Thailand Ruby Collection

― About Thai Rubies

　

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Thai rubies were most actively mined from the 1960s to the 1990s. Since the 2000s, commercial mining has largely ceased, and the mines are now said to be closed.

 

The mining region in eastern Thailand, which once supported the global ruby market, is no longer a source from which new supplies can be expected.

 

The Thai rubies currently in circulation are either rough stones previously extracted, or old stock and circulating items produced during that era, and their numbers are steadily decreasing over time.

 

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↑Scenery of the Bo Rai mine site

 

✴︎ At the Bo Rai mine site 

 

Around the new year of 2024, I visited the former mine site in the Bo Rai district, which was a major ruby producing area in eastern Thailand.

 

What I found there was the tranquility of a land whose role had ended.

 

Looking at the historical documents preserved in the mine museum and the large puddles remaining on the surface, it became clear that no new rubies would emerge from this place.

It was an opportunity to feel this reality firsthand.

Coffee and other crops are now cultivated at the mine site, and there is a small coffee shop next to the museum, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

 

Bo Rai mine site↓

 

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✴︎ Unique Color Tones of Thai Rubies 

 

Thai rubies cannot be described as simply red.

 

Many of them have a base color with purple and orange hues, which creates the distinctive character of Thai rubies.

 

It's a red that emerges from the layering of deep colors: red, purple, and orange.

 

We believe this profound color tone is the greatest charm of Thai rubies.

 

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✴︎ Conditions for a True Thai Color 

 

Thai rubies, formed in a geological environment of basaltic origin, tend to contain purplish and brownish tones within their red color.

 

Generally, the image of Thai rubies, often described as "beef blood," is that of a deep color with less pure red.

 

Among these, high-quality crystals with a good color balance and without a dark appearance are extremely limited in both quantity and quality.

 

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✴︎ Another Rarity Factor 

 

Rubies are minerals that have extremely strict conditions for crystal formation among gemstones.

 

They are susceptible to internal stress and the effects of their growth process,

and even if the color is good, not many crystals remain robust enough for cutting.

 

Thai rubies, in particular, are known for many specimens not having significant crystal thickness.

 

Because crystals tend to spread thinly, even if the color is beautiful, the number of rough stones that can be cut into well-proportioned gems is limited.

 

Furthermore, regardless of origin, due to the high value of rubies themselves, priority is often given to weight, making rubies with beautifully proportioned cuts very rare.

 

These valuable Thai rubies, limited in number, originated from mines that are now closed.

 

 

We meticulously handle each stone, and through refined cutting, we maximize its beauty.

 

Please enjoy the Thai rubies that GemTreeJapan, with its expertise in corundum, is proud to present.