5.14 Ct. Ruby from Burma (Myanmar)

This transparent 5.14 carat Burmese ruby is presented in an elegant oval shape, with exact dimensions of 11.56 by 8.24 by 6.02 millimeters, a finely judged scale that suits both classic and modern settings. The cutting style is a mixed brilliant cut, executed to emphasize both color saturation and optical return, pairing a precision cut brilliant crown with a series of carefully faceted lower planes. The clarity is graded as slightly included when evaluated at eye level, a grade that preserves strong transparency while retaining the natural internal characteristics that confirm its origin. The color reads as vivid in intensity, a saturated red that neither leans overly brown nor overly purple, and the surface work is finished to an excellent polish, producing clean facet junctions and lively surface reflections. This ruby has been heat treated using established practices to optimize its hue and clarity, and its provenance is Burma, Myanmar, a source renowned for producing some of the most chromatic rubies in the trade. The Natural Ruby Company places this stone within our collection for connoisseurs seeking a balance of classic origin, technical precision, and visual presence.

The corundum crystal structure of ruby governs its optical behavior in ways that a skilled cutter can exploit to produce exceptional sparkle. Chromium substitution within the aluminum oxide lattice is responsible for the red chroma, and the interaction between that chroma and the facet architecture determines perceived brightness. This ruby benefits from a mixed brilliant approach because the brilliant facets on the crown capture and fragment incident light into high intensity flashes, while the stepped or modified lower facets control the return path of light through the pavilion, minimizing leakage and maximizing scintillation. The oval outline and the specific depth, here expressed in the 6.02 millimeter pavilion height, create a proportion that encourages coherent flash across the table and along the length of the gem. The relatively high refractive index of corundum compared with many other gem species means that well aligned facet angles will produce strong internal reflection and intense contrast, and the excellent polish on every plane ensures that those reflections are crisp and saturated rather than washed out. Slight inclusions, present at eye level, do not obstruct light return in this specimen, and in some lighting situations they act as microreflectors that produce a lively, three dimensional scintillation pattern that changes dynamically with movement.

At the level of craftsmanship, this ruby exemplifies the technical decisions a master cutter must make when working with Burmese rough that exhibits strong, vivid color. The cutter prioritized preservation of weight and color saturation, while refining facet geometry to create balanced light performance across the oval silhouette. Facet junctions are tight and symmetric, which enhances optical coherence, and the girdle thickness is controlled to facilitate secure setting without distracting from the visual plane of the stone. Heat treatment was applied in a measured way to bring forward the chroma and to reduce localized silk, while preserving the natural fingerprint that confirms geographic origin. For jewelry makers and clients, the stone offers a powerful center that will read vividly under daylight as well as warm artificial light, producing broad color flashes interspersed with pinpoint scintillation when the wearer moves. The Natural Ruby Company stands behind the technical description and provenance of this ruby, and we are available to provide additional measurements, high resolution images, and setting recommendations tailored to the optical strengths of the gem. This ruby is particularly well suited to a bezel or low profile prong setting that protects the pavilion and preserves its light return, while allowing the vivid color and refined facet work to command full attention.