Color : Variety of tourmaline, which exhibits a deep red color.
Hardness : 9

It is perfectly reasonable as a gemco customer to ask to see your stone with a loupe or under a microscope. Look to see if the inclusions adversely affect the overall look of the gemco or if they are severe enough to threaten its integrity. Fractures that reach the surface present risks. The less expensive the ruby, the more inclusions you may see. Avoid inclusions so numerous as to make the gemco cloudy or even opaque.