Thailand’s Royal Gems
Rubies are a form of corundum and their fiery red hues come from the trace deposits of chromium (Cr) in them. Since antiquity, they have been associated with passion, auspiciousness and romantic love. They are hailed as the “king of gem” and are favourably cherished by the royalty around the world.

Natural rubies are mostly mined in Asia (Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka). Ruby mines in Burma were the first to be unearthed. But in the 1960s, political factors and military conflicts impeded ruby exports from Burma, causing jewellers to turn to substitutes from other countries. Ruby mines of Thailand, particularly the Chanthaburi mines in the southeastern region of the country, have gained popularity in light of these developments. As the ruby roughs mined there are sizable, it yields flexibility for cuts and jewellery design. Since then, ruby mines in Thailand had been vastly exploited till depletion. Similar to Burmese Mogok rubies, these Thail gemstones feature red hues ranging from bright red to dark red. Although their luminosity is compromised by the high levels of iron (Fe) elements they contain, Thai rubies make up for this deficiency with their fine clarity.

Ruby mines in Thailand have been depleted. The market supply of Thai rubies has become increasingly rare, resulting in the soaring up of their prices. Top-quality natural unheated Thai rubies of high clarity are fine treasures not to be missed.