Estate jewelry before was sold only at auctions. They used to cater only to exclusive buyers or collectors. They’re now trying to reach out to the great market though. Many people who love antique ruby rings for sale often try their luck at flea markets or second hand shops. This is very frustrating for some because you have a very limited choice in designs. Not all stores or stalls carry a wide collection so looking for them will prove to be a waste of money and time.
Thanks to technology, you can now shop for your ideal antique ruby rings all in the comforts of your home. Many dealers, sellers, collectors and heirs sell these rings at affordable prices and with a greater selection. Online shopping is the new way to shop. Not only will it save you money, you can also save time, frustration and effort. With just a few clicks of a button, you can look in on thousands of shops from the US to as far as Myanmar in Southeast Asia.
For the best selections, try looking at Lang Antique Jewelry. They have Art Deco designs, Edwardian and Victorian ruby rings. For cheap finds like beautiful cocktail rings, you can try your luck at Ross Simons. They have this absolutely gorgeous 1980’s vintage ruby ring. It’s studded with diamonds. It’s an eternity ring with a double band. It’s set in 14 carat gold for that rich shade. It’s priced at 750 US dollars. This is not a bad deal if you saw this one. It’s really worth every penny. This ring is something you will see as a must have item in your collection.
For those who want to trade, consign, buy and sell, you can visit sites like Fay Cullen. Just prepare your appraisals and certificates for a smoother and faster transaction. Enjoy!
Strongly associated with the East; the best and largest rubies have always come from Burma (today Myanmar). Ruby is formed when the mineral corundum is mixed with chromium which will give it a strong red colour (the same gem when it has different colours and hues is called sapphire). Generally the redder the ruby the more expensive it is. Rubies are often treated to improve their appearance and also to turn not so good rubies into acceptable gemstones. While some treatment, for instance rubies can be routinely treated with heat to improve their colour, are quite acceptable others are not. Glass lead is often used to fill cracks and gaps in the gems but this is not something a purist would accept. There are also many types of imitation and synthetic rubies, while the ones created in labs can be very good and hard to distinguish from the real thing, occasionally garnets and even glass are sold as real rubies. Ruby rings for their red colours are still among the favourite engagement rings.
Another traditional Oriental gem is jade, so much that the Chinese valued it as much as we in the west have always valued gold. Jade come from two places nephrite and jadeite. The first one is creamy green and can be found in many deposits in China and was the one the Chinese used for thousands of years until in the 18th century they discovered a deposit of jadeite in Burma. Jade from jadeite is very transparent and often deep green (the very green variety is called imperial jade and is the most expensive). Jade has 5 grades with A the untreated and most expensive one to D which is a composite stone. As in the case of ruby, jade is easy to fake and always use a reputable jeweller or goldsmith when buying any jade, nephrite jade is a lot less expensive and can be used to make jewelry that require a larger quantity of gemstone such as a jade necklace without breaking the bank.
Thinking about buying a new pair of ruby earrings? The most important decision you have to make is whether you want to get ones created with gold or silver. The fact is that white gold and silver are usually better for diamonds and emeralds but for ruby gems you really want to select gold for the best look. Its not because gold is simply more prestigious, but because the color of the metal matches better with red of our chosen gem.
The problem is that when we talk about gemstone jewelry, we may think we’re all talking about the same thing; high quality gems set in gold…a piece of jewelry that’s an investment; an engagement ring that costs over $1,000, or a set of ruby rings for a wedding that will require careful planning and consideration as to weather the stone is from the Magok mine in Burma or from a Thailand dealer or if a Kenyan gem will do. But as a whole, we’re not all talking about a pair of gold ruby earrings, with gems from Asia or Africa, set in 18k precious metals. Many people are just searching for a quick purchase. A pair of cheap ruby earrings as a gift; some affordable ruby rings for birthday gifts…that sort of thing. In that case, the question has no merit because the gems are of such low value that it doesn’t matter what you choose. In fact, select the cheapest set of earrings and it won’t matter because poor quality stones aren’t of great color or clarity and are not that sensitive to the metal into which they are placed. Rubies under $100 or $200 simply have no importance except to your eyes, as an investment, they have no merit. So pick any setting and be happy. It’s like buying good quality costume jewelry.
If you’re serious about buying real jewelry have a look at genuine Burmese rubies, buy the loose stones, and get a jeweler to craft a singular item with care just for you and have the mounting forged in yellow gold if possible.