One of only four precious stones, ruby, is July’s “official” birthstone.
The other precious (or cardinal) stones are diamond, sapphire and emerald.
Other stones, including July’s more affordable alternative – carnelian – are known as semi-precious gemstones. As well as being July’s birthstone, Ruby is also traditionally used to celebrate 40th anniversaries.
Rubies are a type of corundum, as are sapphires.
They are found in differing shades of red from pink (pale red) to deep red. A variable shade known as “pigeon’s blood” forms the central range of colour. They can also contain hues of orange and purple and are often heat treated to intensify their colour. The name ruby comes from the Latin word “ruber,” meaning “red” and today this gemstone commands the highest price per carat of any coloured stone.
Rubies were first discovered in the Mogok region of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) as early as 2500 BC and in ancient Sanskrit, the ruby is called “ratnaraj” meaning “king of precious stones.” It is still considered of that status today.
A red gemstone known as “sardius” is mentioned eight times in the Bible and is described as one of the twelve precious gemstones created by God. It is highly likely that “sardius” is actually ruby although it could possibly be carnelian or garnet.
Historically, red rubies shared many qualities with garnets.
They had a strong association with blood and were considered to offer protection in battle, bestowing upon the wearer invulnerability. Whereas garnets were often used to adorn swords and shield, the ancient Burmese believed that, for a soldier to benefit from the stone’s full ability to protect, it had to be physically inserted into the flesh.
Achametis, an 8th Century Arabic philosopher, discusses the significance of rubies in a book he wrote about dreams. He said that a king may dream of a crown set with red jewels such as rubies. That prophesised that he would experience great joy and fortune and that his enemies would fear him even more. It’s no surprise that, as one of the cardinal stones, rubies are associated with wealth and are said to enable the owner to retain any wealth (and passion) that they have.
In bygone times darker rubies were once considered “male” and the lighter gems “female.”
Of course, prior to science enabling gemologists to distinguish different qualities in stones, rubies and garnets would all have been simply considered “red stones.” Indeed, upon investigation, some ancient “rubies” do turn out to be garnets or red spinel.
These days rubies are associated with motivation, confidence and courage. They are said to provide the wearer with a zest for life, enabling spontaneity and bringing joy and laughter. They are also said to balance emotions, helping to calm hyperactivity, overcome exhaustion and assist with setting realistic goals.
Not only are rubies beautiful with many desirable qualities, they are extremely hard and durable, so easy to care for. However, as with all precious or semi-precious stones, if you’re lucky enough to own rubies, you should remove them before doing any sort of rough work or if you are using harsh chemicals.
Jewellery and any other items containing rubies can be viewed HERE.