ruby
Enable an AI agent to recognise ruby, assess its material state and evidential certainty, and decide whether it is suitable for a proposed examination, transformation or use.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
5 bundles · 10 layers · 10 findings · 20 questions
Ruby identity and boundaries Establish what material is present and whether ruby is the supported designation.
Corundum identification
Connect the proposed material identity to observations that discriminate between alternatives.
Supported ruby identification
Record the identification conclusion, evidence, competing identifications and limits of the examination.
- Which observations support corundum rather than red spinel, garnet, glass or another candidate? definition
- Which optical or analytical results were obtained, and which specimen surfaces or mounting constraints limited them? measurement
Red-variety boundary
Make the colour basis and convention behind the ruby designation explicit.
Ruby-sapphire naming decision
Retain the observed colour, comparison basis and any disagreement over the variety designation.
- Under which illuminant, viewing direction and comparison convention was this specimen called ruby? definition
- Does a pink, purple or unevenly coloured region leave the ruby designation disputed, and by whom? boundary
Growth and origin evidence Separate crystal growth origin, geographic attribution and specimen-to-report correspondence.
Crystal growth origin
Assess evidence of natural or synthetic formation.
Growth-origin conclusion
Record the interpreted growth and inclusion evidence, including inconclusive or conflicting results.
- What examined growth structures, inclusions or analytical evidence support natural or synthetic origin? provenance
- Does the evidence justify a specific synthetic growth process, or only a broader synthetic conclusion? boundary
Locality and report linkage
Keep asserted locality and laboratory opinions tied to the examined specimen.
Attribution and specimen correspondence
Record who made each origin assertion and how the present ruby is matched to its supporting record.
- Is the locality supported by collection documentation, a laboratory opinion or an unverified supplier statement? provenance
- Do mass, dimensions, photographs and identifiable internal features match the referenced specimen record? measurement
Treatment and construction Describe modifications to ruby and the contribution of added materials.
Ruby treatment evidence
Assess possible modifications with explicit detection limits.
Treatment-specific conclusions
Maintain separate assessments for heating, diffusion, dyeing, coating and other suspected modifications.
- Which treatments were examined for, by what methods, and with what findings? measurement
- Does a report state that treatment was not detected, or provide evidence sufficient for a stronger conclusion? boundary
Fillers and joined material
Locate added substances and distinguish the ruby host from the complete material assembly.
Added-material extent
Record the location, identity and known extent of filling, coating or joined parts.
- Which fractures, cavities or surfaces contain added material, and how was that material identified? measurement
- Does the proposed description adequately disclose the added material, or require a composite or assembled-object designation? boundary
Appearance and material integrity Map ruby-specific visual behaviour alongside defects that constrain use.
Colour and optical effects
Characterise appearance under conditions that can be repeated.
Orientation-dependent appearance
Record colour zoning, transparency, directional colour and any observed star effect without assuming every ruby exhibits them.
- How do colour and transparency vary across the specimen and with viewing direction under stated lighting? measurement
- If a star effect is observed, what lighting and orientation reveal it, and how are its sharpness and position documented? measurement
Fractures and surface condition
Locate damage and distinguish current condition from identification evidence.
Damage and vulnerable regions
Map cracks, chips, cavities and altered areas relative to facets, edges, inclusions and any filling.
- Which fractures reach the surface or intersect a proposed cutting, setting or contact region? measurement
- Which apparent changes are demonstrated by earlier inspection records, and which areas remain inaccessible? provenance
Ruby use and intervention Connect the characterised material to a proposed use or physical operation.
Use-specific fitness
Evaluate the specimen against requirements supplied by its intended application.
Fitness against requirements
Record the relevant dimensional, optical, compositional or aesthetic requirements and unresolved acceptance checks.
- Is this ruby intended for display, jewellery, scientific study or a technical component, and what material criteria govern acceptance? definition
- Which required properties have been measured on this specimen, and which are merely assumed from its ruby identity? measurement
Intervention compatibility
Assess proposed cleaning, cutting, polishing, mounting or thermal exposure against actual material evidence.
Operation-specific decision
Record the proposed operation, supporting compatibility evidence and any examination needed before proceeding.
- Given the mapped fractures and treatment assessment, what supports the proposed cleaning, heating, cutting or mounting operation? action
- What further examination or specialist judgement is needed where fillers, coatings or treatment status remain unresolved? action
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Physical world and living systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- PHY
- Domain
- PHY.MAT
What it is Filled
This model owns the material identity, observable properties, growth origin, modifications, condition and use constraints of an individual ruby specimen or explicitly characterised ruby lot under vr.tr.ruby, provisionally including natural and synthetic material in rough, polished or component form.
