Like most naturally occurring gemstones, natural rubies are mined from the earth, usually from places like Myanmar (formerly Burma), Kenya, Tanzania, & Thailand.
All natural rubies will have inclusions like mineral inclusions (also called needles) or color variations. While some are visible to the naked eye, others will need a microscope to spot them. These inclusions are unique as no two rubies will have the same distribution of them.
While natural rubies will vary in color and may have uneven tone and intensity, a fine ruby is typically a pure, vibrant red to slightly purplish red.