2.68 Ct. Ruby from Mozambique

This 2.68 carat cushion shape ruby is a transparent, mixed brilliant cut gemstone measuring 10.14 x 7.20 x 3.76 mm, offered by The Natural Ruby Company. The gem displays a vivid red color intensity that remains consistent across its table and crown facets, a clarity grade of included, evaluated at eye level, and an excellent polish that enhances surface reflection and facet definition. The stone has undergone routine heat treatment to optimize color saturation and to improve overall clarity, a common and accepted enhancement in fine rubies. The mixed brilliant facetation has been selected to achieve an optimal balance between color depth and light performance, presenting a lively yet substantial face up presence for its weight and dimensions.

The journey of this ruby began in Mozambique, in one of the country's alluvial and primary ruby producing areas. In the field, rough material is extracted by a combination of mechanized and manual methods, then subjected to initial washing and sorting to separate gem quality pieces from matrix and lower grade fragments. Early assessment in the field focuses on color and overall transparency, which are the primary indicators of potential value. This particular piece was identified for its unusually transparent core and strong red tone, characteristics that led to its selection for further cutting. Throughout the mine to export chain, the rough was handled with attention to documentation and traceability, allowing The Natural Ruby Company to maintain a clear provenance record from source to final sale.

Once the rough arrived at our processing facility, experienced lapidaries evaluated the crystal habit and internal structure to determine the most appropriate cutting strategy. The decision to execute a cushion shape with a mixed brilliant facet arrangement was based on preserving weight while maximizing the stone's visual appeal. Mixed brilliant cutting combines a modified brilliant pavilion with a step or mixed crown, which in this case serves to transmit the ruby's vivid red without overpowering fire, and to minimize light leakage given the stone's proportions of 10.14 x 7.20 x 3.76 mm. During cutting, inclusions were mapped to ensure the table and key facets presented cleanly to the eye, consistent with the included clarity grade evaluated at eye level. The stone was subsequently subjected to controlled heat treatment, a process applied to stabilize and intensify color and to reduce certain types of silk and rutile inclusions, carried out by experienced technicians using established thermal protocols. Final polishing achieved an excellent polish grade, refining facet junctions and surface smoothness to produce crisp reflections and an even face up appearance.

Prior to market presentation, the ruby underwent detailed measurement, weight confirmation, and documentation by The Natural Ruby Company, including full notation of origin, enhancement, and grading observations. The resulting record lists the weight as 2.68 carat, the shape as cushion, the cut style as mixed brilliant, dimensions as 10.14 x 7.20 x 3.76 mm, clarity grade included evaluated at eye level, color intensity vivid, polish excellent, transparency transparent, enhancement heat treated, and origin Mozambique. These specifications support transparent communication to potential clients and to independent appraisers. In a retail or bespoke setting the gem is suitable for a range of settings where its face up size and vivid color can be showcased, and it performs particularly well when set to allow light entry through the pavilion and to maintain visual depth. Care recommendations are provided with purchase to preserve polish and color, noting that routine cleaning with warm soapy water and a soft brush is appropriate, and that professional inspection of settings is advised to prevent accidental exposure to strong mechanical shocks.

This ruby represents the convergence of responsible sourcing, considered lapidary practice, and quality control, documented from the initial identification in Mozambique to the finished gemstone offered through The Natural Ruby Company. The narrative of its transformation illustrates the practical decisions made at each stage to retain weight while enhancing optical character, to disclose enhancement clearly, and to certify measurements and grades that matter to gemologists and jewelers alike. The result is a transparent, vivid red ruby, precisely cut and polished, with complete specification and provenance, ready for incorporation into a finished piece or for independent assessment.