Okay, so I’ve been getting into gemstones lately, and let me tell you, rubies are where it’s at. But finding a good place to get a nicely cut ruby? That’s a whole other story. I’m not talking about just any ruby, I wanted a really well-cut one, you know? Something that really sparkles.
First, I started hitting up the local jewelry stores. I browsed around a few places, like Chris Dostal’s Designs In Fine Jewelry, Herfort Diamond Ring Factory, and even Whiteflash. Some of them had rubies, sure, but nothing that really caught my eye. They were either poorly cut or way out of my budget. I was hoping to find a jeweler that had some ties to the American Gem Society (AGS) but no luck.
Then I remembered I could search for shops that deal with GIA-graded diamonds. I figured if they knew their diamonds, they’d know their rubies. I punched in my zip code and found a few more places to check out.
This one place, Gold Connection Jewelers, had some decent stones, but the cuts were still not what I was looking for. They told me most good rubies come from Myanmar, but they also mentioned places like Vietnam and even Australia. Didn’t know that!
After that, I stumbled upon this website, Gems Direct, that had a whole bunch of natural rubies. Pigeon blood, star rubies, you name it. But they were all uncut stones and I needed it to be ready for setting.
Next I started digging into getting a ruby cut myself. I found out that there’s this whole world of lapidary services. There’s a practice in Thailand that does precision faceting, recutting, and even makes cabochons, but that seemed a little too intense for me. I just wanted a simple, well-cut ruby!
I even found a place that listed prices for gem cutting. It said prices start at around $20 per carat and go up depending on the stone type and how hard it is to cut. It made sense, but that still didn’t solve my problem of finding a pre-cut ruby.
Finally, after all this searching, I decided to go back to basics and check out some independent jewelers in my area. I found a small shop with a certified gemologist, and guess what? They had exactly what I was looking for! It had a GIA report too, so I knew it was legit.
So, after all that, here’s what I learned:
- Local jewelry stores can be hit or miss.
- Searching for GIA-graded diamond retailers can lead you to good ruby sources.
- You can buy uncut rubies online, but then you gotta deal with getting them cut.
- Getting a ruby cut yourself is an option, but it can get pricey.
- Sometimes, the best finds are at small, independent jewelers with certified gemologists.
It was a bit of a journey, but I finally got my hands on a beautifully cut ruby. It wasn’t easy, but it was definitely worth it!
