The Color Ruby

Displayed at right is the color big dip o ruby.

The color ruby.

Sapphire the other gem variety of corundum encompasses all colors of corundum. Ruby is the red variety of the mineral corundum. The deeper and more intense the color the more desirable the ruby. The word ruby comes from ruber latin for red.

Ruby is distinguished for its bright red color being the most famed and fabled red gemstone. In most markets pure red colors command the highest prices and ruby with overtones of orange and purple are less valued. The following are common named colors inspired by rubies. Essentially we measure the color of a ruby using three criteria.

The darkness of this ruby has a rich color but can have less sparkle. Rubies that are on the shade of too dark can be the color of a wine color. The finest ruby has a pure vibrant red to slightly purplish red color. However rubies can look stunning in other colors such as pink or brown red.

However rubies come in a variety of colors from bright red to dark pink. Regardless of the combinations of other colors that can be a part of the ruby the primary color is always red. This is supposed to be a metallic color however there is no mechanism for displaying metallic colors on a flat computer screen. Color is the most significant factor affecting a ruby s value.

Tone refers to the amount of color in the ruby ranging from very light to very dark. Its hue tone and saturation. Ruby colors can range from a deep blackish red to an orangish or pinkish red. Hue refers to the ruby s basic color red slight orange strong orange slight purple and strong purple.

Saturation also called color purity and intensity is the extent to which the hue is masked by brown or gray. The most valuable ruby gemstones are a dark red known as blood red or pigeon blood. The color of a ruby is due to the element chromium. A ruby is a pink to blood red coloured gemstone a variety of the mineral corundum aluminium oxide other varieties of gem quality corundum are called sapphires ruby is one of the traditional cardinal gems together with amethyst sapphire emerald and diamond.

Beside for its bright color it is a most desirable gem due to its hardness durability luster and rarity transparent rubies of large sizes are even rarer than diamonds.