Ruby red is a term commonly used to describe the bright red color of just about anything. Color is the most significant characteristic attributed to rubies value. For this reason, there is some debate over the actual color range of rubies.
By GIA standards, rubies range in color from slightly purplish red to orangish red with the primary color always being red. The most prised color of ruby is pure red to slightly purplish red with vivid saturation and medium tone. This ruby color is commonly referred to as “pigeon blood red” or the color of Bermese ruby.
The color debate comes when a stone has too much purple, orange or is so desaturated that the color of the stone is pink rather than red. Again, the primary color of the stone must be red, so if your initial reaction when looking at a stone is that it is pink or purple or orange, then most likely the stone is a sapphire.
Rubies command more money than sapphires, so it’s not unusual for a pink sapphire to be referred to as a ruby. I once commented on a beautiful pink sapphire ring on the finger of a worker at Home Depot. She seemed offended that I called the stone a pink sapphire, because it was sold to her as a ruby. To me, it was clearly a pink sapphire.
The image above shows a Chatham ruby as well as a Chatham pink sapphire. Can you see the difference?
Author: Michelle M. Rahm is a GIA-trained Graduate Gemologist and is President of Colorado’s Mile High Chapter of the GIA Alumni Association. She has been selling gemstones and jewelry online since 1997. Visit her websites JewelryImpressions.com and OurCustomWeddingRings.com
