1.49 Ct. Ruby from Burma (Myanmar)

This 1.49 carat round ruby presents itself with precise dimensions of 6.87 by 6.74 by 4.19 millimeters, a near perfectly proportioned round that benefits from a calculated depth of 4.19 millimeters and a depth ratio of approximately 61.6 percent, a proportion that supports strong face up color saturation while avoiding excessive windowing. The cutting style is faceted, executed in a mixed brilliant configuration that combines a brilliant facet scheme on the crown with a complementary pavilion faceting plan designed to enhance light return and preserve color saturation. The mixed brilliant approach here increases apparent brightness and scintillation on movement, while the additional pavilion facetting controls light leakage, creating a balance between lively sparkle and concentrated color. The gem is transparent, with a clarity grade assessed as slightly included when viewed at eye level, meaning microscopic and small macroscopic inclusions are present but do not significantly interrupt the gem's visual performance. These inclusions are consistent with natural origin, and in this specimen they contribute to the stone being identifiable as natural rather than synthetic, while the excellent polish and carefully executed facet junctions maintain crisp facet reflections and strong contrast, maximizing optical performance under both direct and diffused lighting.

Color is the primary value driver in rubies, and this specimen exhibits intense color intensity, a rich saturated red that reads as classic Burmese red under standard daylight balanced illumination. The origin of this ruby is Burma, known as Myanmar, a provenance that materially increases its desirability and market value for technical and historical reasons. Burmese rubies typically form in marble hosted metamorphic environments that favor elevated chromium concentrations and a lower iron to chromium ratio, conditions that promote vivid pure red hues with a characteristic depth and glow. Historically Burmese rubies have commanded premiums because their chromium driven saturation often produces the color qualities collectors and connoisseurs prize most, including strong chroma and a warm medium to medium dark tone that reads powerfully at one to three carats. This ruby has been heat treated, a standard and widely accepted enhancement in the trade, applied to improve color uniformity and to reduce certain silk inclusions without the use of glass filling or other more invasive processes. Heat treatment here optimizes hue and saturation, consolidating the red body color and improving overall transparency, while the clarity grade remaining slightly included retains the stone's natural character and stability.

From a craftsmanship and use perspective this ruby stands out for its combination of technical execution and material provenance. The mixed brilliant cut requires exacting symmetry control and precise pavilion angles to achieve the desired interplay of brilliance and color return, and this piece demonstrates that level of lapidary skill through even facet alignment, minimal girdle irregularity, and an excellent polish that produces sharp facet reflections. The round shape and the listed dimensions make this ruby well suited for classic solitaire settings or for high end cluster designs where a primary red center is required, and the intense color intensity will be emphasized in white metals that provide high contrast, or in yellow gold where the warm metal tone supplements the stone's natural warmth. For mounting considerations, a secure prong setting leaving adequate crown exposure will showcase the mixed brilliant facet pattern, while a bezel with a thin rim will enhance perceived depth and protect the girdle without diminishing color. Given the clarity and polish characteristics, the stone will display a lively face up appearance under retail lighting, while maintaining the provenance based narrative that discerning buyers understand and value.

The Natural Ruby Company offers this 1.49 carat Burmese ruby with full disclosure of its material attributes, including the heat treatment enhancement and the slightly included clarity grade evaluated at eye level. For collectors and trade buyers who emphasize origin and lapidary quality, this specimen represents the intersection of natural geological rarity and refined cutting technique, delivering intense saturated color, controlled light behavior from a mixed brilliant design, and robust market desirability tied to Burmese provenance. We can provide additional gemological documentation upon request, and our team can advise on mounting options that will maximize face up color and long term wearability. For professionals seeking a single stone with the color pedigree of Burma, the practical proportions to translate into a strong face up presence, and the cutting execution that delivers consistent optical performance, this ruby is a compelling option from The Natural Ruby Company.