# Are rubies more valuable than diamonds by weight? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 3, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rubies-more-valuable-than-diamonds-by-weight/216669 "2003-12-03T06:00:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rubies-more-valuable-than-diamonds-by-weight/216669/1 "2003-12-03T06:00:15Z")
I read that was the case for the larger rubies (the size the queen has in her crown and sceptre, etc.) , because they were very hard to find without major flaws, called silk. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rubies-more-valuable-than-diamonds-by-weight/216669/2 "2003-12-03T06:19:07Z")
Rubies which are red sapphires CAN be more valuable than a diamond of the same weight. In determaining value many things go into account, cut, clarity, size, etc. The highest valued rubies are called pigeon’s blood rubies ad they have a vauge bluish tint to them. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rubies-more-valuable-than-diamonds-by-weight/216669/3 "2003-12-03T06:25:16Z")
- - - I remember reading once that emeralds were the most valuable gemstone; was this (or is it still) correct? ~ ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rubies-more-valuable-than-diamonds-by-weight/216669/4 "2003-12-03T10:44:13Z")
DougC - it’s never that simple. I believe larger flawless emeralds are among the rarest of gemstones, but some of the fancy colored diamonds are rarer yet. Price is of course not determined strictly by rarity (especially not the rarity of the gemstone within the earth) - I’ve read an analysis that claimed that up to 98% of a diamond’s price is actually due to the artifical rarity imposed by the DeBeers Cartel (which incidentally, through the use of amazingly effective advertising techniques, created most of the modern demand for diamonds.) At any rate, the ‘value’ of a gemstone, measured in price, is dependent on rarity and demand, and because of the many gradations of color among gems, it’s pretty hard to nail down exactly which gems are rarest, and the price issue is complicated too, as some gems are so rare that a generalization about their price can hardly be drawn. But I do believe that a flawless, well-cut, perfectly-colored emerald is considerably more pricey than a same-sized flawless, well-cut colorless diamond. Peacock blue and blood red diamonds are so rare, however, that a large flawless specimen no doubt goes for an astronomical price - not that you or I are likely to run into one. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rubies-more-valuable-than-diamonds-by-weight/216669/5 "2003-12-03T21:16:07Z")
And how would a ruby, emerald or diamond compare to a star saphire, assuming that weight, cut quality, flawlessness, etc. were all comparable and top-notch for all specimens in question? I had always understood that all else being equal, a good star saphire was the most valuable gemstone. Of course, pearl and amber are the rarest gems known to man, but they’re rather a special case :). ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rubies-more-valuable-than-diamonds-by-weight/216669/6 "2003-12-03T21:32:48Z")
Upon being presented with a grass-green cabochon emerald and told it was flawless, Tracy said, “Emeralds aint never flawless, darlin’.” “But of course madam is correct. What I meant to say was that it is as close to flawless as an emerald can be.” (That’s pretty much straight out of a Sidney Sheldon novel.) But I think it’s true as I did some research after reading that. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rubies-more-valuable-than-diamonds-by-weight/216669/7 "2003-12-03T21:36:30Z")
Or rather, flawless are extremely rare. “Never” is a bit strong. But hey, a Sidney Sheldon character said it!