Extraordinary Gemstones · 03
Ruby
The king of precious stones
In Sanskrit, ruby is ratnaraj, king of precious stones, and in the ledgers of the great auction houses, the title still holds. Carat for carat, the finest rubies stand among the most valuable objects on earth.
Ruby is corundum turned incandescent by chromium. The same element that colours the stone also makes it fluoresce, so that a fine ruby appears lit from within, the effect tradition calls pigeon's blood.
From the House
Ruby, in the house's hands
The Science
What the earth had to do
A stone that burns
Chromium replaces a fraction of the aluminium in the corundum lattice, absorbing green and violet light and returning pure red, then adding red fluorescence on top of reflection. This is why an exceptional ruby seems to glow even in shade.
Scarcity by chemistry
Chromium and large, clean corundum crystals rarely occur together; the geochemical conditions that supply the colouring agent usually fracture or restrict the crystal. Rubies of fine colour above three carats are rare; above five, exceptional; above ten, historic.
Silk and life
Traces of fine silk scatter light softly through the stone, lending the velvet the connoisseur looks for. As with sapphire, untreated colour is the dividing line between the beautiful and the extraordinary.
Provenance
Where the finest come from
The Mogok valley of Burma (Myanmar) is ruby's legend, the source of the pigeon's blood standard. Mozambique now produces magnificent stones and has taken its place beside the classics; Thailand and Vietnam hold their own chapters in the stone's history.
Collecting
How collectors judge it
The hierarchy is unforgiving: colour first, then the natural, untreated state, then origin, clarity and size. Documented Burmese stones of fine colour stand at the summit of the coloured stone world.
The Genesis Perspective
Rubies run through the Genesis workshop: a cascade of rubies framed in brilliant cut diamonds, and a butterfly poised in rubies and pavé, are among the house's signature creations.
From the Workshop
Ruby at Genesis
All Masterpieces →
Further Reading
From the Genesis Journal
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Whether you are searching for an extraordinary natural gemstone, commissioning a bespoke creation or seeking expert guidance, we look forward to hearing from you.