Title: Antique Ruby & Yellow Gold Designer Decorative Fastener Cufflinks
Shipping: $29.00
Artist: N/A
Period: 20th Century
History: N/A
Origin: N/A
Condition: Museum Quality
Item Date: 1930s to 1940s
Item ID: 4480
A Pair of Rubie like and Gold Cufflinks. 10k yellow gold cufflinks featuring a Simple design; Condition: Very Good. Bold and distinct, square cufflinks feature genuine rubies semi-precious stone insets. The frame is both modern looking and masculine. The unique design and look ranges from classic to contemporary; to edgy and urban. This design work, looks to come from around the 1930s to 1940s The brightest and most valuable "red" called pigeon blood-red, commands a huge premium over other rubies of similar quality.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby
The ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide). The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires. The ruby is considered one of the four precious stones, together with the sapphire, the emerald, and the diamond.
Prices of rubies are primarily determined by color. The brightest and most valuable "red" called pigeon blood-red, commands a huge premium over other rubies of similar quality. After color follows clarity: similar to diamonds, a clear stone will command a premium, but a ruby without any needle-like rutile inclusions may indicate that the stone has been treated. Cut and carat (weight) also determine the price.
All natural rubies have imperfections in them, including color impurities and inclusions of rutile needles known as "silk". Gemologists use these needle inclusions found in natural rubies to distinguish them from synthetics, simulants, or substitutes. Usually the rough stone is heated before cutting. Almost all rubies today are treated in some form, with heat treatment being the most common practice. However, rubies that are completely untreated but still of excellent quality command a large premium.
Some rubies show a 3-point or 6-point asterism or "star". These rubies are cut into cabochons to display the effect properly. Asterisms are best visible with a single-light source, and move across the stone as the light moves or the stone is rotated. Such effects occur when light is reflected off the "silk" (the structurally oriented rutile needle inclusions) in a certain way. This is one example where inclusions increase the value of a gemstone. Furthermore, rubies can show color changes — though this occurs very rarely — as well as chatoyancy or the "cat's eye" effect.
