Unlock the Luxury of Ruby - Discover Its Radiant Beauty and Rare Brilliance

Name Origin: From the Latin rubens meaning red
Colour: From light red (Ceylon ruby) to intense red (Burmese ruby). Other variations of red including purple-reddish and red-brown
Family: Corundum (same as sapphire)
Hardness: 9 out of 10 on the Mohs Scale
Found in: Many locations around the world including Burma, Madagascar even recent finds in Greenland. However, the spiritual home of the ruby however is India.
Birthstone: July (zodiac stone for Capricorn and Scorpio)
Anniversaries: 15th, 40th and 80th

 

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE STONE

In the classic 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz", Dorothy wished herself home by clicking the heels of her ruby slippers three times. And there are very few who wouldn't want to have one of these intensely popular gems in their home!

Ruby is the king of all gemstones. Maybe it's the blood red, fiery colour. Perhaps it's the many references throughout actual and fictionalised history. But for whatever reason, the ruby radiates more emotive appeal than any other gem and is regarded by many as the most valuable.

Nowhere is this clearer than India the birthplace of the ruby. Since their discovery in roughly 200BC, rubies have been so highly coveted here that their presence generates entire welcoming parties reserved for dignitaries! Little wonder then that the Sanskrit word for this intense gem translates as "King of the Gemstones".

Associated with the heat of summer, the ruby's colour is from its natural impurities. A ruby's natural inclusions often do not affect quality they are more like a personal signature. 99% of all rubies are heat-treated to improve colour and clarity. (Note the difference between this accepted industry practice and the non-sanctioned lead glass filling.)

Natural Rubies can be found in several countries including Mozambique, Thailand and Myanmar (Burma).

 

YOUR RUBY

As with many gemstones, the most valuable are those of intense colour. In ruby's case, it is the "Burmese" or "Pigeon-Blood" deep rich red coloured stones that are regarded as the highest quality and its value is far greater than rubies from other countries.

To clean your ruby, use a soft brush and warm, soapy water, followed by rinsing in clean water and a gentle rub to dry. We do not recommend wearing your ruby whilst performing vigorous activity. But we DO recommend having it professionally cleaned every two years, to keep it looking beautiful. As always, if you are unsure of anything, ask your jeweller.

 

NOTABLE RUBIES

In December 2011 Elizabeth Taylor's complete jewellery collection was auctioned by Christie's in New York. This included a ruby ring set with an 8.24ct gem that broke the 'price-per-carat' record for rubies and a necklace that sold for over $3.7 million. The Liberty Bell Ruby is the largest mined ruby in the world, it was stolen in a heist in 2011.

Be informed of upcoming auctions