THE HISTORY OF RUBY
Symbolic of passion, protection, and prosperity,
ruby gemstones have been revered since ancient times.
Rubies have been particularly prized in Asian countries.
Burma has been a significant ruby source since at least 600 AD. Burmese rubies are still some of the most prized of all ruby gems.
After classical Burmese mines were depleted, the Mong Hsu region of Myanmar started producing rubies in the 1990s. Though these lacked the rich red hue of traditional Burmese rubies, they were treated with heat to improve saturation and transparency. Heat-treated rubies is a common practice nowadays.
Though ruby has a long history, it wasn’t recognized as a variety of corundum until 1800.
Prior to that, red spinel, tourmaline, and garnet were also believed to be ruby.
Even the Black Ruby, one of the famed crown jewels of England, was considered one of the largest cut rubies until determined to be spinel.
RUBY ORIGIN AND SOURCES
Historically, rubies have been mined in Thailand, in the Pailin and Samlout District of Cambodia, as well as in
Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, India, Namibia, Japan, and Scotland.
After the Second World War, ruby deposits were found in
Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and Vietnam.
The Republic of North Macedonia is the only country in mainland Europe to have naturally occurring rubies. They can mainly be found around the city of Prilep. Macedonian rubies have a unique raspberry color.
A few rubies have been found in the U.S. states of Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wyoming.
RUBY Color
Ruby colors can range from a
deep blackish red to an orangish or pinkish red.
Regardless of the combinations of other colors that can be a part of the ruby,
the primary color is always red.
Rubies that are on the shade of too dark can be the color of a wine color. The darkness of this ruby has a rich color but can have less sparkle.
Rubies that pure red are often called “pigeon blood” or burmese red rubies.
Their color is a lustrous, sparkling true red color. These rubies are the most prized and valuable of all rubies.
Another common term used to describe slightly darker rubies is
"royal red."
These rubies are a shade darker than the "pigeon blood" rubies due to a higher iron content that occurs naturally within the gemstone. The higher iron content cuts the amount of blue transmission and fluorescence making the stone appear a shade darker.
Rubies that are lighter have an almost pink hue.
These are lighter and close to the color of a pink sapphire. Rubies can be pleochroic meaning that when tilted at various angles they can reflect different shades of color and have varying degrees of sparkle. Rubies also possess a fluorescence meaning that they will radiate when put under natural or artificial light. When looking at a ruby, your own eyes will be a great determinant of the quality of the red color. If your eye are seeing touches of gray or brown, the ruby may not be of the optimal quality.
RUBY Interesting facts
Ruby is the birthstone for July, as well as the gemstone of 15th and 40th anniversaries.
Rubies are a 9 on Mohs Hardness Scale.
Ruby’s red color is a result of trace amounts of chromium present in the crystal. The more chromium that is present, the stronger the color of the crystal will be.
Rubies were named after the
Latin word for “red” – ruber.
Rubies have been incredibly significant throughout history. They are even mentioned in the Bible four separate times!
The Roman scholar, Pliny, described rubies in his book Natural History, which was written in the first century AD.
Rubies also played a large role in Hindu history. Ancient Hindus believed that if a person offered a ruby to the god, Krishna, they would receive a rebirth as an emperor.
In ancient Sanskrit, ruby is called ratnaraj, which means
“king of gems.”
The most valuable rubies are a bright, vibrant red.
If a “ruby” is too pink, it will likely be sold as a pink sapphire and not as a ruby at all!
In May 2015, a 25.59ct ruby ring was sold at auction for $1,266,901 per carat – a new record for a colored gemstone!
RUBY Durability
Ruby is a variety of the mineral corundum and has a rating of 9 on the Mohs scale. This indicates that it is highly durable, and in terms of hardness, the r
uby comes second only to diamonds that score a perfect 10.
So essentially, ruby is perfect everyday wear jewelry, thanks to its ability to resist scratches and abrasions.
RUBY Uses
Ruby has extensive use in jewelry making as it offers
incredible colour and glance.
We supply Best quality Natural
'' BLUE SAPPHIRE "
in above mentioned cuts.
