Natural
Burmese or Myanmar
Ruby
from Mong
Hsu
and Mogok
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A ruby is basically a
gemstone - there are other uses of the word,
sometimes of high value, sometimes not, used in all
kind of jewelry, such as ring, earring, bracelet,
engagement ring, necklace, and
diamond ring,
pendant, gemstones, gold ring, bracelets and many
other variants.
There are also synthetic stones used as fake items
and for industrial purposes such as bearings for
watches, base for red laser light and more.
Gemstones,
silver, gold & more
made the country
world famous on the "gemstone radar".
Ruby jewelry are
also very popular as a gift, engagement rings, for
anniversary, wedding gifts and so on. Most precious
stones come from the area around
Mogok
and Mong Hsu is is further to the east. When having
a look for the Burmese ruby pictures below you will
see how they are mined and how this precious stones
look like.
In the area around the Chanthargyi Pagoda in Mogok a
small hill provides a great
panorama of the town, lake and the surrounding hills, other mining
areas are Madagascar and Sri Lanka, among other.
The gemstones
are very popular but the country has lost quite a
bit of the trade since there is a lack of
sophisticated mining. To mine this
precious stones from Myanmar
everything is still done the traditional way as it
was done since hundreds of years ago. Little
investment is made into mining since all this is
tightly controlled by the government to get their
share of the precious gems.
Mogok in
central Myanmar
is the centre of Burmese rubies
mining, stones
with a "Pigeon's blood" color and good clarity are the most valuable. The precious stones
have been found there for about 800 years. The area
is also well known as a source of sapphires which
may be violet, green, yellow or
orange in addition to the usual deep
blue. Star sapphire and
star ruby,
reflecting a six-pointed star in the
light, are particularly attractive.
There is open mining and tunnel mining,
lots of deposits are there but the mined
stones get smaller and smaller. Precious
stones from the
Mogok
area are the finest that were ever mined, the
most valuable known as the pigeon's
blood colored gem, they also have very distinctive
hair like inclusions named "Shu Taings"
which
.
give them a
particular signature.
There are a few
famous gem
stones, dug up in
recent times, in
1984 a 5.5 carat big
stone was found, the
stone is very
valuable because
almost flawless
which is rather
seldom. In April
1990 another big
Myanmar ruby with
9.25 carat was
discovered at the Pyinlon mine tract
at Mogok, named
"Crown of Nawarat".
Another
Myanmar ruby
with 504
carats was
found at Mogok in
early 1990. This
hexagonal shaped
natural stone was
later cut and
polished, after it
still had 495
carats. This mineral
is kept in the
Museum in Yangon. The
biggest red gem
was found in Kin
village at Mogok
county in 1996 with
a weight of 21450
carat.
Before the British
conquered Burma the
"Ngamauk Ruby" was
the crown jewel of
several Burmese
Kings, one British
military stole the
precious item in
1885 and disappeared
it
was probably recut. Mogok
came onto the "gemstone
radar" in 1207 AD, the
county was part of the
kingdom of a
Shan Sabwa when
the first red stones were found.
This red
gemstones have some distinctive
characteristics, one of them
is reflection, another are
particular inclusions. In
the same layer of earth
garnet and red spinel are
also found. Although at a
first glance all three look
very similar but observing
the stone in bright light
the color change from
light red to dark red which
is physically a double
refraction the other two
don't have because of the
different crystal structure. But its not easy to find
that out if one is not a
real specialist. The best
example is, in the crown
jewels of the British Queen
is a spinel which was
thought is a Myanmar ruby when they
were made.
Lisus, Shans, Gurkhas,
Kachins, Bamars, Chinese, Shan, try
their luck in the gemstone business, some were lucky in the past to find
natural gems and got a lot of
dollars for it, that the stuff legends are
made from.
However, because of the
constant mining over several
hundreds of years and over
exploitation, the quality
stones that were once
abundant are not
so many anymore, there are
still plenty of small red
stones but quality stones
bigger than around 7 mm
became very rare.
