Hi y’all,
I have a 1.35 Mogoc, pidgin blood, heat only ruby that I need to sell and I have been looking for a price on it. It is VS1, round brilliant cut and quite clear and clean. I know for a fact as to where it came from but I do not have any documentation. All of the tests come out to be a clean stone with NO treatments at all. I know it is well worth more than I need for the expense I have but I could use some more advice. The GIA pricing guide is insanely high but it does NOT give a price range for Burmese rubies that have been heated. Try and find one that has NOT! Ha! This was heated long before it was ever cut back in the late 60’s - 70’s. This is basically old new stock stone.
Any help would be awesome.
All the best.
Otter
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Hi Otter, can you post a photo of the ruby thanks,
thanks Otter certainly does look a nice clean stone and good colour
if well cut with slight inclusion I am thinking $2500 per carat wholesale up to $3000
just my guess someone else may have a bit of a better idea
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Thanks SydP,
I met with a Smart Arsed Jim dealer yesterday that thinks women are total fools and told me that it was worth $500.00 USD. And that he had that much to give me for the stone right them and there. So I should be a goo little girl and give him the stone and take his money. I was kind and told him that he could just pee up a rope. I told him the same thing you just stated on the low end of the scale but unfortunately his money was most likely Monopoly money and I only deal with Real human beings. I did this without laughing out loud. I was kind not to mention that the pearls that he sells are the cheapest things I have seen outside of the dollar store in years. At least he could do is sell tied pearls! Haha! I’m being mean!
I had anoter gemologists look at it and it seems I have been mistaken about it being heated. He is retired GIA. He said that is has never been heated and it has a sweet treacle look inside. Truly Burmese. He said KEEP it! Or better yet let him have it to give to his wife for Christmas. The key word was, give. He did not wish to venture a guess on price because he truly wants the stone for his wife. Can’t blame him for wanting a great deal. I guess I do now need to send it off and have it certified with the GIA.
All my thanks to y’all!
Otter
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GIA does not publish a pricing guide.
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Thank,
I know that the IGS does have a pricing guide but it is a bit over priced. Some other organizations do have some pricing guides and some retailers and wholesalers have set prices for quality and size that they do go by. I know we have so well respected dealer said here that would have a good idea of what this may be worth. This is what I am looking for. Hope this clears up what I am looking for in advice in pricing.
Today when meeting with anoter stone dealer, Bwhahaha!, I use this term lightly, I was told that this stone would only bring $500.00 in the wholesale market. I was a nice little lady. “Really? Where can I buy this quality stone and better at this price?” I’m all in all day long!
All the best.
Otter
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Can you send your stone to a lab to get certification as it will sell better if you have documentation on origin and treatment? I currently have been looking for one for a client. I’m searching for a 1 carat round unheated Burmese ruby and I’ve been encountering anywhere between $5000 - $7000/carat but these are all certified and rounds have been difficult to find. So hopefully this gives you a range.
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Thaemlitz,
Thanks for the input. I have decided to keep this stone just for the reason that you just stated. These are far and few in between. It is NOT flawless but it is a true Pidgin Blood color Burmese Ruby and it has NOT been heated after all. I had it checked out with a retired GIA gemologist that lives locally today and she was quite impressed. She said it is SI and the cut is quite fine. She and I both agree that it will grace my great granddaughters neck some day when she gets married. They will not be making these any more, unfortunately. I was super blessed to have obtained this one for sure.
I know that you are spot on in your wholesale price for most cuts but from what I understand any round will bring more as will an emerald cut. I’m not big in an emerald cut Ruby though.
Have you considered the Mozambique Ruby for your client? From all of my studies and reaserch, they are as close to a Burmese as you can get. This is just my 2¢ worth. So far they are looking pretty good and the mines in Burma are running a bit dry.
Keep looking for that elusive find, it’s out there. I have seen the elusive creatures.
All the best in the hunt.
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Whether you are going to keep it or not, I would VERY strongly recommend getting a GIA certificate on the gem. It takes 2-6 weeks to do, so, when you do want to sell it, you will have that in hand and not have to wait. GIA won’t certify ‘pigeon blood’, but, they will certify locality and treatment, if you have a UV light and it lights up with blue FL, it’s almost certainly ‘pigeon’s blood’
Being round is a big bonus, if it is unheated and fairly clean (near eye clean), and it lights up with a strong blue FL, you should be able to get $4000-$5000ct, but, you will never get that much without a cert.
I would also agree that keeping it as an investment gem is probably a good idea, but, you can always put it up on eBay/Gemrock for $12-$15k total and see if you get any bites, as you said, there isn’t much to compare with, so, if someone wants a nice round unheated burma ruby, you probably have one of the few on the market.
Good luck! 
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Hey @Otter,
I just have to know; when you asked the sexist gem merchant where you could find more Burma rubies like that for $500 what did he say?
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Hi colincbn,
I just left shaking my head. I was not going to give him the satisfaction. I know he is getting lead filled crap right out of India. I’m thinking about going in again right before Christmas during one of the street fairs when it’s busy as all get out with my hand held microscope and taking a look at some of his stones just for the heck of it. Mess with the bull you get the horns. Or better yet mess with an American Indian Woman you can get scalped! Bwhahaha!
All the best,
Otter
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Good on you for keeping it. They are almost as rare as hens teeth now.
I have 2, both unheated Burmese. One is slightly pinker, the other, intense red. Glow in the dark almost. I was offered $1,000 for the better one, then offered $3,000 and then $10,000. The better one is 1.10 carat, the other is an unusual semi pear shape at 1.70 carats.
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HI here
prices for rubies vary greatly depending on the market. In America, prices are about twice as high as in Europe, so I think!
this one is 3.79 ct
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All of these are beautiful stones! Shame that there is such a price difference between countries. I ran into a woman the other day when out. She had a ruby that she had inherited from her grandmother that was surly an old Burmese ruby ring that I could see from 50 yards away. That stone had such a glow to it it was mind blowing. I had a chance to take a quick look at it and it is real. I keep a loup and UV light with me in my wheelchair pack. I did not need to look long before I coul positively tell her what she had. All of the bells and whistles were there. She is sending it off to GIA but having it insured first just to be sure. Her grandparents traveled extensively in the Far East and that is where the stone was purchased in the mid twenties and worn daily by grand ma, mom and her. It was about 2 carats and perfectly cut in Europe I’m guessing. It was a pleasure to see such a stone and she was tickled pink. Just goes to show how well a ruby wears.
All the very best from another ruby lover.
Otter
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yep all very nice attached is an African ruby not as nice as Burmese but hey I cut it and had it set for myself not too bad for an African ruby though
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I don’t know how reliable Gemval is for pricing, but here is what came up for retail price based on the variables provided.
The African ruby I cut is unheated and VVS 1.15 cts. I know it is unheated as I purchased the rough some 30 years ago with other rubies from my brother who lived over there for many years.
SydP,
All I can say about this is, SWEEEET! You did a nice job.
All the very cutting best,
Otter
Thanks Otter, the cut is described as a Brilliant Square Cut