Ruby Meaning and Properties: July's Birthstone

Red is the colour of passion, and no red burns brighter than ruby. The most valuable variety of corundum and the king of the coloured stone market, ruby has been treasured by Sanskrit poets, Burmese warriors and modern collectors alike. As July's birthstone it makes one of the boldest gifts in the calendar. Here is what ruby means and what to know before you buy.

The king of gems

In Sanskrit, ruby is ratnaraj: the king of gems. The name was earned on price as much as poetry. Rubies can command the highest per-carat price of any coloured stone, and in May 2015 a 25.59-carat ruby ring sold for over $1.26 million per carat, setting an auction record for a coloured gemstone. Fine ruby is not merely red; it is rarity made visible.

What makes the red

Corundum in its pure form is colourless. It is chromium, a trace element locked into the crystal structure, that turns it ruby red. The same family, without that chromium, gives us sapphire, which is why gemmologists describe ruby and sapphire as one mineral with two names. Fine ruby goes further: it fluoresces, glowing with an intense red in sunlight that makes the stone appear lit from within. That red fluorescence powered the world's first laser in 1960.

Meaning and lore

Ruby has always stood for passion, courage and vitality. Warriors once wore it for protection in battle; lovers give it for devotion. It is the birthstone for July and the traditional gem of the fifteenth and fortieth wedding anniversaries, the gifts for relationships at full strength. Few stones carry meaning this directly: ruby does not whisper. In many Asian cultures it remains the stone of prosperity and protection, gifted at births, weddings and new ventures.

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What to look for

Colour comes first: the finest rubies show a pure, vivid red, neither too dark nor too pink, with that fluorescent glow in good light. Clarity follows, though some inclusions are expected and accepted in natural ruby. Cut matters more than casual buyers realise, because a well-cut ruby returns its red evenly across the face of the stone. Be aware that most rubies on the market are heat-treated to improve colour and clarity, an accepted and stable enhancement that an honest seller will always disclose.

Mogok and the legend of origin

Myanmar's Mogok valley is the legendary source, the name behind many of the world's most fabulous rubies, and origin still shapes price at the top end. Today fine rubies also come from Mozambique and other sources, and what matters most to a buyer is the quality of the individual stone: the purity and saturation of its red, its clarity, and the skill of its cut.

Hard and ready for real life

Ruby stands at 9 on the Mohs scale, the same hardness as sapphire and behind only diamond among popular gems. That makes ruby a genuine everyday ring stone, one of the few richly coloured gems that can share a lifetime of wear with an engagement or anniversary ring. Care is simple: warm water, mild detergent, a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners for heavily included or fracture-filled stones, and have the setting inspected once a year.

Find your ruby with Shewah

Shewah sets fine rubies and certified lab-grown diamonds in solid gold, made to order in Surat and shipped to the US, UK and Australia. Explore Shewah's jewellery or message us on WhatsApp at +91 96622 66360 for a July gift that says it in red.

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Sources

• Ruby Gemstone - GIA