July birthstone

Did you know ruby is a perfect gift for the people with a birthday in the middle of summer? If not, welcome ruby as the king of July birthstone jewelry! Read our guide and learn how to take care of this precious gift once you receive it.

Why ruby is a July birthstone

A ruby has a special place on the throne of precious stones. In India, it became a member of an upper caste of jewels: people brought it to temples to guarantee their rebirth as an emperor in the next life. Being among “Fantastic Four” of gemstones (sharing a company with a diamond, a sapphire, and an emerald), a ruby deserved its place even in Bible – not just in the list of top jewelry picks.

The key features of ruby gemstone

Having Latin origin, the word “ruby” means “red,” the color that symbolizes love. Thus, it’s common to consider ruby as the jewel gifted by a passionate lover. Another association with a ruby refers to its connection with blood – and so, the physical well-being. Probably, that’s the reason why Ivan the Terrible of Russia connected its presence in his collection with the good state of his heart, memory, and brain. Some people went even further: they believed a ruby could neutralize the poison and make the skin look younger. Is it true or not, but ruby is surely the magnificent and highly valuable jewel for anyone.

The symbolism behind a ruby can be represented in the qualities of passion, bravery, and guardianship. It is a perfect sign of dignity. In addition, it is believed to intensify the feelings and boost vital energy. But what are the roots of this belief? Check the historical perspective of a ruby and see the answer by yourself.

The most interesting facts about a ruby

In ancient times, a ruby was used to fortify the walls of a fortress. Also, before the most important battles, warriors in ancient Asia took a ruby as a protective talisman. People in Birma went even further, implanting July birthstone into their skin for invisibility. Since these beliefs were formed, a ruby became a symbol of strength and courage.

Indians called ruby “the king of precious stones,” acknowledging its glory and scarcity. In the birthstone jewelry, it got the superpowers of bringing youth and extra strength to the owner. That was the first time ruby unified the images of beauty and bravery in its meaning.

In Hindu mythology, a ruby was associated with god Krishna. The stone was considered incredible that much that some people even believed that it grows on trees. Also, Brahmins thought that gods decorated their homes with emeralds and rubies.

Oriental culture put on a ruby an even more poetic meaning: that’s a deep drop of blood from the heart. But for ancient Greeks, ruby was just the stone that melted wax.

The first trade that involved ruby was recorded 200 B.C. in China and happened along North Silk Road. In those days, it was used as a lighting source in the Emperor Palace. This time, the same thought came into mind of ancient Greeks. In one of their myths, ruby was a gift for Heraclea to illuminate her darkroom.

In the Middle Ages, the most typical ruby associations were physical and emotional well-being, happy relationship status, and cold mind. It was believed to protect a person from evil thoughts, oversexed fantasies, internal bleeding, and conflict situations. In short, that’s how a ruby started symbolizing all the aspects of a prosperous life.

The first wife of Henry VIII, the King of England, predicted her decline in fortune by seeing the darkening of her ruby. For many years since then, people believed that ruby gemstone has the power to forecast bad things that are about to happen. Also, it was used as a treatment for the diseases connected with inflammation and spite.

It’s easy to mistake a ruby with other jewels. For example, the famous Black Ruby, an iconic jewel of England, appeared to be a spinel. With the popularity of lab-grown ruby production, this confusion became even easier to make.

Ruby is widely used beyond the jewelry limits. From the 1960s, it became involved in the production of lasers, watches, and medical tools.

There are not so many famous ruby jewels. Marco Polo recorded a story about an enormous ruby of the king of Ceylon, estimated at the price of the whole city. Another well-known ruby has 25.5 carats and was sold for $30 million. Finally, Elizabeth Taylor was the owner of several remarkable pieces of ruby jewelry – a ring and a necklace.

The first record of the ruby deposit found came from Mogok, Birma. For a long time, this was an exclusive location for any ruby found all over the world. In addition to ruby production, Mogok was known for the abundant supplies of red marble that is widely used in Buddhist temples.

From the 20th century, the situation with ruby mining changed. Vietnam turned into the largest source of July birthstone. The ruby area in the country is the Luc Yen region, situated in the north. Mozambique is the second greatest exporter. Also, ruby was found on the border between Thailand and Cambodia recently. That’s how Birma stopped being the only place in the world to find ruby.

The chemical structure of ruby gemstone

Ruby is made from corundum. This mineral grants ruby birthstone jewelry its distinctive red color. In its turn, the extreme hardness of ruby gemstone has the background of aluminum oxide. Thanks to it, jewelers have an opportunity to experiment with various ruby shapes and sizes.

Corundum is the basis for sapphire, putting ruby and sapphire in one gemstone family. In this situation, only color saturation enables differentiating a ruby from a pink sapphire. A true July birthstone needs an intense red color and the presence of chromium in its internal structure. The most valuable hue in its red spectrum is “pigeon’s blood” – a deep-red gemstone with some purple inclusion.

The importance of color in a ruby

When it comes to ruby evaluation, color is the most important factor affecting its price. Generally, specialists evaluate ruby gemstone based on three categories:

Hue. It demonstrates if a ruby is pure red or not
Saturation. It shows how intense red your gemstone is
Tone. It refers to the shade of red

Also, professionals consider these factors:

Clarity – the number and appearance of inclusions on a ruby
Cut – the quality of the ruby shape achieved
Carat – the gemstone weight

Since the color is the only criterion to differentiate ruby, it is frequently mistaken with other jewels – garnet, beryl, tourmaline, red diamond, and spinel especially. In the given circumstances, you should always ask for a GIA certificate. It shows the overall ruby quality and a treatment method applied to your gemstone.

How to make your birthstone jewelry can serve you long

Earrings, necklaces, and rings that feature a ruby is an amazing gift for a person you love. But how to take care of your precious jewelry for years? Here is all the information you need to know:

If you want to gift a ruby but don’t know its real price, think of $300 as a starting point for a one-carat jewel. However, to make purchase well, don’t forget to check a ruby under natural light to see the hidden defects within the ruby.
The hardness of ruby is 9 Mohs, which is only one grade less than a diamond, the hardest jewel in the world. For jewelry, it means extreme durability and accurateness of your ruby for both everyday wear and red carpet appearance.
Frequently, the heat is applied to ruby jewelry to restore its dark opaque red color. The quality of gemstone increases, being removed from “silk,” or temporary thin inclusions on the surface.
The best cleaning method to apply on ruby jewelry is to wash it in soapy warm water with a soft brush. You can also use ultrasonic cleaners – just make sure your gemstone was not treated before, except for applying heated and lattice diffusion methods. If your ruby gemstone is filled with glass or looks dyed, don’t use anything harder than a damp fabric on it.
It’s harder to find a big ruby than a big diamond. So, if you receive a gift with a huge gemstone, a really huge and rare love is directed on you!

And if you still want a diamond, come visit Diamond Registry! Our professionals will help you know and take care of all your precious stones – be that rubies or diamonds!

Read about other birthstones