0.47 Ct. Ruby from Burma (Myanmar)

This ruby is a precisely fashioned 0.47 carat emerald cut, measuring 5.97 x 3.77 x 1.96 millimeters, originating from Burma Myanmar, and presented by The Natural Ruby Company. The outline is a classical emerald octagonal form with gently truncated corners and a broad, rectangular table that emphasizes color depth and clarity. Transparency is excellent, and the stone shows vivid color intensity with very slightly included clarity when evaluated at eye level. The gem has undergone conventional heat treatment to optimize color and clarity, and it carries an excellent polish that leaves facet junctions crisp and reflective.

The faceting is a refined step cut executed to maximize directional light play within a corundum matrix. The emerald cut employs parallel step facets on both the crown and pavilion, creating expansive mirrorlike planes which produce long flashes of light rather than the scintillation typical of brilliant cuts. In this example, the crown features a broad table and successive parallel steps that guide incident light into the pavilion, where proportionally arranged pavilion steps reflect and return that light through the table. The stone depth is approximately forty percent relative to the average of its length and width, a proportion that balances face up spread with internal reflection to preserve saturation while allowing efficient light return. The result is a hall of mirrors effect, characterized by elongated flashes and contrasting dark and light zones that reveal the ruby s internal structure and color zoning in a controlled, architectonic manner.

Color and clarity interplay is central to the gem s presentation. Burmese origin contributes to a naturally rich chromium driven red, here described as vivid in intensity with even saturation across the table and step facets. The emerald cut s large facet surfaces intensify perceived color, so the cutter calibrated facet widths and step angles to diffuse color evenly while maintaining bright, lucid flashes. Clarity is graded as very slightly included at eye level, indicating minor internal features that do not interrupt the primary light paths or appreciably diminish transparency. Because step cuts emphasize broad color fields rather than brilliancy, inclusions that run parallel to facet lines can be rendered less visually intrusive, preserving the stone s clean face up appearance. The excellent polish enhances this effect, minimizing surface scattering and allowing deeper color and internal reflections to read clearly to the viewer.

From a setting and design perspective the geometric faceting allows predictable optical behavior and straightforward mounting strategies. The gem s elongated emerald silhouette lends itself to both solitaire and accent settings, and orienting the long axis vertically in a ring will emphasize the hall of mirrors flashes along the finger line. A low to medium crown height will protect the large table from abrasion while preserving the internal light play, and a fine milgrain or channel setting can complement the stone s architectural feel without interrupting the step facet geometry. At The Natural Ruby Company we advise pairing this ruby with lighter metal tones to enhance perceived brightness, or with a narrow halo of small colorless stones to increase apparent face up size without overpowering the vivid natural red. For buyers seeking technical documentation, high resolution imagery and measured facet maps are available upon request, and our team can advise on mounting tolerances and orientation to preserve the stone s optical performance and provenance.