Ruby is the birthstone for July and one of the most popular gemstones. In addition to being the July birthstone, rubies are traditionally given as gifts on 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries.
Ruby Birthstone Meaning and History
The name is derived from the Latin word ruber, which means "red" - the color of love and passion. Nothing beats a ruby birthstone. The best color for a July birthstone is a deep red with a purplish tinge known in the trade as "pigeon's blood." Ruby is a mineral corundum that derives its color from the trace element chromium. The higher the chromium content, the darker the red. Here's what you need to know about this beautiful July birthstone to better pick a ruby for yourself or a loved one born in July. Medieval Europeans believed that rubies conferred health, wealth, wisdom, and successful love.
How To Tell If A Ruby Is Real?
Natural Rubies:
Rubies are minerals from the corundum family that has formed beneath the earth’s surface over millions of years. Sapphires are also from the corundum family. In fact, the red color is the only aspect that separates these two gemstones from one another. Both Rubies and sapphires rank 9 on Moh’s scale of hardness meaning that rubies are fairly sturdy stones and make a fabulous choice for jewelry given their durability. Natural rubies are far more valuable than synthetic ones and are also far more unique. It may be much harder to come across one with a high clarity level and for an affordable price, but what you are getting is something remarkable and irreplaceable. A cultured ruby may look the same to you, and provide you with a perfect-looking gem, but that is not what precious gemstones are all about. Natural rubies are the real deal, and like diamonds, they are forever.
Real Rubies Vs. Lab-Grown Rubies:
Not every ruby that you will come across is a genuine ruby. While most stones are clearly marked, plenty is still marketed as natural when in fact they are lab-grown. In order to identify the differences, you must know a few things about natural rubies. For starters, most rubies have some sort of inclusion. A professional can help you identify whether or not your ruby is flawless but it is important to know that only one in a billion is perfect, lab-grown rubies have been developed to be as perfect and as flawless as can be. The biggest giveaway for such a case is a flawless ruby being sold for an unusually low price. The same goes for a low price in general. Rubies are precious gemstones, and like real diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires, they can be costly. A cheap price might very well indicate a lab-grown piece. The size of a ruby can also help inform you of your stone’s genuineness. Large rubies are hard to come by and very expensive. If you have come across one or several rubies that do not have exorbitant prices, chances are they are cultured and not real. Lab-grown rubies have been made to look identical to real rubies, so differentiating between the two can be extremely difficult. The only way to know for certain is to look at the stone’s structure through a microscope. This must be done by an expert in the field. Another thing that can help protect you from buying a fake is asking for the certification. Only genuine, mined rubies receive such paperwork and can help prove their status.
Ruby Stone Symbols, Benefits & Myths
What Rubies Symbolize:
Since the beginning of time, rubies have been linked with power, wealth, and royalty. Furthermore, it was widely believed that rubies possessed a protective ability. Wearing rubies would protect one’s assets as well as one’s personal health and well-being, or so it was believed.
Ruby Stone Benefits:
Natural rubies, especially those of great quality and size, are by no means cheap. However, if you are willing to go for a smaller stone, you can find yourself an unbelievable ruby with a rich hue that is regal, prestigious, and absolutely beautiful for an affordable price. They are also a terrific alternative to diamonds since they offer such a warm and upbeat color. As the birthstone of July, the red stone is so much more than a magnificent colored gemstone. The ruby has been believed to make its wearer more aware, more focused, and remain alert. There are also those who believe the stones can improve trouble with eyesight and blood circulation. Other possible benefits include success with exams and with certain vocations such as medicine, politics agriculture, and the government sphere. Throughout history, rubies were worn and adored by kings and royalty. They were a sign of authority and luxury. Today it is believed that the wearer of a ruby can obtain a certain level of luxury. Rubies are associated with love, and passion, and are believed to be able to help timid people open up. They can also help with one’s balance. Individuals experiencing depression and insecurity find solace in the ancient red gem. It can also help with self-awareness and in discovering one’s true deiny and calling. Rubies make fantastic gifts for many different occasions but are especially appropriate for romantic gestures.
