Technically qualifying as a dwarf variety at 75cm tall, ‘Sunsation Yellow’ boasts the plus point of a relatively long blooming season that goes well into autumn. It is considered among the rarest of all gemstones. [6] [4] The Swiss Gemmological Institute has described it as "a unique treasure of nature" and praised its "well-proportioned cut, highly attractive colour and fine purity". [5] The Gubelin Gem Lab in Lucerne stated that "such a combination of characteristics is very rare in Burmese rubies of this size." [5] The global chairman of Sotheby's International Jewellery Division, David Bennett, when interviewed on the ruby, stated "during his 40 years in the industry, he has never before seen a ruby of this calibre". [5] In a Gubelin grading report, it notes, "ruby is of Burmese origin" and that "its vivid but saturated color, poetically referred to as pigeon blood red, is due to a combination of well balanced trace elements in the stone, typical and characteristic for the finest rubies of Mogok." [8] Gemstones of the same quality typically form in only small crystals, making this one an "extremely rare" gem. [8] History [ edit ] Many jewelers and gemologists have had the unpleasant task of telling the proud inheritors of treasured heirloom ruby rings or brooches that they contain flame fusion stones with more sentimental than commercial value. Dating from the early 20th century, this men's 10k yellow gold ring features a bezel-set synthetic ruby with an intaglio carving of a Roman soldier. Photo courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Crescent City Auction Gallery.

The reason is that it produces fantastic flowers that are of a riveting coppery red hue with a distinctly velvety sheen. 14) H. annuus‘Ruby Sunset’ Stones from Kenya and Tanzania are magnificent when clean, but facet-grade material is rare. Like Myanmar, much of this material is strongly fluorescent. These deposits have produced no star stones. The general view at present seems to be that simple heating, being stable and indistinguishable from nature's own heating processes, is acceptable as long as it's disclosed. For this reason, heating doesn't radically lower the value of ruby gems. However, this isn't the case for other more recently invented treatments, such as diffusion coloring or filling with polymer and/or lead glass.

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Native to a swath of land from the central belt of the United States to that of Mexico, the common sunflower is found on prairies, grasslands and disturbed ground. The term "star ruby," in addition to referring to rubies that display asterism, many also refer to transparent red corundum too light or too purple to properly call ruby. The beauty of these drinks is that they're not limited to just one recipe. With a little creativity and experimentation, you can create a drink that perfectly captures the essence of a sunset. a b "Ruby sets record, pink diamond and pearls shine at Sotheby's sale". Reuters. 13 May 2015. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016 . Retrieved 19 May 2015. At 4m high, ‘Kong’ is not quite as tall as the fabled giant gorilla, but it is very much a giant among its kith and kin.

In the past, cabbed blood-red gemstones were known collectively as "carbuncles." Now, gemologists would distinguish these gems as distinct species, such as garnets, spinels, and rubies. This watch by Nicolaus Rugendas the Younger is known as the "Great Ruby Watch" because it features 85 transparent rubies set into the gold and enamel watch case. Augsburg, Germany, ca 1670. Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Public Domain. Identifying Characteristics

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On the species plant, the disc florets are in varying rich shades of brown and the ray florets are a bright, sunny yellow. 2) H. annuus‘Valentine’ While lapidaries usually facet high-quality ruby for jewelry, they also use great quantities of low-quality ruby rough to make beads, carvings, and other ornamental objects. Three carved rubies, 75.09 ctw, Myanmar. Photo courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Zain Gems and Jewels Co., Ltd.

Reaching a height of around 1.5m and producing flowers of average size and which has a corresponding average blooming season, ‘Velvet Queen’ is actually a very special cultivar. The big 16-18cm flowers are centred by a rich brown disc surrounded by equally rich deep yellow rays. 11) H. annuus‘Helios Flame’ About 90cm tall, ‘Garden Statement’ is a relatively new cultivar that is rapidly gaining popularity. Also of a nondescript height nearing 1.5m and also producing flowers of an average size, ‘Ruby Sunset’ is also very much a special cultivar. A real plus point is that this giant cultivar is a branching type, so it bears multiple flowers on each stem.a b c d Åse Anderson (12 May 2015). "Most expensive ruby world record could be broken at Sotheby's Geneva this May". The Jewellery Editor. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015 . Retrieved 15 May 2015.