My Ruby Necklaces

The ruby, which symbolizes contentment, is a precious gemstone that also serves as the birthstone for the month of July. By definition, a ruby is a precious gem that consists of corundum in color varieties varying from deep crimson to purple to pale rose. When it comes to gemstones, there are both semi-precious and precious. As one might imagine, the list of precious gemstones is a small one and consists only of ruby, sapphire, emerald and diamond. Because the ruby is one of the more rare gems in existence, it is also one of the more expensive. For this reason, many jewelry lovers turn toward the synthetic ruby in order to enjoy the look without spending a fortune.

When it comes to gemstone jewelry, clarity is important. Rubies, like all gems, tend to have inclusions. Genuine rubies are highly prized, especially when they are found to be clear and in the deeper shades of red. Synthetic rubies are one alternative that allows women to enjoy the look of a flawless ruby. Since having first been developed in 1837, the process of creating synthetic rubies has improved greatly and has allowed for a recreation that features both the physical and chemical properties of a genuine ruby.

At Almost Diamonds, a popular online retailer specializing in sterling silver jewelry, buyers are sure to find a dazzling selection of styles at prices that are sure to outshine the competition. From earrings and necklaces to bracelets and rings, Almost Diamonds has a variety of choices that feature both clear and colored cubic zirconia designs, along with genuine gemstones. Because the jewelry is available in sterling silver, which is a precious metal, you will be wearing something that can last a lifetime.

So, you weren’t born in July and you still like the look of ruby jewelry? Jewelry lovers around the world enjoy adding as much color to their collection as possible, so don’t hesitate to purchase your favorite design and wear it proudly. Ruby jewelry, either genuine or synthetic, will make a wonderful gift for yourself or someone that you love.

Speaking of love, many weddings are held in the month of February in honor of Valentine’s Day. This means that, because the traditional valentine colors are red and white, a piece of ruby jewelry would make a wonderful bridesmaid’s gift, but would also be an ideal gift for someone that you love in celebration of the February 14th holiday. Because this is also a popular day for engagements, a ruby solitaire would also make for a unique ring to present to the bride-to-be. In fact, many couples are choosing alternate gemstones in their engagement ring.

In conclusion, the ruby is a highly-respected gemstone that has earned the honor of being named as one of the few ‘precious’ gems in existence. If you happen to be born in the month of July, wear your ruby jewelry with pride in knowing that you are also ‘precious.’ Afterall, isn’t that how our jewelry is supposed to make us feel? When you wear something as spectacular as a ruby, you will shine just as brightly as your jewelry.

One of the rarest gemstones in the world is the brilliantly red ruby. This birthstone for the month of July is hard to find in nature, and most of the world’s rubies today are lab created. The fiery red color of a ruby is difficult to match, and while other gemstones are also crimson colored (like garnet) none approach the beauty of rubies. Prized by royalty and fought over in wars, this gemstone still retains its mystique and allure.

Rubies are a variety of the mineral corundum (the blue variety of this mineral is known as sapphire), and they are colored with the element chromium, which gives them this red coloration. The most prized version of the ruby is found in Myanmar, and it is known as the Burmese ruby. This ruby is said to be the color of “pigeon’s blood”, so it is also alternately called a pigeon’s blood ruby, or in the jewelry trade, a Mogok ruby. While rubies can also be found in many other parts of the world, including North Carolina, rubies from Myanmar are the rarest and the most valuable.

The red version of corundum known as ruby is the second hardest gemstone known to man, rating a 9.0 on the Mohs scale of hardness. The only harder stone is the diamond. Even though the ruby is a hard stone, it is not often found in large carat weights. All rubies also have inclusions, or small flaws in them, just as many diamonds have. These inclusions can affect the price of the ruby in the jewelry market, along with other factors such as the depth of the red color, the cut and the carat size of the ruby.