Emotional Myths:
Rubies have forever been considered the stones of love, passion, energy, and power. It is for this reason that ruby is considered the most emotionally powerful gemstone on the planet. This relates to the fiery aspect of the stone, given its color. The red color also symbolizes blood, which is why the ruby is believed to increase energy and vigor. Another emotional myth in regards to the ruby is that the wearer will have lots of courage and will go through life without fear.
Motivational Myths:
There are theories that rubies are physically capable of improving one’s balance and even providing one with a passion for life in the most positive way possible. It is also believed that rubies can help individuals become more motivated and help them find the energy to set goals. They can promote dynamic leadership and make one sharper and more aware.
Beginner’s Guide to Buying a Ruby Gemstone
One of the most popular traditional jewelry stones, ruby is exceptionally durable. The colors of the July birthstone — always red — can reach vivid levels of saturation. Fine-quality rubies are some of the most expensive gemstones, with record prices over $1,000,000 per carat. However, rubies are also subjected to more treatments than almost any other gem.
When choosing a ruby, note that finding one with perfect color, clarity, and cut in anything above a carat will be difficult since they are incredibly rare, especially an untreated stone (over 97% of mined rubies are treated).
Color 、Cut 、Clarity 、Carat Weight
Ruby Color
There are three main components to any color; hue, tone, and saturation.
Hue – The actual color, as in red, blue, yellow, etc. The stones above are an example of this.
Different Basic Hues：Purplish Red、Red、Orangish Red
Tone – How light or dark the stone is. Note that rubies (aside from star rubies) do not have light tones.
Different Tones：Dark、Medium、Light
Saturation – How pure the color is. This is the difference between having ruby red and a reddish-brown. It can also be the difference between a ruby and pink sapphire, or brown corundum.
Different Saturations： Brown、Brownish Red、Red
Ruby Cuts
If choosing a specific ruby red proves difficult, there are other options to help narrow the search. There are a variety of cuts that gemstones come in, including one-of-a-kind cuts like the ruby to the right.
Some common cuts are:
The cut of any gemstone is unique based on potential inclusions, pleochroic color, quality of the crystal rough, and ultimately how the cutter adapts to all these factors. No two gems will be exactly the same unless cut exclusively for that purpose, especially in larger carat sizes.
Most colored gemstones have a modified step cut on the bottom, like the round, cushion, oval, pear, marquise, trillion, and heart shapes listed above. The only exception to this is the emerald, which has a completely different cut. Other cuts like radiant and princess are more uniquely cut too, but much less common since they are not as adaptable as the modified step cut.
About Ruby Clarity
Rubies can be transparent and clean looking (with inclusions difficult to find even with magnification), but these are few and far between. Clarity affects the price of rubies based on the type, location, number, and size of the many possible inclusions. These factors can dictate a large part of the price.
Care and Cleaning of Ruby Birthstones
Ruby is usually heat-treated to remove the purple color and bring out a purer red. This process also removes the "filamentous" inclusions (minute needle inclusions) that make the gemstone lighter and cloudier. The gemstone industry generally accepts heat treatment because it is stable under normal wearing and care conditions. However, rubies may also be treated and stained by lattice diffusion. If a poor quality material is used, glass is used to fill the many cracks and cavities that touch the surface, reducing the visibility of the cracks and making the gem appear more transparent. Some of these treatments may make the ruby more vulnerable to normal wearing and care.
Always ask before buying if your ruby has been treated and in what way. In most cases, you can safely wash your July birthstone with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Ultrasonic and steam cleaning units can often be used to clean untreated, heat-treated, and lattice diffusion-treated gemstones. Glass-filled or stained gemstones should be cleaned with a damp cloth.
