Quick Facts on RUBY
| Chemical Formula |
: | Al2O3::Cr |
| Mineral Name |
: | Corundum (Aluminum Oxide with Chromium) |
| Hardness |
: | 9.0 |
| Refractive Index |
: | ~1.762-1.770 |
| Specific Gravity |
: | 4.0 |

Red Stones can be classified into several
groups and sub-groups. All these have their different identical
properties. These are the five major type of red stones which have
been given below:
Ruby is the most important red stone in the Red Stone family. These
gemstones have red color which have different hues that varies from
light pink to blood red. They have ultraviolet fluorescence effect
due to which under long waves these appear red in color. What ever
the color they have are due to the presence of Chromium. The prime
sources from where these gemstones are found are Australia, Sri
Lanka, Greenland, in some African countries, North & South
Carolina, Myanmar and Madagascar. In Myanmar, Ruby gemstones have a
trade name "Mogok". Among all natural stones, Ruby is the
second hardest stones just after Diamond. In natural form, these
stones contain several impurities including color imperfections.
Quick Facts on GARNET
| Chemical Formula |
: | X3Y2(SiO4)3 |
| Optical Properties |
: | Zirconium Silicate. |
| Refractive Index |
: | 1.967 - 2.015 |
| Specific Gravity |
: | Single refractive, often anomalous
double refractive. |
| Hardness |
: | 6.0 to 7.5 |
| Color |
: | virtually all colors |
| Luster |
: | glassy to pitchy |
| Crystal System |
: | Isometric. |
| Cleavage |
: | None |
These Garnet gemstones are found in different colors including
yellow, red, orange, purple, blue, pink, black and even these may be
colorless, but the most prominent color of these stones is red. The
rarest color is blue. Countries where these stones are found are
Turkey, U.S.A, Madagascar and Russia. The color of these stones
change according to the changing light, for instance the bluish
green color of these stones changes into purple color in
incandescent light.
Quick Facts on ZIRCON
| Chemical Formula |
: | ZrSiO4 |
| Mineral Name |
: | Zirconium Silicate. |
| Refractive Index |
: | 1.967 - 2.015 |
| Specific Gravity |
: | 4.6 to 4.7 |
| Hardness |
: | 7.5 |
| Color |
: | brown, red, yellow, green, black, and colorless. |
| Crystal System |
: | Tetragonal. |
| Cleavage |
: | Indistinct, two directional. |
| Luster |
: | Relentless. |
Zircon gemstones are fluorescent in nature. These stones are
incurred in sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. Large crystals of
these gemstones are not often found abundantly. They are found in
different colors including yellow, brown, black, red, green and even
colorless. In those Zircon stones which are below the gems quality,
on heating them their color can be changed. Depending upon the
requirements, the color can be altered by applying heat treatment.
Noted occurrences of these gemstones are in the Ural mountain
(Europe), U.S.A, India, Italy, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, South
Africa, Canada and Madagascar.
Quick Facts on SPINAL
| Chemical Formula |
: | MgAl2O4 |
| Color |
: | Varies from red to blue to mauve, dark green, brown,
black etc |
| Hardness |
: | 8.0 |
| Refractive Index |
: | 1.712-1.762 |
| Specific gravity |
: | 3.54-3.63 |
| Crystal System |
: | Isometric |
| Cleavage |
: | Indistinct. |
White perpendicular streaks run across the gemstones. Noted
occurrences of these gemstones are in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand.
The red transparent spinals are very much resembling to rubies and
therefore, these are referred as "Spinal Rubies".
Rubicella is another kind of spinal gemstone.
Quick Facts on TOURMALINE
| Chemical Formula |
: | (Ca,K,Na,[])(Al,Fe,Li,Mg,Mn)3(Al,Cr,Fe,V)6(BO3)3 (Si,Al,B)6O18(OH,F)4. |
| Hardness |
: | 7.0 to 7.5 |
| Dispersion |
: | 0.017 |
| Refractive Index |
: | 1.635 to 1.675 |
| Specific Gravity |
: | 3.0 to 3.26 |
| Density |
: | 2.82 - 3.32 |
| Color |
: | Most common color is blackish red to light red, other colors are violet, brown, pink, green, in the dual colored green and pink. |
| Crystal System |
: | Trigonal |
| Cleavage |
: | Indefinite |
| Fracture |
: | Uneven, small conchoidal, brittle |
| Luster |
: | Glassy, sometimes pitchy. |