Ruby is one of the most beautiful gemstones in the market, its red color semblances passion and love. Ruby is the gemstone associated with royalty and wisdom, there’s no better way to make a person feel like a queen or king than giving her or him a ruby as a present. The rubies are also considered as an amulet to ward off nightmares and danger.
Ruby is the second harder gemstone after the diamonds, the brighter red rubies are usually found in countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Kenya and Afghanistan. Today we’re going to teach you how to tell if a Ruby is real or fake. You just have to follow this steps:
Ruby Scratch Tests
As we mentioned earlier, Ruby is one of the hardest gemstones, therefore it should not be easily scratched:
- With a damp of cloth or a toothbrush clean the ruby, in order to remove any debris or marks. Then dig your fingernail into the gemstone to see if you can leave a scratch. If you can, it’s not a real ruby.
- Scratch the ruby with a series of items, use a knife, sandpaper and a piece of glass, none of this elements should scratch the stone. If after the process there’s no noticeable effect, then the gem is likely to be real.
- Drag the ruby across a porcelain plate, if your ruby leaves any color streak behind is more likely to any other type or substance. The absence of a streak isn’t definitive confirmation but the presence of color confirms that it isn’t real.
Clarity of Ruby
- Rubies have a consistent clarity. If the stone is not the same clarity throughout, it may not be a real ruby.
Cut relative to size
- Most rubies that are over ½ carat will be cut in a complex shape, such a pear or cushion shape. A round shape in a large ruby is a clear signal that it may be fake.
How to protect your investment, take care of your gemstones
Since rubies are so hard and durable, they are very easy to care for but is not recommended to wear them when bathing or in a pool, or near the presence of harsh chemicals. They should be keep away from other pieces of jewelry, as they may scratch other, particularly softer gemstones.
For cleaning, you can use soapy water and a brush, or a commercial jewelry cleanser. It is important to rinse the stone thoroughly and dry it, after cleaning it.
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