Ann: Appointment of Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, page-177

Distinguishing between Rubies and Pink Sapphires

by International Gem Society
What’s the difference between rubies and pink sapphires? According to one old joke, that depends on whether you’re the buyer or the seller. In fact, there is no general agreement on where to draw the line, but that line is certainly pink.

Ruby is defined as “red corundum.” Chromium is what makes a corundum gemstone red. “All other varieties of corundum,” anything not red, are classified as sapphires. Although sapphires are popularly associated with the color blue, they include all non-red colored corundum gems. It’s not surprising, then, that pink is the boundary line between rubies and sapphires since pink is commonly considered a tint of red (or red plus white).