With magnificent colour, excellent hardness and outstanding brilliance ruby stands alone as the king of gemstones. Rubies are considered top notch among gems and are still the center of attraction in royal décor. Ruby is basically corundum mineral containing traces of chrome and vanadium which are responsible for the rich red color of the ruby crystal. The silky glitter of ruby is due to fine needle like formations in the bulk of crystal called rutile. The red of ruby rings characterizes an incomparably ardent and fond feeling.
There are diverse origins and different forms of the gem ranging from the best ones from Burma (Myanmar) which have exceptional lustre to the Vietnamese with a slight purplish hue. Second to the Burmese ones are the ‘Siamese colour’ – and deep red which is quite popular in the US. Other regions of ruby deposits are: Northern Pakistan in Afghanistan and Kashmir. A ruby stone even with inclusions find their way easy for fetching high prices as inclusions within a ruby are considered a statement of its individuality and proves of the genuineness of its natural origin. The rarity of rubies makes them a dream to have for all who fascinate gemstones.