In the last few years the Gemological Community has been in a quandary trying to deal with the new ruby treatments that are on the market. How can we inform our clients, the public about the extent to which the ruby is now being altered without making everyone so worried about rubies that they will not want to own one?

There is now a way that a ruby treatment specialist can take ruby that was unsalable due to large cracks and fissures and bond it together with a filler so that to the unaided eye it looks like it’s natural, untreated ruby counterpart. These specimen quality ruby crystals are selling wholesale to dealers starting at around $5.00 per carat. For the unscrupulous dealer this is a windfall as the same $5.00 per carat rubies are then being sold for hundreds of dollars per carat.

Except for the fracture filling of diamonds in the late 1980’s, I can’t remember in my career a single thing that has so shaken the gems and jewelry industry. Suncoast Gem Lab has the gemological equipment to test rubies to tell if they have been filled and treated. Give us a call to have us check out your ruby to see if it has been treated with the composite material.


Your Master Gemologist Appraiser