What should you know before buying a jewel with rubies? The answer is not just by any gemologist, but one of the most exclusive Italian jewelers: Picchiotti. The Piedmontese Maison, in fact, has added a blog to its website https://www.picchiotti.it/blog/ which offers interesting information for jewelry lovers and buyers.
“One of the first decisions to make or questions to ask when buying a ruby is natural (unheated) or heated. Rubies are usually heat treated to create a deeper, redder hue, ”Picchiotti’s blog reads. “Unheated rubies are rarer and more expensive than heated ones. The rarity of unheated rubies can skyrocket the price. According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), ruby can get the highest price per carat of any colored gem. Recent auctions reveal the volatility of how insane prices can be, especially for untreated and unheated rubies from 5 carats and up. Earlier this year, Sotheby’s sold a 3.11-karat ruby ring for around $ 225K and a natural ruby pendant necklace for nearly $ 630K! ”
The blog therefore recommends asking the jewelry retailer right away if the stone is heated or not. Ruby heat treatments are permanent: “so if you can’t afford the very rare unheated stones, you can rest assured that a treated ruby will keep its beauty and color in the long term. Unheated rubies are also a good investment as they are more likely to hold their value over time ”.
For me, rubies emanate a romantic energy, a passion that has always attracted me. The perfection of the deeply beautiful color, the rarity of truly fine quality specimens and the lasting intrinsic value are all qualities that, for me, distinguish rubies. The ruby is a treasure in a class of its own, second to none!
Giuseppe Picchiotti, founder of the brand
