Quality & Value
Ruby's position at the apex of colored gemstone per-carat value reflects the convergence of multiple independent value determinants: chromium-dependent color rarity, limited and geographically constrained sources, corundum hardness of 9, documented cultural prestige across South Asian, Persian, and European traditions spanning two millennia, and the extreme geological scarcity of fine untreated stones at larger sizes. No other colored gemstone presents this combination of factors simultaneously, which produces the conditions for the highest per-carat prices in the fine jewelry and auction markets.