How do you test ruby stone at home

Rubies are the most valuable gemstones based on their price-per-carat. However, there are many fake alternatives out there in the market which could be difficult to distinguish. There are some ways to distinguish the fake or real. Even you can gauge the authenticity of ruby at home by looking at its colour and its hardness.

Inspect the Ruby

• Real rubies glow with a vivid, deep red whereas fake stones are often dull. If your stone is in darkest red, perhaps it might be garnet.
• Real ruby will be consistent in colour throughout the stone. On the other hand, fake stones contain impure spots and blemishes. 
• Ruby stones as well as other varieties of sapphire could be often fake as glass. If your stone and glass are looking similar, then it may be possible that you are holding two pieces of red glass.
• Real ruby stones are extremely hard. Grind a coin or fingernail into your ruby's surface and see if it is getting scratches. If your stone is showing a scratch, then it is not a real ruby.
• Scratch the ruby against a hard surface such as a piece of clear glass or a porcelain tile. Keep in mind to check if the ruby stone leaves a red mark on the surface. If the ruby has left a red mark on the surface, then your gem is artificially coloured.
• You should know the alternatives of a ruby. The gemstones which are commonly used as ruby alternatives include tourmaline, garnets, composite gems and glass.

• Garnets are dull in colour and these are softer than a ruby.
• Tourmaline is a reddish-pink silicate mineral which is harder than garnet but softer than the ruby.
• Red-coloured glass is usually cheap but not durable.