Many pieces of ruby jewelry are made with synthetic rubies, or gemstones that look similar to rubies, because of the scarcity of the gemstone. Other stones such as red spinel, red tourmaline and red garnet are used instead of rubies – and occasionally are even passed off as the true article. It is important to have a thorough gemological check of any ruby jewelry before you purchase it, because these other stones are worth far less than true rubies. The most expensive, and largest, ruby ever purchased was a 38.12 carat ruby bought at auction for $5,860,000.

While you may not be able to enjoy the splendor of authentic pigeon’s blood ruby jewelry, it is easy to find acceptable substitutes and synthetic replacements. Most synthetic rubies cannot be distinguished from their authentic counterparts unless they are under gemological scrutiny, so you can rest assured that your ruby jewelry will look as lovely as the real thing.

Ruby is one of the four precious gemstones along with Sapphire, Emerald and the Diamond. Ruby as a mineral is hard; it only comes second to the diamond when it comes to hardness.

The color of the Ruby comes in different shades of red – from light pink to blood red. This color is due to chromium. The word “Ruby” come from “rubber”, the Latin word for red.

Although Ruby is the birthstone for the month of July, it is a common gift for lovers in February in time for the Valentines. Its deep red color shows passion and power. In the past, royalties wear a Ruby to make use of its believed to be magical powers to fight against evil. According to myths and legends, the stone grows darker to warn the wearer of imminent perils. Even today’s modern royalties still use Rubies to adorn the insignia of their households.

Ruby is faceted into different styles of cuts and marketed as high class jewelries. The most preferred cuts are the brilliant and step cuts. Some rubies that have asterism are polished and shaped (the result is called cabochon) instead of faceted to display the best effect of the stone. Asterism is an inclusion that can greatly increase the value of the Ruby. Rubies with transparent asterism are highly prized. Some rubies, although extremely rarely, can show color changes, an effect called chatoyancy.

The prices of Rubies are highly depended on the color. The Pigeon Blood Red, which is the brightest red Ruby, is exceedingly expensive. Clarity follows color in determining the Ruby’s price. Clear Rubies have higher prices. It is easy to spot any clear Ruby that has been treated to fool buyers. This can be noted with the absence of needle like rutile inclusion.

There are many acceptable practices to treat Rubies to enhance the quality. The most common accepted treatment practice is using heat. Heat treatment can improve color, and remove blemishes on the stone. Most lower cost rubies are heat treated.

A notorious way of treating Rubies to enhance them is the Lead Glass Filling method. This is done by filling the fractures inside the ruby with lead glass to greatly improve the look and shine.

There are also synthetic Rubies that have been in the market since the 19th century. The introduction of the flame fusion process has made synthetic Ruby production possible. To the unaided eye, synthetic rubies may have no apparent imperfections. These imperfections can only be noticed hen magnified. Synthetic rubies are the answer to the people who want to avail of the stone’s elegance without spending huge amount of money. But synthetic rubies cannot be considered an investment compared to the natural ones.

Some Ruby varieties include Burmese Ruby, Star Ruby, Cat’s Eye Ruby, Stynthetic Verneuil Ruby. An unnamed 38.12 carat ruby holds the record for having been sold for $5,860,000 at an auction in 2006.

Science laboratories have used rubies for the first laser which used artificial ruby crystals. The phosphorescence property of ruby makes it perfect for lasers.

What are Star Rubies?

Star Rubies are a rare variety of the gemstone Ruby. These magnificent gems display a sharp six-rayed star which seems to glide and shimmer magically across the surface of the gem when the latter is moved. This is caused due to an optical phenomenon known as “Asterism“. The star is best visible when the star ruby is seen in a single light source such as sunlight and spotlight.

What causes the Star-Effect?

Star-effect or “asterism” is caused by the dense inclusions of tiny fibers of rutile (also known as “silk“). The stars are caused by the light reflecting from needle-like inclusions of rutile aligned perpendicular to the rays of the star. However, since rutile is always present in star rubies, they are never completely transparent. Infact, star ruby is one of those few gemstones which actually requires inclusions (i.e. rutile).

Are Star Rubies rare?