Actually another reason for
this is the lack of
investment into new mining
technology due to a lack of
funds, this might change now
(2012). More about gemstones
and precious
stones in crystal,
Madagascar ruby,
Sri Lanka, red spinel,
red tourmaline,
red garnet,
earring,
bracelet,
all available at the shop.
They are also
called the
King of gemstone and it has some true since if
they have the right color and a perfect cut it is
a real beautiful piece of gemstone.
Perhaps no gemstone has been as prized
throughout time. Celebrated in the Bible and in
ancient Sanskrit writings as the most precious of
all gemstone, they have adorned emperors and
kings.
Burmese
rubies
are the red variant of corundum, a sister of
sapphire.
Like Sapphire, they are
A Myanmar
ruby come in
various
forms.
measured 9 on the
Mohs
scale of hardness, making it the second hardest
material known after
diamonds. They also have been used as a
talisman against danger,
disaster, to stop bleeding, and a
number of other ailments. Its
intense color was thought to come
from an undying flame inside the
stone; or, as some
legends would have it, a piece of
planet Mars.
This is
aluminum oxide usually called
corundum, there are traces of chromium or
other impurities during times when the stone
was formed which produce the color. If it’s
a red corundum it’s a ruby, if it is any
other color it’s a sapphire.
After cutting
and polishing most stones show a intensive
red color but they lack a certain level of
light reflection or "sparkling" that's the
reason why they are often combined with
diamonds to form a great piece of jewelry.
Before the 19th
Century all
red gemstones including garnet
and spinel were defined as the same red stone. Some red
stones in the British Crown Jewels have been
thought to be this red stones actually they are spinels, before the 19th Century they people
didn’t have the necessary technical
instruments to look deep into the crystal
structure.
The gradations of red color, impurities,
size and cut mainly define the value of
these precious stones. Variants are
star
rubies (the same is for star
sapphires) have a particular crystal
structures refracting light in a star effect
also called asterism. Usual are 6 pointed
stars but even 12 pointed have been found in
the main mining area at Mogok.
A good
definition is the Sanskrit word which is
ratnaraj, or royal gem, which probably tells everything
of the value.
There is a
certain unique definition for color which is 'pigeon-blood
color' which is the best color available,
they are only found in the Mogok area north
of
Mandalay.
Most
mines
in this area are
privately owned but there is some state
influence to suppress smuggling and tax
evasion, actually everyone can travel to the
this area what makes it difficult to travel
there is the rough terrain and the bad
roads.
Some people travel upstream on the
Irrawaddy River and travel to Mogok from the
Here are Burmese rubies cabochon in
different shades
This
spinel and the ruby below are from
Sparkling Ruby Shop Bogyoke Market
One of
the methods is washing the gravel.
People of various ethnic groups mine
the stones.
nearest jetty.
As usual all these
regulations won’t work and this is
the reason why most of the stones are smuggled
into Thailand and end up at Bangkok and
Chanthaburi which actually is the biggest
marketplace to buy the stones, left picture
show some people from different
ethnic groups.
Some other
sources have been found at
Mong Hsu in
Shan State east of Mandalay
near the Salween or Thanlwin river,
since many stones from
there have a poor quality (dark and many
inclusions) they use a process called
“flux healing” which enhances the overall
appearance but since this is finally a
manipulation and usually not told to the final
buyer it needs to be careful, similar tricks
are done with some low quality jade which is found
mainly further north in Kachin State.
The most
valuable red gems are Burmese, but they
are mined throughout Southeast
Asia. Good quality
gemstones also come from
Thailand,
but they come almost all
the time from across the border, means it's
smuggled in.
Sri Lanka, Vietnam
and Madagascar is also becoming more important as
a source. Unfortunately most of the African
stones have inclusions that diminish
their transparency and value. However, the East
African stones are displayed to full advantage in
cabochon cuts and have done well in the mass
jewelry
market. Meanwhile,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Russia
have all produced occasional top
quality gemstone, but the rough
terrain in these areas has made
mining difficult.
