Round Red Ruby Gems
Ruby is famed for its brilliance and luster, as well as its versatility and durability. There are only a few gemstone types that even compare to that of fine red ruby. Ruby is indeed one of the most valuable and wearable of all gemstones, and historically, ruby is considered as one of the most important gemstone types of all time. Ruby is composed of the mineral known as corundum, a name which originates from the ancient Sanskrit word 'kuruvindam'. Ruby is the red sister-stone to sapphire, both of which are ranked as being the second hardest natural material known to man (9 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness). Along with sapphire, emerald and diamond, ruby is also classed as being one of the 'precious four' gems, although the distinction and use of the terms precious and semi-precious gems is no longer recognized by most gem organizations, such as the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA).

Ruby gems can be found in various shapes and cutting styles, including rounds, ovals, pears, trillions and fancy hearts. Next to oval rubies, round rubies are extremely popular, although when it comes to value, round rubies are typically priced higher than ovals. This is because ovals are often cut to maximize the finished carat weight since most gems are bought, priced and sold by carat weight. Round rubies can be found in variety of cutting styles, as 'round' refers only to the face-up outline of the gem. Some of the most popular cutting techniques include the 'diamond-cut' or the 'round-brilliant cut', which is often given to small ruby gemstones. The diamond-cut brings out the brilliance in the gems, which are very commonly used as accent or fancy color melee stones. Large round rubies are typically given a step-cut, often mixed with brilliant-cut facets on the crown of the gemstone. Round rubies may also be cut en cabochon, but since faceted gems will usually sell for more than plain-cut gemstones, cabochons may be a difficult find for natural ruby.

Fine quality round red rubies can be very expensive, especially gemstones with top color, clarity and cut. Most experts agree that ruby from Burma (Myanmar) is considered to be the best ruby available, particularly the world-famous "pigeon's-blood" ruby, which is mined from the Mogok region of Burma. The rubies mined from Mong Hsu region of Burma are often slightly bluish or purplish, and weren't as well-received by the international gem markets, compared to the Burmese ruby sourced from Mogok. However, after being processed with routine heat-enhancement, Mong Hsu Burma rubies are known to exhibit excellent color and clarity, comparable to that of the world-class Mogok Burmese rubies.