Corundum var: Ruby

Item Description

At first, I almost mistook this crystal for a Spinel octahedron, but it's actually a very fine quality Ruby crystal featuring a modified rhombic habit. The crystal is essentially a complete "floater", crystallized all over, with a glowing electric pink color, sharp, well-formed lustrous faces and good internal gemminess. The crystal is not quite clean enough to yield a faceted stone, which is why it survived, as any clean gem crytals from Mogok are always cut into gemstones. It's a choice example of this classic material, and one of the better single gemmy Ruby crystals that we've had to offer from Mogok. It should be noted that while some people consider only the red variety of Corundum to be Ruby, all of the pink crystals from Mogok are classified as Ruby as it's only a matter of chromium content that intensifies the color within the crytals, so less chromium produces a crystal of a more pink hue, but still thought of as Ruby to the local market, and valued as such. Specimen weight is 0.35 grams (1.75 carats).
From the collection of Bill ("Burma Bill") Larson of Fallbrook, California. Bill is a well-known gem and mineral dealer as well as a miner and worldwide mineral collector. Bill has traveled the world for decades in search of fine gems and minerals, and was directly involved in the in-person acquisition and importation of superb specimens and stones from Myanmar (Burma). You can read his biography at https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/larsonwilliam-f/