The most important
factor to consider when purchasing
the red gemstone is its color,
clarity
and size. It
comes in a variety of shades ranging
from purplish-red and bluish- red to
orange-red. Like
Sapphires, there is
also a translucent variety called star ruby
that display
a six pointer star when in a smooth domed
cabochon
cut.
The
best
ruby gemstone
has intensely saturated, pure red
with no overtones of brown or blue. After color, the
factors that influence value are
clarity, cut and
size, stones with no visible
inclusions are more valuable than those with visible
internal flaws.
easy available in sizes up to 2
carats, because of their intense color and
durability, they make excellent jewelry stones.
Larger
sizes are available, but top quality stones are
Raw stones for
sale at Chanthaburi
Cabochon of jade, sapphire and rubies
Ruby and jade gem painting from Bagan
much
more rare and
some even more valuable than
colorless diamonds, particularly in
sizes above 5 carats. For instance,
a 16 carats gemstone sold at auction
for more than $200,000at Sotheby's
in 1988.
In May 1995, a 27.37 carat
stone was sold for 4 million dollars
at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland, an
astounding $146,145 per carat.
In contrast,
none of the D-color, internally flawless
diamonds over 50 carats sold in the last
decade can match this value per carat.
Most gems are
traded at
Chanthaburi, the gem
capital of Thailand and south east
Asia and Bangkok to be resold or
manufactured into jewelry,
read
more. This stones are
rarely found perfect in nature, which is why
there is
to intensify or
lighten their color or improve their
clarity, heat enhancement is permanent. The gems often have cracks and cavities which are
filled with glass like materials to improve
their appearance.
This filler may break,
fall or wear out over time if exposed to
heat, abrasives or an impact.
for both treated or untreated stones, best cleaning method is just use soapy
water and a
brush,
read more.
Myanmar,
Madagascar plus Bangkok and
Chanthaburi in Thailand are some of
the places where they can
be bought at a
gemstone
market. Markets are in Mogok where the mines are
or at the Bogyoke Market in Yangon.
At Bogyoke Market
every day gem dealers offer them and sapphires just out from the pocket.
A gemstone shouldn't be
bought by foreigners since nobody know where to go after the
buyer maybe find out that the value is not
as good as promised, maybe heat treated, who
knows.
Gem "paintings"
is a very unique for of art, the whole is a
bit strange bit many people like it, read more.
On top of it if
you want to export the gem you need a
official paper and this is only available
from a licensed dealer. Actually this is
somehow similar
In crystal, see more at
pictures
Burmese rubies
at
Bogyoke Market with Jewelry Necklaces
Cabochons at Bogyoke Market Yangon
Myanmar Jewelry at Bogyoke Aung San
Market Yangon.
to Sri Lanka,
Madagascar and elsewhere, sapphires are
physically the same mineral only with a
different color.
Many Mong Hsu gems
find
their way to
Thailand
and in particular to
Bangkok and
Chanthaburi which
is also a gemstones marketplace, the country also has a small
production of
diamonds.
If you are
interested in ruby jewelry,
ring,
necklace, pendant, engagement rings or
bracelet and don't have enough money
available you could also buy a deep red
spinel necklace or other spinel jewelry, it
almost looks the same. Gem auction are done
twice per year at the Yangon emporium. If
you ask yourself quality stones are always
Burmese.
A ruby gemstone and cut and
polished
in general have symbolized passion and romance
for centuries. The gemstone is also the birthstone for month of
July, and it is recommended for married couples
celebrating their 15th and 40th wedding anniversary.
With the color of blood the stone is symbolic of
courage and bravery. Warriors were said to have
implanted them under their skin to bring them
valor in battle and make them invincible, it's
really strange what the human mind is creating.
is a variant of the mineral
corundum, like sapphire,
the difference is only the color.
It is the birthstone for the month
of July and together with
emeralds and
diamonds, this is one of the four very
precious stones.
