold, deep and intense red. Specifically, Pigeon’s Blood red rubies are the most highly valued for their color. Rubies that are too light or too dark will decrease in value.
There are three elements of color to help understand the color of your ruby:
- Tone – This refers to how light or dark your ruby is. Very light red “rubies” are considered pink sapphires. The ideal tone for a ruby is between medium and medium dark.
- Saturation – This refers to how intense the color of your ruby is. The more intense the color of ruby is, the more it is worth.
- Hue – This refers to the primary color of the ruby and any secondary colors.
Just like any gemstone, how well proportioned your ruby is affects its appearance which also impacts its worth. Rubies are known to have inclusions, therefore a high-quality cut can reduce its visibility.
The carat weight of your ruby is important. As the carat weight increases, so does the value of your stone. At WP Diamonds, we specialize in buying rubies that are 1ct or larger.
This refers to how flawed or flawless your ruby is. While inclusions in a ruby will lower its value, there is one exception to this: asterism in rubies create a star-like shape and can increase the value of your ruby.
To enhance a ruby’s color, it is common for stones to undergo treatments such as dyeing (to boost the color), diffusion (introducing beryllium into the atomic lattice of a ruby while undergoing heat treatment) and heating (isolating purple discolorations and some inclusions). The bottom line is that untreated, natural rubies are worth more than treated rubies.
While rubies are found throughout the world, the most valuable rubies are typically Burmese rubies.
The demand for rubies will either increase or decrease its value, depending on what’s trending in the secondhand market.
HOW DO I OBTAIN INFORMATION ON MY RUBY?
When selling gemstones, it is always beneficial to have documents on your item. Appraisals and any certificates are accepted by gemstone buyers such as WP Diamonds. We always recommend that your ruby be GIA certified if it is over 1ct.
WHERE CAN I SELL MY RUBY FOR THE BEST PRICE?
If you are looking to sell your designer ruby jewelry, popular options include:
| RUBY SELLING OPTIONS | SPEED | GUARANTEE OF SALE | RUBY EXPERTS | FEES | PRICE | ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
| Non-specialist Online Buyers | SLOW | NO | NO | SOMETIMES | HIGH | eBay and Craigslist are user-friendly platforms. However, besides not being able to expertly price your ruby, it can take a long time to sell. |
| Pawnshop | FAST | YES | NO | NO | LOW | This is a fast way to sell your ruby. But pawnshop owners tend to have little ruby knowledge which may result in your underselling your stone. |
| Auction House | SLOW | NO | YES | YES | HIGH | For high valued rubies, this may be a good option. Their experts will help you price your ruby. However, auctions are held infrequently, there are fees to pay and no guarantee your ruby will sell. |
| Online Ruby Buyer | FASTEST | YES | YES | NO | HIGH | WP Diamonds offer a quick and easy way for you to sell your designer ruby jewelry online. Have cash in as little as 24 hours. Our GIA-trained gemologists offer strong prices. |
HOW CAN I SELL DESIGNER RUBY JEWELRY ONLINE?
Selling branded ruby jewelry (i.e. Tiffany, Cartier, David Yurman etc) is made easy with WP Diamonds, we provide a fast, free and secure service. With an A+ BBB rating, we work with hundreds of customers on a daily basis, providing quick price quotes and payments. We specialize in branded jewelry gemstones of 1ct+. Read more about selling designer gemstone rubies to WP Diamonds by clicking here or click the button below to get your price quote.GET YOUR OFFER
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