How to Identify Real Ruby (Manik): 7 Tests You Can Do at Home

By Click Gems | Gemstone Guide | 5 min read

Ruby (Manik) is one of the most prized gemstones in Vedic astrology — and unfortunately, one of the most commonly faked. The market is full of glass, synthetic stones, and heat-treated rubies sold as natural. Before spending thousands of rupees on a Manik stone, here's how to protect yourself.

These 7 tests can be done at home before purchasing, or to check stones you already own.

Test 1: The Scratch Test

Natural Ruby has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale — it is one of the hardest substances on earth. To test:

• Try to scratch the ruby with a steel knife or key
• A real ruby will NOT be scratched
• Glass fakes and low-quality synthetics will scratch easily

Important: This test can damage softer fake stones, so only do it on stones you own or are testing before purchase.

Test 2: The Fog Test

This is one of the simplest and most reliable home tests:

• Hold the ruby close to your mouth and breathe on it (like fogging a mirror)
• Count how many seconds the fog takes to disappear
• A real ruby clears in 1–2 seconds due to its high thermal conductivity
• A glass fake stays fogged for 3–5 seconds or longer

Test 3: The Light Test

Hold the ruby up to natural sunlight or a strong white light:

• A natural ruby shows rich red colour throughout with a slight fluorescence
• Look for colour zoning — real rubies often have slight natural colour variations inside
• Perfectly uniform colour throughout can indicate synthetic or glass
• Natural rubies from Myanmar show strong red fluorescence under UV light

Test 4: The Inclusion Test

Every natural gemstone has inclusions (tiny imperfections inside) formed during its creation deep in the earth. Use a 10x magnifying loupe and look closely:

• Natural ruby: fine needle-like inclusions called "silk," fingerprint inclusions, growth lines
• Glass fake: bubbles (round, uniform air pockets) — this is the biggest giveaway
• Synthetic ruby: curved growth lines instead of natural angular ones
• A perfectly flawless ruby with no inclusions at a low price is almost certainly fake

Test 5: The Weight Test

Rubies are denser than glass. If you have a scale accurate to 0.1 grams:

• A real ruby will feel slightly heavier than a glass stone of the same size
• This is more useful for loose stones than mounted rings

Test 6: The Colour Consistency Test

Tilt the ruby at different angles under light:

• Real ruby maintains its rich red from all angles (rubies are not strongly pleochroic)
• Garnet (sometimes sold as ruby) shows a slight colour shift to orange or brown at certain angles
• Spinel (another common substitute) looks similar but has different optical properties

Test 7: The Certification Test (Most Reliable)

The only 100% reliable way to verify a ruby is through laboratory certification. Look for:

• GIA (Gemological Institute of America) certificate
• IIGJ (Indian Institute of Gems and Jewellery) certificate
• IGS or IGI certificates

The certificate should state: Natural Ruby, country of origin, treatment status (heated/unheated), and carat weight. If a seller cannot provide certification, that is a major red flag.

Common Fakes Sold as Ruby in India

Why Buy Certified Ruby from Click Gems

At Click Gems, every Ruby (Manik) we sell comes with a lab certificate from IKGTL,iGL, IGS, or equivalent laboratories. We stock only natural, authentic gemstones — no synthetics, no glass, no untested stones. Our team personally verifies each stone before listing.

All our ruby rings are set in 925 sterling silver and available with Cash on Delivery for your peace of mind.

Have a ruby you want to verify? Send us a photo on WhatsApp — our gemstone expert will help you identify it for free.

View our certified Ruby (Manik) collection →