Rubies. from the mines of Mogok. Gems

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Marjorie Melton
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Gems Rubies from the mines of Mogok Words by Daw Nilar Yee of Mogok (pronounced mo-go), the famed valley of rubies, have probably played a major role in each of Myanmar s political transformations

1 Gems Rubies from the mines of Mogok Words by Daw Nilar Yee of Mogok (pronounced mo-go), the famed valley of rubies, have probably played a major role in each of Myanmar s political transformations from the squabbles of ancient Kings to the imperialism of the British to the present. Mogok itself is a bustling, ethnically diverse city 200 kilometres north of Myanmar s cultural capital, Mandalay. In its soil, countless rubies lie buried; in its hills, precious gems wait, encrusted in crystalline limestone, to be washed into the earth. Mining in Mogok takes two basic forms one can assault the rock directly, or sift through the soil of riverbeds in search of stones already fallen. Myanmar rubies are arguably the best in the world. The precious resource is inseparable from the Myanmar identity. The rubies of Mogok (pronounced mo-go), the famed valley of rubies, have probably played a major role in each of Myanmar s political transformations from the squabbles of ancient Kings to the imperialism of the British to the present. Today, mines are mechanised, and heavy machinery is part of the tedious search for stone. But the work is still dangerous, as deposits often exist down deep crevices that men enter at their peril. Once rubies are found and free, they enter a network of Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight 21

Ko Min Htut Aung, the shop s owner, says his mother opened its doors before he was born; his fate as a gem trader was never in question. But the trade in gems has changed over the years.

Yangon University hands out gemology degrees the way most university s hand out sociology degrees, and Ko Min Htut Aung himself has just spent two years working towards one.

composition. traders. Some of the stones are traded in a quarter of Mogok called Htar Pwe Gone gem market hill.

Likely as not, the end up in a place like Phoo Wa Gems and Jewellery, a small shop in Yangon s Bogyoke Aung San Market. The shop s single display case is packed with loose stones.

2 Ko Min Htut Aung, the shop s owner, says his mother opened its doors before he was born; his fate as a gem trader was never in question. But the trade in gems has changed over the years. Today, gem valuation is a matter of careful inspection and geological inspection rather than the whim of a local self-pronounced expert. Yangon University hands out gemology degrees the way most university s hand out sociology degrees, and Ko Min Htut Aung himself has just spent two years working towards one. While appraising a gem with the naked eye was once acceptable, and modern techniques were even ridiculed, today s customers demand modern grading methods that require detailed knowledge of a stone s composition. traders. Some of the stones are traded in a quarter of Mogok called Htar Pwe Gone gem market hill. The better stones are sent on to Yangon and Mandalay, where foreigners come from all corners to see what Mogok has yielded. Likely as not, the end up in a place like Phoo Wa Gems and Jewellery, a small shop in Yangon s Bogyoke Aung San Market. The shop s single display case is packed with loose stones. Rubies sit beside jade, sapphires beside diamonds. No one knows this better than U Kyaw Swar Htun, a gemologist at Stalwart Gem Lab in downtown Yangon. In what looks like a high school science lab, he and his technicians use high-powered microscopes and other equipment to judge the carat, fluorescence, origin and ultimately grade of a stone. U Kyaw Swar Htun can distinguish a synthetic ruby from a real one, a heat-treated stone from a natural one, and, amazingly, a Mogok ruby from any other. In grading a stone, gemologists consider the four Cs colour, clarity, cut and carat weight. The bright red of a high-end ruby, known as pigeon-blood red in gemologist argot, is only rarely found outside Myanmar. 22 Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight

Traders come to U Kyaw Swar Htun to have him grade and issue certification for their stones; tourists come to see whether they ve landed a good deal

She d gotten the ring from a friend, she explained, and was unsure of its value.

In grading a stone, gemologists consider the four Cs colour, clarity, cut and carat weight.

Vietnam s rubies tend toward a purplish hue; Thai rubies are a deep, dark red that can veer into brown.

3 Traders come to U Kyaw Swar Htun to have him grade and issue certification for their stones; tourists come to see whether they ve landed a good deal or been hopelessly cheated. While I was chatting with the animated gemologist, a young local woman approached him with a small, blood-red ruby ring. She d gotten the ring from a friend, she explained, and was unsure of its value. U Kyaw Swar Htun took the ring, held it under a microscope briefly, and pronounced it a grade-a ruby from a mine outside Mogok, worth US$150. In grading a stone, gemologists consider the four Cs colour, clarity, cut and carat weight. The bright red of a high-end ruby, known as pigeon-blood red in gemologist argot, is only rarely found outside Myanmar. Vietnam s rubies tend toward a purplish hue; Thai rubies are a deep, dark red that can veer into brown. Rubies are also mined in northern Pakistan, Laos, Nepal, India and elsewhere. Tellingly, the finest rubies from these global deposits are referred to as Burmese rubies. No. 527 New University Avenue, Bahan Township, Yangon 11201, Myanmar. Tel: Fax: sales@manawmaya.com.mm Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight 23

The glory of a Mogok ruby is not in its internal features, visible only to a knowledgably eye, but in the way each stone reflects visible light to the casual observer.

Ko Min Htut Aung says, natural Myanmar rubies of the highest grade fetch high price per carat.

Purely synthetic stones, of course, are worth even less, and are easily identifiable.

4 The glory of a Mogok ruby is not in its internal features, visible only to a knowledgably eye, but in the way each stone reflects visible light to the casual observer. Mogok rubies have a particularly strong fluorescence in daylight that has cemented their place at the acme of global reputation. Ko Min Htut Aung says, natural Myanmar rubies of the highest grade fetch high price per carat. Stones that have been heattreated to achieve a more desirable colour are worth considerably less than naturally occurring stones, and this is one of the factors U Kyaw Htun can readily identify. Purely synthetic stones, of course, are worth even less, and are easily identifiable. U Kyaw Swar Htun showed me one such artificial stone under the microscope and pointed out a series of gas bubbles a dead giveaway. Despite U Kyaw Swar Htun s earnest gemological assessments, the glory of a Mogok ruby is not in its internal features, visible only to a knowledgably eye, but in the way each stone reflects visible light to the casual observer. Mogok rubies have a particularly strong fluorescence in daylight that has cemented their place at the acme of global reputation. 24 Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight

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Ruby And Sapphire Grading Tools

GEMOLOGY Ruby And Sapphire Grading Tools By Thanong Leelawatanasuk, Wilawan Atichat, Visut Pisutha-Arnond and Pornsawat Wathanakul; GIT hen someone wants to buy a gemstone or piece of gem-set jewelry,