Ruby – Birthstone of July

Ruby Overview

Rubies, the birthstone of July and a gem for 15th and 40th anniversaries, are considered the king of gems and represent love, health, and wisdom.

The name ruby comes from the Latin word ruber, which means “red.” It was believed wearing a fine red Ruby bestowed good fortune on its owner. A Ruby is the most valuable gemstone and its value increases based on its color and quality.

Although Ruby is such a pure gemstone, many people don’t realize the true nature of the gemstones journey from a mine to a person wearing. Heat and pressure created by the tallest mountains on earth and countless hours of labor are necessary to get the prettiest gemstone.

 

Interesting History Facts

Red is the color for most intense emotions. Early cultures treasured rubies for their similarity to the redness of the blood that flowed through blood vessels. It is believed that rubies have the power of life.

In the ancient language of Sanskrit, ruby is called ratnaraj, or “king of precious stones.” Ancient Hindus believed that those who offered fine rubies to the god Krishna were granted rebirth as emperors.

In Burma (a ruby source since at least 600 AD—now called Myanmar), warriors possessed rubies to make them invincible in battle. However, it wasn’t enough to just wear the rubies. They had to insert them into their flesh and make them part of their bodies.

“Genetic” Make-up: Rubies are a special form of the mineral corundum that would be considered a sapphire if it weren’t for their characteristic dark red color. This red color comes from the chromium present in the ruby.

Understanding Ruby Quality And What Affects Price

COLOR: Having the purest red color in a ruby is one of the major factors that dictates the price. The finest ruby has a pure, vibrant red to slightly purplish red color. As the color becomes more orangy or more in the purple tones it moves down on the quality scale and becomes less expensive.

CLARITY: No ruby is as clear as glass, it’s a gemstone that comes from the earth and doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact people in this trade expect to have at least some inclusions. Ruby value depends on how visible the inclusions are. Inclusions that are sometimes very cloudy, that reduce transparency and the color lower a ruby’s value.

CUT: There are many ways in which a Ruby can be cut from a rough stone. The rough stone that is the raw uncut gemstone is very expensive so the cutters try to get the most of the stone when they give it a shape. Pleochroism is the appearance of stone based on which direction the cutter tries to cut it.

 

Rubies vs. Pink Sapphires

Rubies with an insufficient amount of chromium are labeled ‘Pink Sapphires’. Historically the word Ruby is referred to shades of red, which technically included pink. In gemstone producing nations such as Sri Lanka and Burma, pink colored gemstone signifies a Ruby, But it gets a bit confusing when other countries who buy gemstone refer to the stone as Pink Sapphires.

Be Careful About Lead Glass-Filled Rubies

Lead glass-filled rubies were identified by a gemstone lab in Japan in early 2014. These rubies were known to have fractures filled with high content lead glass, that made them appear transparent. This treatment is not very difficult to recognize. We recommend you confirm with your jeweler prior to making the purchase.

Desire for ruby is just as great today as it always has been. As a symbol of passion, Ruby makes an ideal romantic gift. Consumers are drawn to the lush color because it also signifies wealth and success.

 

Divas of Bollywood with Ruby Jewelry

Shilpa Shetty in these photos is looking fabulous in Farah Khan Ali Ruby and Yellow Sapphire necklace. There something really pretty about the carved rubies that caught our attention. Shilpa Shetty is known to have the most fabulous fine jewelry collection.

 

Sonakshi Sinha flaunting this pear shaped ruby ring with small diamonds is iconic and one of a kind.

 

Sonam Kapoor wore a gorgeous pair of ruby earrings from Chopard’s Copacabana Collection that beautifully highlighted her lemon-colored dress.

 

If you guys know me well, I am a huge fan of Kareena Kapoor and always amazes all with her fashion and styling. This is one our favorite looks for Soha Ali Khan’s wedding.

 

Soha Ali Khan, the bride herself wore the most exotic ruby beaded necklace with matching earrings and a head tikka. It looks completely traditional giving her the royal look of a bride.

Well, we can go on and on with Bollywood celebs love for rubies. They are a fantastic gemstone that you must surely consider. Below are some of the pieces that we have worked on that you may enjoy.

How to Incorporate Ruby Birthstone in Fine Jewelry

Below are some of the pieces that we think you may get inspired by. Contact us if you were looking to design a custom piece with rubies and diamonds.