Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are no stranger to the beauty and lore of Burmese rubies - the most prized ones of them all. Burmese rubies have it all, from intense pigeon blood red color to extreme red fluorescence. Their strong fluorescence can be seen even in sunlight. Also known as pigeon blood rubies, Burmese rubies command a premium over ruby varieties from other regions. Burmese rubies have more to them than meets the eye. In this article, I will enlighten you about 5 of the most interesting facts about Burmese rubies.
Two Deposits
Burmese rubies come from two separate deposits in Myanmar - the Mogok region and the Mong Hsu region. While rubies from the Mogok region have a rich mining history, the Mong Hsu deposit is the more recent one. If we compare the two deposits, rubies from the Mogok region are superior in quality, whereas the Mong Hsu region has mainly supplied commercial-grade rubies.
Production Decline
From 1962 to 1990, there was a decline in the production of rubies in Myanmar. It’s only because of that that the market became conditioned to rubies from other regions like Thai and Cambodia. Not to mention that the Thai/Cambodian rubies did have their own share of popularity. Despite that, rubies from Thai/Cambodian regions were only acceptable when Burmese rubies weren’t available. If we talk about this day and age, the production in both Thailand and Cambodia is insignificant.
Special Connection
Burmese rubies were also known as the stone of the soldiers in ancient times. They were believed to have a special connection with those who risked their lives. People believed that Burmese rubies bestowed them with the power to be invulnerable. But merely wearing the gemstone was not enough for the soldiers as they had rubies physically inserted into their flesh to leverage the benefits. Spears, swords or guns, soldiers who inserted Burmese rubies into their flesh were believed to be unaffected by any type of wound.
Rarest and Worthy
Every gemstone mine produces a wide range of quality. It’s a misconception that all the gemstones from famous mines are of the best quality. However, fine-quality rubies from Myanmar usually command a premium in the market. While rubies are also mined in Afghanistan, Malawi, India, Sri Lanka, etc., rubies from Myanmar are the rarest ones because of their excellent quality and out-of-the-ordinary color.
Common Shapes
Burmese rubies are most commonly found in round, oval, cushion or emerald shapes. Some rubies are even cut into cabochon shapes to generate a star effect.
Burmese rubies are one of the most coveted corundum stones. Myanmar has been a historical producer of rubies for a long time. In the trade, the term ‘Burmese ruby’ signifies not only the geographical origin of rubies from Myanmar but also their pigeon blood color. If Burmese rubies tickle your fancy then you can get them from GemsNY, which has a stunning collection of Burmese rubies.
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