Ruby Color & Value: Understanding Vintage Gemstones

Question
I have a ruby and diamond ring which was my moms from the late 1940's. The ruby appears to be a slightly different color then the ruby stones I see in jewelry today. Does it make it less valuable?

Answer
HI ROBIN,

RUBY COLOR IS VARIABLE. SOME ARE PINKISH RED, SOME ARE REDISH PURPLE AND SOME ARE DARK RED AND MANY VARIATIONS OF EACH. THE VALUE IS ALSO VARIABLE BUT NOT BY MUCH. THE HIGHEST PRICED COLOR IS ASSOCIATED WITH BURMESE RUBY FROM THE MOGOK REGION OF BURMA (MYANMAR). SYNTHETIC RUBY HAS BEEN AROUND FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AND IS USUALLY VERY GOOD COLOR. THE OLDER STONES THAT ARE NATURAL NOT TREATED, MOST LIKELY LIKE YOUR MOMS, MAY TEND TO BE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT COLOR SINCE THEY WERE PROBABLY NOT HEAT TREATED LIKE MOST STONES IN THE LAST 40 YEARS. IF ANYTHING NON HEAT TREATED STONES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN TREATED STONES SINCE THE COLOR OF A NATURAL STONE IS CREATED BY NATURE NOT MAN.

PETER