Is a cheap "natural certified" ruby on Amazon real?
Almost never as described. A natural, unheated ruby of 5 carats with good colour costs thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, so a listing selling one for tens of dollars is describing something else: usually a lab-grown ruby, a low-grade natural stone filled with lead glass (a "composite" ruby), or glass. If you want a big red stone at that price, buy one honestly labelled lab-created or synthetic ruby: it is real ruby and you know what you are getting.
What these stones usually are
Three things turn up under "natural ruby" at bargain prices. A lab-grown ruby described as natural. A composite ruby: heavily fractured natural corundum filled with lead glass so it looks transparent, which can be damaged by household chemicals and jeweller's heat. Or glass or another simulant. A cheap "certificate" in the box does not change which one you have.
Why the price gives it away
Large mined rubies with good colour are among the most expensive gems in the world per carat, and "unheated" is a premium on top of that. No marketplace seller can sell them at the price of a synthetic.
How to buy a big ruby honestly
Buy a stone labelled lab-created, created or synthetic ruby, or red corundum, for the price of a lab stone. If you want a mined ruby, buy it with a report from an independent gem laboratory, from a seller whose returns you trust, at a mined-ruby price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a composite or glass-filled ruby?
Low-grade, heavily fractured corundum filled with lead glass to look clear. It is sold cheaply, is fragile, and should always be disclosed; it is not the same as a heated ruby.
Can a UV light tell me if my ruby is natural?
No. Ruby and lab ruby both fluoresce red under ultraviolet light, and so do some other red stones. A glow tells you it is probably ruby of some kind, not where it came from.
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