The old Romans gave the
name in Latin, that's "ruber" which which
means red. Currently about 70 % of
the world's production come from Burma. But there is a new "kid in the block", its Madagascar.
With the help of Thai investors
Madagascar is quickly becoming a
major player in worlds market, since
the main production
facilities Mogok sees no investment into
sophisticated mining.
In Madagascar its even worst.
Other mining
is going on in Vietnam,
Thailand and
Sri
Lanka
They have been known and high valued
since the antique. Words about them
are in the bible and also India
has a long tradition of using the
stone for jewelry.
Mogok still produces the most
valuable and rare gems called
'pigeon's blood'.
The name of the
mineral corundum is a derivative of
the
Sanskrit
word kuruvinda,
much more is
here.
They
are real hard stuff,
only
diamonds
beat them in
hardness. Gemstone
tipped blades for
the cutting of other
very hard materials
takes this into
account, but most of
these applications
use synthetic
stones. Synthetic
stones are also used
for jewelry, and
make a more
affordable choice,
so, watch out. But
frankly speaking for
an untrained eye
there is no
difference visible.
A good substitution
would be a spinel,
actually I think it
looks even better
and until about 200
years ago both were
classified as the
same. Even in the
British crown jewel
are spinel because
at that time they
thought this are
real ones.
Colors
clarity and size are the determining
factor of value. Less priced
precious stones are used in less
expensive jewelry, they are more
opaque. Real high quality gems are
very rare, even more rare than
diamonds, especially stones that are
over 3 carats in weight. A variation
almost identical is spinel it comes
in lots of colors, most popular is
red.
These
stones can be found in the same
locations and one of the few ways to
tell the difference between the
stones is by testing its hardness.
The real difference between ruby and
sapphire are traces of
chromium
which entered the crystal when it
was formed and produce the red
color.
is a
very special one, this
amazing six rays and even up to 12
rays are something real
unique, actually its the same with
sapphires which are the same
minerals only with a different color. Many
beautiful pieces of Burmese rubies
jewelry are made with synthetic
stones this
days, or gemstone looking similar
- such as spinel, because it becomes
more and more difficult to find real
good minerals.
On the other
hand synthetic stones are very clear
and have no inclusions, since almost
all genuine stones have some
inclusions or at least small flaws
in them it is a good indicator if it
is a natural stone or from the lab.
Inclusions naturally always affect
the price
along with other factors such as the
depth of the red color, the cut and
the carat size of the
mineral. Many
times other stones like red spinel,
red tourmaline and red garnet are
used instead, since they
look very similar to a untrained
eye. It needs a thorough gemological
check of
Burmese Rubies plus
star ruby for sale.
Gem trading
at Chanthaburi
Thailand
any jewelry
where the red stones are used before you purchase it,
since all other red precious stones are
worth much less than a genuine ruby.
Buying
the gems, raw at Chanthaburi or directly from the
jewelry shop will come with a
certification and a official invoice -
no credit cards - to be presented to custom
at leaving Burma, that means it is very
unlikely you will be cheated with a false
gem. It is possible to hire an expert to go with
you on a shopping tour, use the contact for
info.
In terms of hardness, the diamond is on
top with a mohs scale of 10 while the ruby's
hardness is 9. In 1960 Theodore Maiman has
successfully made the first laser
and this laser was based on a ruby
which opened up a whole new field of
technical applications, but this has
been taken over by synthetic stones
with similar properties than natural
gems but much cheaper. This
gemstones can be found at internet shops,
jewelry shops and jewelry auctions and gem
stores.
When your
budget is not big enough for of authentic
pigeon's blood
ruby jewelry,
acceptable substitutes and synthetic
replacements are easy to find and you can be
almost sure no one will see the difference
anyway since most synthetic gems cannot be
distinguished from their genuine
counterparts unless a expert is looking at
them. The probability to get cheated with
false stones and/or heat treated stones is
very high in Thailand. However its turned or
twisted they are some of the most popular
gemstone in the world. The color ranges from
pink to pigeon blood, this color is the most
valuable, they are corundum, the same
mineral as sapphires.
