Clarity guidelines are not as rigorous with rubies as with diamonds because a natural flawless ruby is a virtual impossibility. Rubies, like emeralds, are expected to have inclusions. If you ever see an almost flawless ruby, stop where you are. Do not buy this ruby until you have had it tested. It is perfectly reasonable as a gem customer to ask to see your stone with a loupe or under a microscope. Look to see if the inclusions adversely affect the overall look of the gem or if they are severe enough to threaten its integrity. Fractures that reach the surface present risks. The less expensive the ruby, the more inclusions you may see. Avoid inclusions so numerous as to make the gem cloudy or even opaque.