Ruby Buying Guide
What is a Ruby?
A Ruby is one of the rarest stones used in the zodiac. It belongs to the corundum family along with sapphires, and is characterized by its color which is always red. While the color can vary slightly from pinkish red to purplish red, only the highly coveted rich red color earns the distinction of Ruby. Anything that is too far on the pink spectrum becomes a pink sapphire. It is the intensity of their color that makes them an extremely potent gemstone, as well as a very valuable one.
Do I need a flawless Ruby?
The clarity of a Ruby is the most important factor when selecting a stone for astrology. Like the rest of the corundum family, Rubies are considered a Type II gemstone, which means they always form with some growth characteristics in them. A perfectly flawless Ruby under magnification is extremely rare and not a realistic criteria. Instead, the stones should be exceptionally clean under magnification. Avoid any but the most minute inclusions. Characteristics like silk (the gemological term for trace minerals of rutile) are considered ok in moderation. Only a trained gemologist should analyze a stone under magnification to determine the clarity level.
What size Ruby do I need?
Rubies have an intense concentration of energy and are extremely potent in the 1 carat size range. Even stones that are under 1 carat have been reported to have powerful results. Larger stones are extremely rare and stones over 3 carats with high levels of clarity are difficult to find.
What shape of Ruby is best?
The shape of the stone you get is not as important as the quality of the cutting of the stone. The shapes can be round, oval, square, rectangle, triangular, pear, etc. The stones should be cut symmetrically so that the bottom point or line of the stone is located centrally under the table (the central face of the stone). Rubies typically grow quite flat so they are usually cut to be somewhat shallow but try to find a stone that isn’t so shallow the light doesn’t reflect brilliantly throughout the stone.