4.02 Ct. Ruby from Mozambique

This specimen is a transparent, oval shaped natural ruby weighing 4.02 carats, with precise dimensions of 11.40 millimeters by 8.30 millimeters by 4.90 millimeters, and a mixed brilliant faceting scheme. The mixed brilliant cut here is executed with a brilliant crown to maximize scintillation and a modified pavilion geometry to deepen face up color, a deliberate choice that favors color saturation while retaining lively light return. When calculated against the average diameter of the stone, the pavilion and girdle depth yield an overall depth that is approximately 49.7 percent, which produces a strong face up presence and a broad table, aiding visible color intensity. Clarity is graded as included at eye level, which indicates natural internal features that are visible without magnification, yet the transparency remains high enough that the ruby presents an even and intense red in viewing. Polish is graded excellent, which optimizes facet junction sharpness and minimizes surface diffusion of light, preserving crisp facet contrast and the integrity of the mixed brilliant design. The piece has been heat treated, a common and stable enhancement in ruby processing, used to improve color uniformity and reduce the visual impact of some inclusions, and its geographic origin is Mozambique, a source known for rubies with vibrant chromatic tone and robust saturation.

From a lapidary and setting perspective, the faceting and proportions of this oval lend themselves to a variety of mounting strategies. The mixed brilliant crown produces star and kite facets that break light into strong flashes, while the modified pavilion retains depth of tone, creating a balance between brilliance and color depth that is particularly effective in stones with intense color intensity, as this ruby displays. The relatively shallow depth compared with length and width increases the apparent spread on the finger or in a pendant, providing an arresting face up size without compromising the overall light performance. Excellent polish enhances facet crispness and reduces unwanted surface scattering, which is essential in rubies with included clarity because it helps maintain saturation and visual clarity. For practical jewelry design recommendations, settings that expose the pavilion slightly in a well proportioned bezel or a four to six prong secure mounting will maximize the face up impact while protecting the girdle. Because the stone has been heat treated, standard jewelry care practices apply, and the hardness of corundum ensures excellent wearability for everyday jewelry.

When compared with lab grown rubies, this natural Mozambique ruby offers intrinsic attributes that appeal to discerning collectors and connoisseurs. Lab grown rubies often achieve very high clarity and uniformity, with growth patterns and inclusion suites consistent with laboratory synthesis, and they offer cost efficiency and extreme purity. In contrast, natural rubies such as this piece carry geologic signatures and inclusion types that record formation history, and those natural internal characteristics contribute to the stone's identity, provenance, and rarity, which in turn affect long term market value. Both natural and lab grown rubies share the same fundamental corundum chemistry and hardness, so durability is comparable, but the natural stone provides an irreplaceable link to a specific origin, Mozambique in this case, and a premium associated with genuine natural formation. Heat treatment on natural stones is widely accepted in the trade when fully disclosed, and The Natural Ruby Company provides transparent documentation and expert guidance on each specimen. For buyers seeking a ruby with technical lapidary merit, demonstrable origin, investment potential, and the nuanced color and inclusion characteristics that only natural formation can yield, this 4.02 carat mixed brilliant oval ruby is a compelling option, and we recommend professional gemological verification and bespoke setting consultation to fully realize its aesthetic and market value.