Rubies have a higher density and a richer red undertone, but rubellites are rarer. That makes them more expensive as well.

What is rubellite worth?

Rubellite typically has significant inclusions. So long as the inclusions do not make the gem appear milky or cloudy, they do not affect the value of a finely-colored stone. High quality rubellites can cost $400 to $1,000 a carat depending on color, size and clarity.

Is a rubellite a ruby?

And rubellite is not a form of ruby at all; it is, in fact, a type of tourmaline that is pink to red in colour and must not change shade in different types of light - those that do cannot be classed as rubellites.