Whether you have a July birthstone or not, having a beautiful ruby is a wonderful thing. If you want to know other gem-related questions, I hope you will actively leave us a message to interact!
The name is derived from the Latin word ruber, which means "red" - the color of love and passion. Nothing beats a ruby birthstone. The best color for a July birthstone is a deep red with a purplish tinge known in the trade as "pigeon's blood." Ruby is a mineral corundum that derives its color from the trace element chromium. The higher the chromium content, the darker the red. Here's what you need to know about this beautiful July birthstone to better pick a ruby for yourself or a loved one born in July. Medieval Europeans believed that rubies conferred health, wealth, wisdom, and successful love.
How To Tell If A Ruby Is Real?
Natural Rubies:
Rubies are minerals from the corundum family that has formed beneath the earth’s surface over millions of years. Sapphires are also from the corundum family. In fact, the red color is the only aspect that separates these two gemstones from one another. Both Rubies and sapphires rank 9 on Moh’s scale of hardness meaning that rubies are fairly sturdy stones and make a fabulous choice for jewelry given their durability. Natural rubies are far more valuable than synthetic ones and are also far more unique. It may be much harder to come across one with a high clarity level and for an affordable price, but what you are getting is something remarkable and irreplaceable. A cultured ruby may look the same to you, and provide you with a perfect-looking gem, but that is not what precious gemstones are all about. Natural rubies are the real deal, and like diamonds, they are forever.
Real Rubies Vs. Lab-Grown Rubies:
Not every ruby that you will come across is a genuine ruby. While most stones are clearly marked, plenty is still marketed as natural when in fact they are lab-grown. In order to identify the differences, you must know a few things about natural rubies. For starters, most rubies have some sort of inclusion. A professional can help you identify whether or not your ruby is flawless but it is important to know that only one in a billion is perfect, lab-grown rubies have been developed to be as perfect and as flawless as can be. The biggest giveaway for such a case is a flawless ruby being sold for an unusually low price. The same goes for a low price in general. Rubies are precious gemstones, and like real diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires, they can be costly. A cheap price might very well indicate a lab-grown piece. The size of a ruby can also help inform you of your stone’s genuineness. Large rubies are hard to come by and very expensive. If you have come across one or several rubies that do not have exorbitant prices, chances are they are cultured and not real. Lab-grown rubies have been made to look identical to real rubies, so differentiating between the two can be extremely difficult. The only way to know for certain is to look at the stone’s structure through a microscope. This must be done by an expert in the field. Another thing that can help protect you from buying a fake is asking for the certification. Only genuine, mined rubies receive such paperwork and can help prove their status.
Ruby Stone Symbols, Benefits & Myths
What Rubies Symbolize:
Since the beginning of time, rubies have been linked with power, wealth, and royalty. Furthermore, it was widely believed that rubies possessed a protective ability. Wearing rubies would protect one’s assets as well as one’s personal health and well-being, or so it was believed.
Natural rubies, especially those of great quality and size, are by no means cheap. However, if you are willing to go for a smaller stone, you can find yourself an unbelievable ruby with a rich hue that is regal, prestigious, and absolutely beautiful for an affordable price. They are also a terrific alternative to diamonds since they offer such a warm and upbeat color. As the birthstone of July, the red stone is so much more than a magnificent colored gemstone. The ruby has been believed to make its wearer more aware, more focused, and remain alert. There are also those who believe the stones can improve trouble with eyesight and blood circulation. Other possible benefits include success with exams and with certain vocations such as medicine, politics agriculture, and the government sphere. Throughout history, rubies were worn and adored by kings and royalty. They were a sign of authority and luxury. Today it is believed that the wearer of a ruby can obtain a certain level of luxury. Rubies are associated with love, and passion, and are believed to be able to help timid people open up. They can also help with one’s balance. Individuals experiencing depression and insecurity find solace in the ancient red gem. It can also help with self-awareness and in discovering one’s true deiny and calling. Rubies make fantastic gifts for many different occasions but are especially appropriate for romantic gestures.
