2.00 Ct. Ruby

This specimen is a transparent, natural ruby weighing 2.00 carats, presented with a round outline and executed in an asscher style faceting, dimensions 2.00 x 2.00 x 2.00 mm, color described as brownish red with dark color intensity, clarity graded eye clean when viewed at eye level, polish assessed as excellent, enhancement absent, origin unknown, offered by The Natural Ruby Company. The combination of a round silhouette with asscher type step facets is an intentional design choice that marries the classical step cut geometry with a softened outline, creating a stone that reads as both stately and intimate when set. The weight to dimension relationship and transparency indicate a dense, well formed crystal, and the lack of treatments confirms that the material displays its natural optical character without diffusion or heat alteration. The eye clean clarity permits direct appreciation of the step facet planes, and the excellent polish amplifies the depth and saturation of the brownish red body color, while preserving crisp facet junctions that are essential to a refined asscher execution.

From a faceting perspective, the asscher style employed here consists of concentric step planes on the crown and pavilion, each tier arranged to produce parallel optical windows and recurring flashes that are angular rather than dispersed. The crown presents broad, planar tables and truncated corners adapted to the round perimeter, while the pavilion is built with successive keels that guide light back through the face with controlled leakage. This architectural approach moderates scintillation compared with brilliant cuts, favoring sustained flashes and a hall of mirrors effect that emphasizes color and clarity, rather than a scatter of white light. The precision of the facet meeting points, combined with the excellent polish, results in tight light return and minimal windowing despite the stone s dark intensity. The asscher style also offers mechanical advantages, the larger facet planes are less prone to superficial abrasion than micro faceted brilliants, and the robust facet junctions reduce the visibility of wear over time, which is an important consideration for a piece intended to endure across generations.

Color is the defining attribute of this ruby, and the brownish red description with dark intensity requires nuanced evaluation to appreciate its character under different lighting. Tone and saturation interact in this specimen to produce a deep, velvety face up appearance, the brown component moderates the overt ruby red, introducing a warm, antique sensibility that reads differently in daylight and incandescent illumination. Rubies often exhibit pleochroism, an orientation dependent shift between reddish and orangey or purplish hues, and step faceting can accentuate directional color, so the asscher style here reveals layered depth as the stone is tilted, rather than high dispersion. The dark color intensity reduces the functional apparent size when compared with lighter tones, however the concentration of color yields presence and gravitas on the finger or pendant. For those commissioning a setting, an open gallery, a thin bezel, or a light colored metal face up can help maximize perceived lightness and vibrancy, whereas a closed back setting or colored metal can deepen the tone and create a more saturated, antique aesthetic.

As a candidate for a generational heirloom, this ruby combines physical resilience, artisanal cutting, and uncompromised natural origin, all factors that contribute to long term desirability and durability. Corundum ranks Mohs hardness 9, making rubies substantially resistant to scratching and everyday wear, and the asscher style s larger facet planes and excellent polish afford additional resistance to cosmetic wear while maintaining the integrity of its optical architecture. The absence of enhancements is a key provenance attribute, collectors and families often prize unenhanced stones for their authenticity and for the simplicity of conservation over decades. An appropriately engineered setting that secures the stone with protection to the girdle and corners, combined with routine professional inspection and conservative cleaning practices, will preserve the original proportions and polish. When paired with considered documentation and the stewardship of The Natural Ruby Company, this 2.00 carat asscher faceted round ruby has the material and aesthetic qualities to be carefully set, cherished, and passed forward as an heirloom, retaining both emotional significance and technical merit for future generations.