0.86 Ct. Purplish Red Ruby from Burma (Myanmar)

This specimen is a transparent, oval shaped ruby weighing 0.86 carat, with precise dimensions of 5.27 by 4.44 by 4.20 millimeters. The hue reads as purplish red with a dark color intensity, and the stone is of Burmese, Myanmar provenance, with no enhancements reported. The mixed brilliant cut has been executed to emphasize both color saturation and light return, and the overall finish is noted as having excellent polish. When assessing proportions, the average of the length and width is 4.855 millimeters, which yields a depth proportion of approximately 86.6 percent. That relatively deep profile concentrates the chroma and produces a velvety, saturated face up appearance typical of fine Burmese material, while also requiring precise faceting to maintain acceptable brightness and minimize areas of extinction.

The mixed brilliant faceting in this oval uses a brilliant pattern on the crown combined with a modified pavilion arrangement, which creates a balance between dispersion and color saturation. The crown pavilion relationship and table sizing have been tuned so that the crown facets disperse light into small, lively flashes, while the deeper pavilion redirects light to enhance color concentration rather than maximize white brilliance. Excellent polish ensures that facet planes and junctions are sharp, producing crisp specular highlights and minimizing internal light scattering. The mixed brilliant approach works well for material with strong chroma, because step like pavilion elements preserve color depth while crown brilliants maintain scintillation across the table and near the girdle.

Clarity is graded as slightly included at eye level, indicating that natural inclusions are visible to a trained observer without magnification, but they do not dominate the stone or materially weaken it. Burmese rubies commonly display rutile silk, small crystals, and occasional fingerprint or fluid inclusions, and these internal features in this stone contribute to the overall gem character rather than detract from it. The transparency remains good, and the slightly included clarity allows the purplish red hue to read strongly across the table. The absence of enhancements, such as fracture filling or heat alteration, is significant for collectors and connoisseurs, because untreated Burmese rubies of fine tone command a distinct market preference due to their natural color origin and inherent stability. In practical terms, the untreated status means that the color and clarity are intrinsic to the material, and standard gemological care protocols apply.

From a durability standpoint the material is corundum, which occupies a nine on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, second only to diamond at ten. This places it above commonly used gemstones such as topaz and beryl, and ensures strong resistance to scratching under normal wear. The hardness, combined with the good transparency and excellent polish, makes this ruby very suitable for most jewelry types, including rings, pendants, and earrings, although the deep cut profile suggests consideration of protective settings. For everyday rings a bezel or low profile multi prong setting will protect the girdle and pavilion apex, reducing risk of edge chipping from lateral impacts. Because this stone is not fracture filled, conventional ultrasonic and steam cleaning are acceptable with routine caution, but any cleaning or setting work should be performed by a professional jeweler who can assess the particular internal structure. The Natural Ruby Company presents this piece as an example of untreated Burmese corundum with high chroma, expert cutting, and robust wearability, and we welcome inquiries for detailed imaging, mounting recommendations, and laboratory documentation.