Microwaving Treatment Makes Rubies More Attractive

Introduction to Ruby gemstones:

In its simplest terms, a ruby is a red gemstone more officially we called it as“aluminum oxide”. The ruby is one of four precious stones being a part of the corundum family of gemstones. The name ruby comes from the Latin term “Ruber” meaning red and the redness of the stone comes from the presence of the element chromium.

Ruby Stone is distinguished for its bright red color, being the most famed and fabled red gemstone. Beside for its bright color, it is a most desirable gem due to its hardness of 9.00 on the Mohs scale of hardness.

Quality of Ruby Gemstones:

Not all gemstones are of the same quality. While some rubies, are clear and beautiful. On the other hand, some of the rubies are dull, filled with flaws, and the color of old blood.

Treatments are applied to the gemstones to improve their clarity and color. This is not the first time that the people have used various technologies to improve gemstone’s clarity, looks and their colors.

Microwaving Treatment:

There are many treatments which have been applied to the ruby gemstones to improve them. Scientists have found that chucking them in a serious microwave can really improve the ruby gemstones. 

Lasers and chemical treatments of ruby are known to improve the shine and the quality of the ruby gemstones.

There are five basic types of chemical treatment, namely, bleaching, dyeing, diffusion, oiling and impregnation which are applied to the gemstones to improve them.

This is the first time that scientists have used microwaves to improve the quality, color and look of the gemstones. 

The microwave method has many benefits especially for the gemstone industry. It is an easier and less expensive way to treat gemstones than traditional heating.

Researchers at the CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology in India have used a microwave to increase the quality of a ruby.

Here, the Microwave used is not that which we are using at our home. The microwave used was not a standard home appliance. This Microwave was an industrial microwave furnace that heated the gemstone to 1,500 degrees Celsius. 

Scientists don’t know what the exactly will happened, but they sure about that the color lightened and the stone grew will be more lustrous and clear.

The researchers believe that the heat caused changes in the structure of the aluminum-oxide, which is the main component of rubies, and the chromium, iron, and the titanium that gives them their red color.

In Microwaving treatments, Rubies are often used in lasers and masers generally called as Microwave lasers. This is how the Rubies are popular aside from Diamonds, as they are one of the hardest gemstone after Diamonds.