Birthstone of the native of July, the word ruby comes from the Latin “ruber” which means red. The redness of the ruby represents the inner flame and the eternal love. It is also the precious stone of kings and people of power. It symbolizes victory, love, happiness and passion.
Ruby is a mineral from the corundum family. It is colored by traces of chrome giving it its orangy red to pinkish red or purplish red color. The most sought after color is the red “pigeon blood” color that recalls the red traffic light. The very pure rubies (without inclusion) are rare and bring a premium. It is the hardest stone after the diamond. Thus, it has the title of precious stone because of its beauty, its rarity and its resistance. Of all time, it remains a classic in jewelry.
The first known ruby mines date back more than 2500 years. Today it is found in Burma, Thailand, Mozambique, Kenya, India and Viet Nam.
On the market, almost all rubies are heated, which is accepted. Unfortunately, they are found treated by filling fractures with glass containing lead. There are also many synthetic rubies (made in the laboratory).
The rubies are cut with facets for the jewelery either to present the most beautiful color, or in cabochon to make appear a star on its surface. These are called star rubies.
Famous rubies include the 167 ct Edward Ruby, the 138.7 ct Reeves Star Ruby, the 100.32-ct Long Star Ruby and the 43ct Peace Ruby.