As with other gemstone,
there are different factors to
determining the price and quality.
The price of the gem is
determined by color, clarity and
size.
With
the more
saturated
the red and
more clearer
the gem is,
the higher
the price
will be. The
other
factors are
the cut and
size /
weight in
carat, this
are the
parameter
for the
quality.
But however
it is
twisted
and turned a
top quality
stone always comes
from Myanmar and
some of
them
fetched
higher
prices than
comparable
diamonds. It is
somehow common to make great
jewelry since
the red gem won't sparkle, the
diamond does, and that is an
ideal combination.
Color
range is from brownish red
to light red but most have a slight blue tendency.
The stones fluorescence
under the right light, this
is because of different
density with natural and
synthetic stones which again
is a good indicator what is
good and no good.
This
is the birthstone for July but
is used anytime as a present to
lovers, maybe together with a
diamond. The red color is
interpreted by many people as
passion and power. Long time ago
royalties wear this stones since
they believed it brings them
magical power.
Myths and legends tells that the
stone turns dark when trouble is
coming. Ruby is cut and polished
into different styles, since
this gemstone by itself doesn't
reflect the light very good such
as a diamond with jewelries
often a combination with
diamonds is used to get some
"fire" into.
Preferred cuts are brilliant and
various step cuts. Some not very
clear gems are round cut and
polished this are cabochon. In
general the less the inclusions
are the higher the the value is.
Very rare is the possibility
that the gem show color changes
because of light conditions this
is called chatoyancy.
Synthetic stones and heat
treated have almost no
imperfections, now, when you want
to go shopping and ask yourself
, how to buy a ruby, first
consider what is written above
and take a magnifying glass with
you (at least 10 times
magnifying and a torch light
with this you already figure out
about 80% which has only low
value. The thing is all this
treatment is not visible for an
untrained eye with no tools but
after about 2-3 years the
precious stone will deteriorate
and you money virtually
evaporates.
The Ruby price
highly depended on the color,
size and clarity. There are
practically no rubies without
inclusions this is the reason
why valued is so high for clear
stones.
Good red gem over about 8mm are
very rare in general, inclusions
are also a good indicator for
natural rubies because if there
are no inclusions the stone was
either heat treated, which also
eliminate the internal rutile which are natural,
filled with resin or it is
synthetic. If all positive
parameter come together it
get's very expensive.
There are some acceptable
practices to enhance the
quality, but they are only
acceptable when it is told to
the buyer afterwards, but the
fact is usually they to hide
this enhancement and try to get
the full price of a natural
ruby. E.g. most gems coming from
the mine district of Mong Hsu
east of Mandalay are
heat treated already at the
source because the quality is
low. The red stone from that
area usually are not as good as
the minerals coming from Mogok,
the premier mine district in the
country about 120km north of
Mandalay.
A very special edition of this
gemstones
are
star rubies and sapphire, cut
and polished as cabochons they
show usually a six point star
when a dot light source is
directed to them. The reason why
this happens with both of them
is, because they are the same
minerals only a different trace
element entered the gem when it
was formed. Sapphires come in
much more color variants than
rubies, one of the most
interesting beside of a blue
sapphire is a pink one, it looks
very similar to a gorgeous pink
diamond.
When
you are done to select the stone
you like and negotiated the ruby
price tell the sales guy to take
the stone and go out to the
normal light to check if you
still like it, the reason for
this is, in the jewelry shop
they use special lights of a
very particular wavelength which
can enhance the color
dramatically.
If you intend to
buy one over about $ 1000,- it
is almost mandatory to have the
shop people go with you to an
independent lab for analysis,
don't believe anything the sales
people tell you, also if they
show you a certificate, this can
be issued by a friendly source
or simply falsified, which is
very common in Thailand for any
expensive jewelry.
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