Emotional Myths:
Rubies have forever been considered the stones of love, passion, energy, and power. It is for this reason that ruby is considered the most emotionally powerful gemstone on the planet. This relates to the fiery aspect of the stone, given its color. The red color also symbolizes blood, which is why the ruby is believed to increase energy and vigor. Another emotional myth in regards to the ruby is that the wearer will have lots of courage and will go through life without fear.
Motivational Myths:
There are theories that rubies are physically capable of improving one’s balance and even providing one with a passion for life in the most positive way possible. It is also believed that rubies can help individuals become more motivated and help them find the energy to set goals. They can promote dynamic leadership and make one sharper and more aware.
Beginner’s Guide to Buying a Ruby Gemstone
One of the most popular traditional jewelry stones, ruby is exceptionally durable. The colors of the July birthstone — always red — can reach vivid levels of saturation. Fine-quality rubies are some of the most expensive gemstones, with record prices over $1,000,000 per carat. However, rubies are also subjected to more treatments than almost any other gem.
When choosing a ruby, note that finding one with perfect color, clarity, and cut in anything above a carat will be difficult since they are incredibly rare, especially an untreated stone (over 97% of mined rubies are treated).
Color 、Cut 、Clarity 、Carat Weight
Ruby Color
There are three main components to any color; hue, tone, and saturation.
Hue – The actual color, as in red, blue, yellow, etc. The stones above are an example of this.
Different Basic Hues：Purplish Red、Red、Orangish Red
Tone – How light or dark the stone is. Note that rubies (aside from star rubies) do not have light tones.
Different Tones：Dark、Medium、Light
Saturation – How pure the color is. This is the difference between having ruby red and a reddish-brown. It can also be the difference between a ruby and pink sapphire, or brown corundum.
Different Saturations： Brown、Brownish Red、Red
Ruby Cuts
If choosing a specific ruby red proves difficult, there are other options to help narrow the search. There are a variety of cuts that gemstones come in, including one-of-a-kind cuts like the ruby to the right.
Some common cuts are:
The cut of any gemstone is unique based on potential inclusions, pleochroic color, quality of the crystal rough, and ultimately how the cutter adapts to all these factors. No two gems will be exactly the same unless cut exclusively for that purpose, especially in larger carat sizes.
Most colored gemstones have a modified step cut on the bottom, like the round, cushion, oval, pear, marquise, trillion, and heart shapes listed above. The only exception to this is the emerald, which has a completely different cut. Other cuts like radiant and princess are more uniquely cut too, but much less common since they are not as adaptable as the modified step cut.
About Ruby Clarity
Rubies can be transparent and clean looking (with inclusions difficult to find even with magnification), but these are few and far between. Clarity affects the price of rubies based on the type, location, number, and size of the many possible inclusions. These factors can dictate a large part of the price.
Care and Cleaning of Ruby Birthstones
Ruby is usually heat-treated to remove the purple color and bring out a purer red. This process also removes the "filamentous" inclusions (minute needle inclusions) that make the gemstone lighter and cloudier. The gemstone industry generally accepts heat treatment because it is stable under normal wearing and care conditions. However, rubies may also be treated and stained by lattice diffusion. If a poor quality material is used, glass is used to fill the many cracks and cavities that touch the surface, reducing the visibility of the cracks and making the gem appear more transparent. Some of these treatments may make the ruby more vulnerable to normal wearing and care.
Always ask before buying if your ruby has been treated and in what way. In most cases, you can safely wash your July birthstone with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Ultrasonic and steam cleaning units can often be used to clean untreated, heat-treated, and lattice diffusion-treated gemstones. Glass-filled or stained gemstones should be cleaned with a damp cloth.
Whether you have a July birthstone or not, having a beautiful ruby is a wonderful thing. If you want to know other gem-related questions, I hope you will actively leave us a message to interact!