Beautiful As Diamonds for Less with Ruby Gems

Rubies have traditionally been some of the more valuable gemstones in use, second only to diamonds and a few others because of their relative rarity. About a decade ago, there was a surge in ruby gems in the world and the materials used to treat them, and they have since become much less valuable as a result. However, they still have many similarities to diamonds that keep them fairly valuable, and they are graded in much the same fashion. Large deposits of ruby gems in Greenland have driven prices down, as have other, smaller deposits in the United States and abroad. However, that has certainly done nothing to minimize the ruby’s eternal beauty.

Traditional Locales

Centuries ago, ruby gems were only found in exotic locations like Thailand, Cambodia, and Afghanistan. Their rarity made them very valuable, but extensive caches have been found since then, and they are actually quite plentiful nowadays. Fortunately, people still find them very beautiful, and demand is as high as ever for these beautiful gems, keeping the price moderate. They are translucent, a little cloudier than glass, and you won’t ever find them among free gems because of the somewhat still high price. In fact, ruby gems are still compared to diamonds in terms of beauty.

The best color is a deep, penetrating red, although they can come in a variety of colors from blue to orange. Each ruby gem may also have a secondary hue like purple, which is also desirable, because it is largely canceled out by a gold band, leaving it appearing pure red. Rubies are also very hard, although only a fraction of diamonds. Their absolute hardness is 400, and they are 9 on the Mohs scale (diamonds are 1600 and 10, respectively). However, they are still too soft to be used to harden blades and surfaces, like diamonds can be used for in manufacturing processes. Still, they are very durable little gemstones.

If you are looking for a cheap alternative to diamond jewelry, consider going with ruby gems instead. You can save a ton of money on the jewelry, and it will be arguably just as beautiful. Often, diamonds are bought only to make a statement because of their well-known value. That’s why they are used so often in engagement rings and the like to signify a deep bond and commitment. Rubies can be every bit as beautiful, but they will cost you much less.