In scope
- Identification of ruby and the boundary with pink sapphire, other red minerals and imitations
- Natural or synthetic growth origin, distinguished from geographic origin and custody history
- Colour, internal features, optical behaviour and specimen geometry
- Treatments, fillers, coatings and composite construction affecting interpretation or handling
- Material condition and suitability for gem, specimen or technical use
Out of scope
- The general classification of corundum and sapphire varieties
- Mine geology, extraction operations and mineral-resource estimation
- Jewellery settings and the condition of the complete jewellery object
- Laser systems, bearings and other devices incorporating ruby
- Ownership, trade compliance, commercial valuation and transaction management
Why it exists Filled
Enable an AI agent to recognise ruby, assess its material state and evidential certainty, and decide whether it is suitable for a proposed examination, transformation or use.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Require evidence that the material is corundum before accepting its red appearance as ruby identification; retain the examination method and unresolved alternatives. Ruby is a corundum variety. [GIA ruby overview](https://www.gia.edu/ruby)
- Assess whether red is the dominant hue under recorded viewing conditions, retaining the naming convention used at the ruby-pink sapphire boundary. GIA uses comparison stones for this decision. [GIA ruby quality factors](https://www.gia.edu/ruby-quality-factor)
- Distinguish natural from synthetic ruby through interpreted growth and inclusion evidence, with laboratory examination where needed; matching bulk properties alone does not establish natural origin. [GIA ruby overview](https://www.gia.edu/ruby)
- Examine the interior and surface for evidence relevant to natural growth, synthetic growth and treatment, rather than treating an attractive red appearance as a complete identification. [GIA inclusion reference](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2017-inclusions-natural-synthetic-ruby)
- Separate the identity of the ruby host from any filling or assembled construction; identification and treatment conclusions must remain distinct. [GIA buyer's guide](https://www.gia.edu/ruby/buyers-guide)
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Sell or describe a synthetic, glass-filled or heated ruby as natural and untreated.
- Invent or alter a laboratory certificate or origin claim.
- Help move stones in a way that evades sanctions or conceals their origin.
- Take, swap or hide stones that belong to someone else.
Only with a human decision
- Valuing a ruby for sale, insurance or inheritance.
- Accepting stones from a source whose origin cannot be documented.
May
- Describe a ruby's colour, clarity, weight and treatments from a laboratory report.
- Record provenance and certification for stones in a collection or inventory.
Moral aspects Filled
- Undisclosed treatments and synthetics cheat buyers of large sums.
- Some ruby mining has funded armed conflict and exploited workers.
Who is affected
- Buyers and owners
- Miners and their communities
- Jewellers
Owners Filled
Steward
The person who owns the stone; a gemmological laboratory answers for its report.
Master systems
- Gemmological laboratory report databases
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q127583 - registry parent class
- Q131777 - registry parent class
- Q83437 - registry parent class
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.ruby
- Wikidata: Q43088 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q43088)
Direct properties required Filled
- Material identification: ruby confirmed | ruby provisional | another material identified | unresolved; method and evidence required
- Growth origin: natural | synthetic | mixed construction | unresolved
- Colour observation: Declared colour system or spectrum, with illuminant, orientation, geometry and uncertainty
- Optical identification evidence: Refractive index and birefringence where measurable; spectral wavelength in nm or wavenumber in cm^-1; method and limitations
- Mass and geometry: g or ct; dimensions in mm; orientation and accessible measurement surfaces
- Internal-feature distribution: Located inclusions, growth features, colour zones, fractures and cavities; observation scale recorded
- Treatment assessment: For each suspected treatment: detected | not detected by stated examination | inconclusive | unexamined
- Non-ruby constituent: Linked filler, coating, backing, matrix or joined part; composition and extent known or unresolved
- Geographic-origin assessment: Claimed or assessed locality linked to supporting record, assessor, date and uncertainty
- Material condition: Mapped chips, cracks, abrasion, surface alteration and changes to filling; inspection date and access limits
- Intended-use requirements: Linked gem, specimen or technical requirement with acceptance criteria and evaluation status
Recognition required Filled
- A red to purplish-red transparent gem, often with silky needle inclusions.
- Hard enough to resist scratching by most other gems, with strong red fluorescence under ultraviolet light.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- Select examinations that distinguish ruby from plausible red lookalikes and resolve uncertain growth origin.
- Match a specimen to its report using dimensions, images and located internal features.
- Assess whether cutting or polishing can preserve desired colour, optical effects and structurally sound material.
- Choose handling, cleaning or repair conditions from the observed damage and treatment assessment.
- Evaluate a ruby against explicit ornamental, collection or technical requirements.
- Refer unresolved identification, treatment or origin claims for specialist examination.
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Glass-filled stones can be damaged by heat or chemicals during jewellery repair.
- Misidentified stones cause large financial losses.
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- The Gemstone Book, CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation.
Context of use required Filled
- Ruby is encountered in mineral collections, gemstone trading and jewellery, where its colour, durability and origin affect its suitability and value.
- Synthetic ruby is also used in laser media, instrument bearings and other components requiring a hard, wear-resistant material.
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q43088: ruby - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Ruby - general description of the item
Open questions
- Does the registry intend ruby to include synthetic technical material, non-gem specimens and ruby-bearing matrix, or should some be represented through neighbouring models?
- Which recognised naming conventions should the model support at the ruby-pink sapphire boundary, and how should conflicting assessments be retained?
- What minimum examination evidence is sufficient for each identification and treatment conclusion across rough, loose, mounted and technical specimens?
- At what extent of filling or joined material should the complete object be classified through a composite model while retaining a linked ruby constituent?
- Which application-specific standards and validated compatibility references should govern technical acceptance and intervention decisions?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q43088/spec.json