A new synthetic ruby grown by a process involving high-temperature flux with spontaneous nucleation has been developed. This new synthetic ruby is currently commercially available under the trade name Ramaura. The Ramaura synthetic exhibits some internal characteristics that are distinctly different from those observed previously in commercially available synthetic rubies. Some of the Ramaura synthetic rubies are readily identifiable, while others could present a serious cause for concern in the world's ruby markets and call for extreme care on the part of gemologists in the examination of rubies. In this article, the author examines in detail the gemological properties of the Ramaura synthetic ruby and discusses means of identifying this new synthetic.
