(New Challenges to be Discussed Next Journal)

Rubies and sapphires are the same gemstone; corundum. Corundum is a durable, brilliant and versatile mineral with many uses from jewelry to military. Corundum naturally occurs in every color of the rainbow. When corundum is any color but red it is called sapphire. Red corundum is ruby.

Challenge #1: Color

Many jewelers sell what is magenta or pink sapphire as ruby. While the client is still getting corundum, it is not ruby. Ruby must be a true red, some call it ‘pigeon-blood red’ which I find a bit gruesome, but you get the idea.

What is the difference between a raspberry "ruby" and a raspberry sapphire if they are both corundum? How about thousands of dollars per carat? Rubies command one of the highest prices in the gem world due to their rarity in fine qualities. In fact, fine ruby is more expensive than diamond with all things being equal.

Marketing magenta, pink-red, raspberry or orange-red sapphires as rubies is wrong and should be illegal. I have appraised more magenta or raspberry "rubies" which to the surprise of the clients are really sapphires. There is nothing wrong with a magenta sapphires, they are beautiful but they are not rubies. Flat-out, magenta or raspberry "rubies" are really sapphires and as such are not worth as much as a true ruby.

Challenge #2: Man-Made vs. Genuine

‘Natural’ or ‘genuine’ rubies are rubies made by nature and God. Man-made or synthetic rubies are made by man. The recipe for most gemstones goes as follows: particular elements combined with certain trace elements subjected to heat and pressure. Whether that recipe is followed in the Earth or in a man-made crucible, a gemstone can be produced.

Without gemology expertise and training, it is virtually impossible to determine whether or not a ruby or sapphire is man-made. There are particular inclusions and reactions to light which are identifying factors of a man-made ruby or sapphire. An expensive laboratory test can also be used to identify man-made gems. For appraisal purposes, I have another Gemologist I use as back-up in case I find a man-made or synthetic ruby or sapphire that has been sold as genuine.

In fact, I appraised a platinum, diamond and ruby ring sold to a client during a local mall store’s "Going Out of Business Sale." This client is an educated jewelry consumer with a good eye and plenty of knowledge, much more than your average jewelry salesperson. This local store was a high-end, mall store with marble interiors and an owner who claimed "over 25 years" in the industry, however she was closing the shop and moving out of state to take care of an infirm relative. What does that mean? No returns, no recourse, no possible response to any complaints or wrong-doing.

The ring’s original receipt stated "genuine ruby" in the owner’s handwriting. However, the ruby was man-made. After a confirmation by my back-up Gemologist, I broke the news to the client. Fortunately, the ring was purchased a number of years ago and with the appreciation in the platinum and diamond markets, the price paid was approximately the same value it holds today. However, the price paid was allegedly 50% off of the normal retail value and the price paid was for a genuine ruby, not a man-made ruby. If the ring held a genuine ruby instead of a man-made ruby the ring would be worth at least $2,000 more than it is currently worth. (This is another issue I will not get into right now, but the ‘going out of business’ price was no bargain-so, caveat emptor.)

Although it is tempting to blame the owner who wrote "genuine ruby," the simple fact is that she probably did not know that the ruby was man-made. How can this be? How can an owner of a high-end, mall jewelry store for "over 25 years" not know that a ruby or sapphire is synthetic? Easy, she trusted her gem and jewelry suppliers and did not have enough knowledge to check the gems herself. The truth is that anyone with the money to do it can open a jewelry store.

At Soulmates Jewelry, Peter and I will take the time to educate you until you do not want to hear anymore. We will show you the inclusions that prove the gem is genuine. We will explain until you are hearing "fingerprint inclusion" echoing in your ears. But even with all of that, our way of doing business and our jewelry is our business card.

Peter and I examine every single gemstone we purchase in Tucson to such an extent that one of our diamond melee (under 0.33carats) suppliers actually asked me to grade a few diamonds he had just gotten in from a wholesaler.

We take gemstones, gemology and jewelry design, manufacture and art seriously. Peter and I continue our jewelry education with independent study, formal study and dedication to constantly asking leading industry minds about topics of interest. Jewelry is our life. We love it, we talk about it when we are not at work, we simply adore the jewelry industry.