Ruby

Ruby is distinguished for its bright red color, being the most famed and fabled red gemstone. 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. Ruby is the red variety of the mineral Corundum. Sapphire, the other gem variety of Corundum, encompasses all colors of Corundum aside from red. In essence, Ruby is a red Sapphire, since Ruby and Sapphire are identical in all properties except for color. However, because of the special allure and historical significance, Ruby has always been classified as an individual gemstone, and is never identified as a form of Sapphire (though some purplish-red colors may straddle the line of being classified as either Ruby or Sapphire).

Sources:
The most valuable Rubies with the finest natural color come from Mogok, Burma (Myanmar). There are strict trade embargoes and restrictions again Burma for its human rights violations, and several countries, especially the United States, ban any exports from this county. The Ruby mines of Mogok have been under the tight control of the Junta government; however, a new very significant Ruby source was discovered in Burma in 1992 in Mong Hsu. The color of these Rubies aren't as good as Mogok, but they too can be improved through heat treatment.
 

In 2000, new Ruby sources were discovered in Madagascar (in Vatomandry and Andilamena). These deposits turned out to be very extensive and productive, and Madagascar is now one of the leaders in Ruby output. Other important Ruby sources include Sri Lanka, India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Other sources of Ruby include Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikstan, Australia, and the U.S. (North Carolina).

Similar Gemstones:

Ruby is identical in appearance to Spinel. In fact, many old famous red gemstones thought to be Rubies were determined to actually be Spinel. Ruby and Spinel often occur together in the same mineral environment and localities. The most famous ruby, the Black Prince's Ruby, set into the royal crown of England, was once thought to be the largest cut Ruby, until scientific analysis determined it to be in fact Spinel. Garnet (particularly Pyrope) and red Tourmaline (Rubellite) may also resemble Ruby, though Ruby is significantly harder.