The problem isn't differentiating a ruby based on it's chemical make up. it's telling the RED
I’ll grant you that. Ruby brings a very red red to my mind. But I
see a lot of “rubies” that are really purple, or shading toward
pink.
Anything purple ought to be right out, but its tough to tell when
red is not red enough.
However, the scheme I read about for determing what is and isn’t a
ruby (and I apologize, but I no longer remember the details and
don’t feel like going to dig the article back up, I’m SUPPOSED to be
doing my taxes!) - anyway, the process I read about was totally based
on what elements are in the gem to cause the red color, and it would
require high-cost lab equipment to tell the difference. THIS sort
of thing is artificial and virtually meaningless.
IF there were some way to apply a criteria based on color alone, (I
don’t know, a wavelength or something? Physics was a long time
ago…) THAT would be a meaningful division. It would be something
you can SEE.
Really pink pink corundum is obviously pink sapphire. But what
about when its just a LITTLE pinkish? When does it shade over from
being Ruby to being pink corundum? And why should ANY purple stone
EVER be considered Ruby? It shouldn’t be, in my mind. But it gets
sold that way.
Sojourner
Sticking with the synthetics, at least I know where they’ve been and
what color they are, LOL!