Unheated Indian Star Ruby 6.13 (RSR613)

6.13 Carat
Bordeaux Red
Medium Dark 70
Opaque

GRADING REPORT RSR613

• Identification: Natural Unheated & Untreated Star Ruby
• Carat: 6.13
• Shape: Roundish Single Cabochon
• Measures: 9.30-8.80x5.90 (millimeter)
• Color Grade: Very Good
• Tone: MD70
• Color Zoning: None
• Clarity: Opaque
• Finish: Very Good
• Ray: Very Good (sharp, full, centred and well travelling)
• Depth: 67%
• Origin: India
• Treatment: None

Certificate No: GII 14101929005 (see comment and 'more images')

Overall Grade: Very Good

Comment: From south India, just across the Palk Strait from Sri Lanka aka Ceylon, comes this star ruby. On first sight it is round, although a half millimeter pushes towards oval in one direction. In geological timing, or tectonically spoken, Madagascar, South India and Sri Lanka all have been close neighbors on Gondwana, the one continent on which all gemstones were formed. Thus, it's not surprising that all three are major sources of corundum, sapphire and ruby, or gemstones in general. With roughly 3000km or 2000miles landmass in between, this may be a different clan of corundum compared to those were formed in the part of Gondwanda which is Northern India, Kashmir and Pakistan today. Rubies have always been less abundant in Sri Lanka than sapphires, be it transparent or stars. This 6.13 carat is not flawless and photographs even worse, but it is a natural untreated red ruby with a clear star, visible as soon as light does NOT fall in from every direction. I put it this way because no star remains sharp and clear if light sources become too plentiful. Even the sharpest of all stars (like this spinel) can only process a limited number of light-sources (max I've seen was five or six) before it starts to turn fuzzy and becomes a simple cabochon. This ruby shows its star even under a single attic window. To show you a no-star image I had to block the window. The stars in the handshots are also 'unprovoked'. However, in any star considered for jewelry, one must look at it as a cabochon (without star) to know how it will appear most of the time. From this POV the Indian stars have a good standing. The deep Bordeaux red is a pleasing hue in any light, not pushy, nor blackish. It would not be an inappropriate gem for a gent's ring if any such norms still apply. Check 'more images' for the gem's rough unpolished backside, or under very little light at all, and the one with a single white ray, made to show the topside without star and the most realistic representation of its daily norm view. The violet tinge in the handshot and under the torch can be ignored. All-in-all, a value opportunity for a big star ruby that would best set flush into a solid plain band, platinum if budget allows, but not under US size six. In a pendant, the star would be seen only if dragged out, or with the owner in horizontal position.