Today, out of every 100 rough corundum (ruby and sapphire) mined; only three will have stars apparent after being cut into cabochons. Out of these three, one will have a poor color but a good star, one will have a poor star but a good color. Only one out of hundred will have both a good star and a good color!

Most original sources of star rubies such as Mogok (Burma) have run out of supplies. Worldwide production today is yielding a very small quantity of fine stars (especially in sizes above 5 carats). Star rubies are becoming rare as most rough today is cut into faceted stones after heating instead of being cut into cabochons to display the star.

Star Ruby Myths and Legends:

Traditionally, star rubies were worn by knights in the battlefields to protect themselves from the enemy. Local tales in Karnataka (India) say that if it is worn as a visible pendant or as a headgear then anyone who faces you as an enemy looses half his valour. The power of star ruby is said to be the highest during full moon.

Star Ruby is said to pep up internal strength, ward off tensions, distress the mind and drive away stress related problems like migraine, insomnia, and hysteria. The healing powers of gemstones remain a controversial issue, but are mentioned since ages by healers, shamans and medicine men. Whether it’s a fact or a placebo effect doesn’t matter, if it helps.

Famous Star Rubies:

The Delong Star Ruby resides in the Natural History Museum in New York City. It weighs 100.32 carats. Discovered in Burma during the early part of the twentieth century, it was sold by Martin Ehrmann to Edith Haggin DeLong, who donated it to the museum. In 1964 the Delong Star Ruby was the object of an infamous burglary, carried out by Jack Murphy, known as Murph the Surf, and two other men. It was then ransomed and recovered. The Delong Star was found at a designated drop off site - a phone booth in Florida.

The Rosser Reeves Ruby is one of the world’s largest and finest star rubies. Weighing 138.7 carats, it is not only clearer and more translucent that the Delong Star, but also possesses a sharp six-rayed star. This Sri Lankan stone is renowned for its great color and well-defined star pattern. Advertising mogul Rosser Reeves, who donated the piece to the Smithsonian in 1965, carried it around as a lucky stone, referring to it as his baby. He often stated that he had acquired the stone at an auction in Istanbul in the mid-1950s. He actually bought the stone from Robert C. Nelson Jr. of New York who was acting on behalf of Firestone & Parson of Boston. Firestone & Parson were selling the stone for Mr. Paul Fisher of New York. Mr. Robert Fisher, Paul’s father, had bought the ruby at an auction in London in 1953. At the time the ruby then weighed just over 140 carats, but was very heavily scratched, and a few carats were removed in the repolishing. The repolishing also helped to center the stone’s star. Articles in the New York World-Telegram and The Sun in 1953 mentioned this fabulous gemstone.

Zodiac / Birthstone Information:

Ruby is the birthstone for July, and the Capricornzodiac sign. The top quality of ruby is Star Ruby. Ruby is also used to celebrate a couple’s 15th and 40th anniversaries.

What to Look for while buying a Star Ruby:

The value of Star rubies is basically influenced by two things: (a) The strength and sharpness of the star, (b) Intensity and attractiveness of body colour.

Sharpness of the Star:The star should be sharp and silvery / milky white. The best way to test the sharpness of the star is to look at the star ruby in sunlight with the dome facing the sun. All six prongs should be straight and equally prominent. The complete star should be centered in the middle of the gem, but should also be able to glide effortlessly around the cabochon.

Colour of the gemstone:Generally rubies are red. But star ruby is usually not red. Most star rubies are available in pinkish-red, purplish-red or purplish-brown colour. Red Rubies with a perfect star are very very rare and may cost a fortune.

Cutting:Cutting is very important to exhibit the star effect in ruby. They need to be cut into medium to high, domed cabochons to get the perfect star effect. The cabochons must be round or oval-shaped. The stone should not be too flat on the top or too heavy on the bottom. Many bottoms of stars are kept unpolished so that the light is trapped inside the gemstone.

