DUSHANBE, December 4, Asia-Plus — Tajik law enforcement officials has reported that they yesterday seized a large bulk of precious stones in Dushanbe’s Sino district
The source at the Ministry of Interior said that the Dushanbe resident O.T. had been arrested on suspicion of having been involved in gem smuggling. Several ruby totaling more than 31 grams were confiscated from him.
Criminal proceedings have been instituted on charges of gem smuggling and an investigation is under way.
In Tajikistan, a known deposit of ruby is Snezhny in GBAO’s Murgab district.
Ruby is a light pink to blood red gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum. It is considered one of the four precious stones, together with sapphire, the emerald and the diamond. Improvements used include color alteration, improving transparency by dissolving rutile inclusions, healing of fractures (cracks) or even completely filling them.
Prices of rubies are primarily determined by color (the brightest and best “red” called Pigeon Blood Red, command a huge premium over other rubies of similar quality). After color follows clarity: similar to diamonds, a clear stone will command a premium, but a ruby without any needle-like rutile inclusions will indicate the stone has been treated one way or another. Cut and carat (size) also determine the price.
