SPECIALIZING IN PINK SAPPHIRES FROM MADAGASCAR 

SEDAGEMS (AUSTRALIA) HS BEEN APPOINTED AS AN AGENT FOR A MADAGASCAN MINING COMPANY                                                                                    

 MADAGASCAN RUBY

Birthstone for july 

This material was mined in madagscar and glassed filled treated as below.The colour is a rich ruby appearance.If this was a natural stone with this colour it would be valued in the hundreds of dollars.Ideal ring size.

CABACHONED

 WEIGHT 4.4 CTS

SIZE 9 X 8 X 5.5 MM

LEAD GLASS TREATMENT 

Filling the fractures inside the ruby with lead glass dramatically improves the transparency of the stone, making previously unsuitable rubies fit for applications in jewelry. The process is done in four steps:

1. The rough stones are pre-polished to eradicate all surface impurities that may affect the process
2. The rough is cleaned with hydrogen fluoride
3. The first heating process during which no fillers are added. The heating process eradicates impurities inside the fractures. Although this can be done at temperatures up to 1400°C (2500°F) it most likely occurs at a temperature of around 900°C (1600°F) since the rutile silk is still intact
4. The second heating process in an electrical oven with different chemical additives. Different solutions and mixes have shown to be successful, however mostly lead-containing glass-powder is used at present. The ruby is dipped into oils, then covered with powder, embedded on a tile and placed in the oven where it is heated at around 900°C (1600°F) for one hour in an oxidizing atmosphere. The orange colored powder transforms upon heating into a transparent to yellow-colored paste, which fills all fractures. After cooling the color of the paste is fully transparent, that dramatically improves the overall transparency of the ruby.