Caring about your star ruby:

Though there are very few chemicals that attack Star Rubies, it is best to clean your star ruby with warm soap water and a toothbrush. Cleaning your Star Ruby in Ultrasonic cleaners is not recommended.

Treatments & Synthetics:

Genuine Star Rubies are usually not heat treated because heating can dissolve the rutile (silk) which causes the star to form in the first place.

Beware of Synthetic (Lab-made) Star Rubies! Synthetic star rubies jump out as way too perfect looking, i.e. a perfect star, a super clean stone, and great color. In natural star rubies the distribution of colour is often uneven, in stripes and spots - which is the best way to judge with the naked eye whether the star ruby is natural or synthetic. However, sometimes it may be a tough task to distinguish between natural and synthetic gems and if you run into any such stone, be sure to ask for a Reputed Gem Laboratory certificate from the seller. No doubt synthetic star rubies are much cheaper than natural ones, but they may offer little or no resale value.

Advise on Star Ruby Jewellery:

Star Rubies are available in all forms of jewellery. However, Star Ruby Rings and Pendants are usually preferred. To maximize its astrological and healing effects, it is advised that the gemstone should be mounted in jewellery in such a way that the bottom of the stone touches to skin. Star Ruby can also be kept as a loose gemstone. Rubies look best in Yellow Gold Jewellery, though it really depends on the choice of the wearer.

To conclude, if you are looking out for a gemstone, but not sure which one to buy, search no more, get yourself this mystical gem!

Known to be the symbol of eternal love, the fiery and emotional ruby is usually presented as a gift for couples celebrating their 15th and 40th wedding anniversary. Although rubies come in different shades of red - from orange-red, pinkish, to purple-red - the most valuable form come in a deep red shade.

Common Locations of Rubies

Mining for rubies started some 2,500 years ago, and to this date, ruby mining is still being undertaken in some parts of Asia such as Thailand and Burma, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the United States. But Burma, now known as Myanmar, is the most well-known source of fine rubies. Studies have shown that ruby mining in Burma could be traced way back into the Stone Age and Bronze Age, as proven by tools found in the Mogok mining area. Thailand, on the other hand, is considered today as the most important trading center in the world when it comes to ruby trading. There have also been discoveries of rubies in some areas in Vietnam and most recently in Madagascar.

Myths and Rubies

In the ancient Sanskrit language, ruby is called ratnaraj translated as “king of gemstones.” Ancient Hindus believe that it is the “Lord of all Gems.”

Also known as the birthstone of those born in the month of July, and in some studies those under the zodiac Capricorn; ruby is not only regarded as a symbol of eternal love.

Out of the many myths and legends surrounding its brilliance, the one that stuck the most to lovers of this lasting gemstone is the one that said one should always be appreciative of rubies because they become lackluster when neglected, overlooked or unloved. In a word, you personify its symbolism, and its importance is revered in your relationship with it.

Sovereigns or crowned heads turned to rubies for help in predicting and consequently preventing impending danger. Royalties kept rubies in their possession to protect them against vulnerability. They believed that the stone turns dark in color when imminent danger is at hand and returns to its original shade when the threat is gone.

It is likewise believed that any one who wears ruby as jewelry is given good health, wealth, wisdom, and luck in love and can live peacefully amongst his enemies. This is probably one of the reasons why this gemstone has been regarded as one of the most cherished gems in history. Even today, rubies are viewed as more precious and rare than diamonds.

Its inherent eternal flame, its brilliance, the way the shade of red is refracted on each facet of the stone, giving a different red every time you turn it towards the sun, and the rich legend surrounding it; these are only some of the finest qualities of ruby that make it precious and rare. This is why some true-blue romantics prefer it over diamonds. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, and yes, they may spell forever, but forever does not cross over to eternity. A ruby’s eternal flame does.

If you’re still young enough to remember your birthday, you probably also remember the special birthstone assigned to it. But at your age, we bet you don’t really know the SIGNIFICANCE of your birthstone and what power the ancients felt would be bestowed about you by wearing it.

