0.55 Ct. Ruby from Mozambique

This ruby is a transparent, emerald cut gemstone weighing 0.55 carat, with exact dimensions of 6.07 by 4.05 by 2.04 mm, originating from Mozambique and offered by The Natural Ruby Company. The shape is an emerald cut, a stepped rectangular form that emphasizes depth of color and clarity, rather than extreme scintillation. The clarity grade is slightly included when evaluated at eye level, indicating the presence of minor internal features that do not compromise the overall transparency or structural stability. Color intensity is classified as intense, producing a saturated red that is vivid across the pavilion and table. The surface finish is an excellent polish, delivering clean facet junctions and smooth planes that aid in light return. The stone has been heat treated, which is a common and stable enhancement used to refine color and reduce some inclusions without altering the fundamental natural origin or crystal structure.

Color and transparency are primary attributes for ruby quality, and this stone's intense red saturation is a defining characteristic that sets it apart from many comparable specimens. The tone is sufficiently deep to express the red strongly, yet the transparency allows light to penetrate and reflect within the crystal, producing a lively internal glow. Mozambique rubies are noted for their rich, often slightly bluish red hues and for frequently offering strong saturation at sizes where Burmese material may be rarer. Heat treatment in this instance has been applied to optimize the red hue and to improve clarity, a well established practice in the trade that enhances visual appeal while maintaining long term stability. The presence of slight inclusions, visible at eye level, should be understood as natural fingerprints of formation, often adding to the gemological story of the sapphire corundum family, while remaining discrete enough to preserve overall visual impact in most mounting styles.

The emerald cut chosen for this ruby profoundly influences its appearance and perceived brilliance. Unlike brilliant cuts that rely on many small facets to create scintillation and twinkle, the emerald cut uses broad, parallel facets that produce large, elegant flashes of light and emphasize color zoning and clarity. In the case of this 0.55 carat stone, the step faceting creates a mirror like play of light across the table and the crown, highlighting the stone's intense red color and the excellent polish. The cut dimensions of 6.07 by 4.05 by 2.04 mm balance table size with pavilion depth, delivering sufficient light return for a gem of this weight. Slight inclusions are situated in a manner that does not significantly disrupt the main light pathways, particularly when the stone is set with consideration to orientation and mounting. The emerald cut also allows for secure bezel or channel settings, and lends itself to designs that favor a vintage or minimalist aesthetic, where the color and clarity of the ruby remain the focal points.

When compared to more commonly encountered gemstones the optical behavior of this ruby is distinctive. Diamonds display exceptional brilliance and dispersion because of a higher refractive index and specific faceting styles that maximize white light return and fire, therefore a diamond will appear more scintillating under the same lighting conditions. Sapphires, being gemological siblings of ruby within the corundum family, share similar refractive properties, however, rubies often stand out because of their absorption in the blue and green portions of the spectrum, yielding a concentrated red that can appear more vivid and emotionally striking. Garnet and spinel provide attractive color in the red range, but they typically exhibit different refractive index values and less depth of saturation at comparable sizes. This emerald cut ruby is notable for how its intense color and excellent polish compensate for the inherently lower scintillation relative to brilliant cut gems, delivering a refined and saturated red presence that reads as immediate and authoritative once mounted. The combination of Mozambique origin, which is associated with strong, saturated color, transparent crystalline quality, and a precise emerald cut, results in a stone that stands out in contexts where color depth and polished surfaces are prioritized over flash and dispersion. For clients considering settings or combinations with other stones, The Natural Ruby Company can advise on mounting styles that maximize the ruby's broad flashes and preserve the visual integrity of its intense red.