Natural rutile has many times the fire shown by diamond, but it is masked by the red, brown, or black body color. The black material has been used in mourning jewellery, but rutile is most usually seen as rich, reddish brown, needle-like inclusions within quartz, or within other stones, where the rutile crystals create a star effect by reflecting light.

Igneous and metamorphic rocks and alluvial deposits in Australia, Brazil, the USA, Italy, Mexico, and Norway.

In 1902. A Frenchman. Augusta Vermeil. Produced a synthetic ruby crystal by exposing powdered aluminum oxide and coloring material to the flame of a blowtorch.