3.74 Ct. Cabochon Ruby from Mozambique

This item is a translucent 3.74 carat pear shape ruby with dimensions 16.80 x 7.10 x 3.20 mm, cut as a cabochon and originating from Mozambique, offered by The Natural Ruby Company. The stone presents a pinkish red hue with an intense color intensity and an excellent polish, and it is unenhanced. Clarity is graded as included when evaluated at eye level, so internal features are present and observable without magnification. The pear outline and the stone proportions yield a length to width ratio of approximately 2.37 to 1, providing an elongated silhouette that reads well in drop and pendant applications where the cabochon dome can be oriented to emphasize the color field.

The cutting and finishing emphasize conservation of natural color and translucency rather than faceted brilliance. As a cabochon, the cutter has established a smooth domed profile with careful symmetry along the pear axis to ensure consistent light transmission and an even surface curvature. The excellent polish produces high surface reflectivity, reducing surface diffusion and allowing the viewer to assess internal characteristics clearly. The profile thickness of 3.20 mm is balanced to avoid windowing while maintaining the saturated appearance of the body color. The cutter oriented the table axis relative to crystal growth to retain the most intense hue within the dome, and edge rounding is sufficient to minimize chipping risk during setting. Internal inclusions are visible at eye level, consistent with an included clarity grade, and these features interact with light to create depth and internal texture rather than detracting from the stone when properly mounted.

Under various lighting conditions the optical behavior of this cabochon ruby is nuanced and predictable. In strong daylight the intense pinkish red reads as a vivid, saturated field with good depth, because broad spectrum daylight enhances the absorption bands responsible for ruby color and allows transmitted light through the dome to illuminate internal color zones. In warm incandescent lighting the stone will skew slightly warmer, with the pink component becoming softer and the red component appearing richer, due to the relative emphasis of longer wavelengths in the light source. Under cool LED or fluorescent lighting the tone shifts subtly toward the pinker aspect of the hue, because shorter wavelengths are emphasized and the cabochon transmits those visual cues. In diffused or soft ambient light the surface polish produces a mirror like reflection that highlights the dome shape while the body color remains evenly distributed, making the gem ideal for settings where a steady, saturated color field is preferred. When viewed with a strong directional spot the stone exhibits bright surface highlights and reveals internal structure as contrasting planes of translucency and opacity, and when backlit or viewed in transmitted light the cabochon becomes more luminous, with internal inclusions and color zoning glowing and producing a sense of internal depth rather than faceted scintillation.

Practical considerations for use and setting flow from the material and cut. The cabochon profile and its dimensions make this ruby particularly well suited to a bezel or prong set pendant where the pear axis can be displayed vertically to maximize perceived length, or to an earring design where the high polish and dome provide an even color field. Because the stone is unenhanced and of natural Mozambique origin, it is attractive to collectors and designers who prioritize untreated material, and care should be taken to avoid ultrasonic cleaning if residue is present in surface reaching inclusions. Insurance grade mounting that protects the tip of the pear and secures the girdle area is recommended, and a low profile bezel will protect the edges while allowing the dome to present its color optimally. The Natural Ruby Company stands behind the provenance and the unenhanced status of this piece, and we can provide high resolution imaging and consultation on optimal mounting strategies for display or wearable use.