July’s Birthstone: Ruby Birthstone Properties: Fire and emotion Alternative Birthstone: Sapphire

Ruby is the birthstone for July and also the anniversary gemstone for the 15th and 40th years of marriage. The history of ruby mining dates back more than 2,500 years ago, and today the coveted gemstone is found in Burma, Thailand, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Cambodia, Kenya, Tanzania, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States.

Called the “Lord of Gems” by ancient Hindus, rubies are one of the most highly prized gems throughout history. The fiery glow of rubies is said to come from the gemstone’s internal and eternal flame.

For this reason, the gift of a ruby is a symbol of everlasting love. If worn on the left hand, ancient lore has it that the Ruby will bring good fortune. It is a perfect engagement ring gemstone and a popular alternative to or addition to diamond engagement bands.

Hard, but Soft The word ruby comes from the Latin “ruber,” meaning red. It is a variety of the mineral Corundum that is called sapphire when it is any color except red…only when it is red does it earn the designation of “ruby.”

But that’s not to say that there’s only one “red” for rubies. Rubies range in hue from an orangey red to a purplish red, although the most treasured rubies are still true red in color.

The ruby is a very durable gemstone, surpassed in hardness only by diamonds. But despite its hard nature, it has a soft side. According to legend, you should never make faces at a ruby in a museum or ignore it because it will grow dull if slighted or not worn or seen.

Deliver Me From Evil Royalty chose rubies as a powerful talisman that could help protect them against evil by anticipating its arrival. Monarchs thought that rubies would darken when peril was danger, and then return to its original color once the threat was past.

In an interesting way, rubies had their own built-in anti-theft device: it was believed that in order for rubies to act for good, it was believed that they had to be in the hands of their rightful owner.

A Ruby By Any Other Name Gemstones that are not rubies are also called rubies. The Balas Ruby is a type of spinel (a hard glassy mineral). Bohemian Rubies are derived from rose quartz, and Siberian “rubies” are really red or pink tourmaline. In the United States, the American, Cape, Montana, and Rocky Mountain “rubies” are really different varieties of garnet.

Birthstones are something the whole world is aware of. When a child reaches the age when he able to tell things and make friends the second thing he would inquire from a new acquaintance is about his zodiac sign and his birthstone. It seems to come out even if you don’t intend to. We seem to find some satisfaction and joys knowing we humans have anything to do with gem stones and that they have some influence on our lives and our personality. These gem stones originated a very long time back when Jews came into existence. The breastplate of Aaron had 12 stones on it. God answered the commanders of the 12 Jewish tribes through these stones. When time passed by these 12 stones where considered as a means of great power and divinity for people. Then gradually these 12 stones became the origin of the 12 months of a year and the 12 stones known as birthstones of the 12 months of a year. These birthstones even have some association with the planets and their movements influence the social and personal lives of people.These birthstones are different for all the months. It has some association with the beliefs of astrologists and historians who have been providing their own definitions and phenomenon about the planet movements, these zodiac signs and birthstones. These gems and their attributes change lives of individuals. Humans have never seized to believe in supernatural powers and different elements of nature.The sequence of birthstones has been fixed by specialists after much observations and thorough study. They have finalized which stone belongs to which month and what attributes does each of these stones carry with itself.For January the birthstone is Garnet, for February we have the stone called Amethyst. These 2 stones have both different olden times belief that they purify things and they prevent bloodshed.The month of March presents Aquamarine blessing the wearer with love and affection. For May; we have Emerald. The possessor of this gem is protected by God. June and July the hot months present Alexandrite and Ruby respectively. These birthstones can give the possessor varied abilities and good luck.The later months of the year have birthstones called Peridot, Sapphire, and Tourmaline for August, September and October. November and lastly December have to offer the birthstones known as Imperial Topaz and Turquoise.These are however merely stones and it is a fact that if a person starts to depend on such elements for courage, strength and abilities he can not become strong, instead he will end up more weak. So it’s just better to keep these precious stones as an adornment and beauty only.