Ruby

History and Origin of Rubies

One of the most sought after gemstones in the world are rubies. Rubies are made from Corundum.  It should be noted that the mineral corundum creates two distinct gemstones, the first is the Ruby, the second being Sapphires.  Sapphires come in a variety of beautiful colors, however only red Corundum is considered a Ruby.  Since natural occurring rubies are very rare and extremely rare in large sizes over 3 carats, they can demand prices higher than diamonds.

The Ruby is one of the most beautiful gemstones created by nature.  It comes in either a pinkish red or deep, rich red color.  High quality rubies have a wonderful hue to them and are termed “silk” rubies.

Rubies are perhaps one of the oldest known gemstones to man.  They have been revered since the beginning of time and possessed for their beautiful qualities.  Corundum, which Rubies are made from is created from aluminum, iron, small bits of chromium and titanium.  It is usually written scientifically as Al2O3.  It should be noted that Corundum is one of the hardest substances known to man and is second in hardness only to Diamonds.

Rubies were worn by kings and aristocrats since the dawn of time.  Ruby comes from the Latin word ruber which means red.  It was said to ward off sickness and to make one invulnerable to defeat.  During ancient times it was said that those that possess Rubies will never have their wealth or belongings taken from them.  Today, Rubies are used for the highest quality jewelry pieces and can be extremely beautiful in rings, charms, earrings and bracelets.

What are Rubies used for?

Rubies are one of the most valuable gemstones in the world.  Rubies are a gemstone that comes from the mineral Corundum. Corundum is responsible for two popular gemstones, Sapphires and Rubies. Sapphires are known to include a wide variety of colors from whites to blues; however, only red Corundum gemstones are allowed the privilege of being called Rubies.

Rubies are used primarily for ornamental jewelry. The Ruby has wonderful qualities such as an incredible deep rich red color.  However, it does come in a pinkish red as well.  Rubies, which are made from Corundum are extremely hard and rate a 9 on the Moh’s hardness scales.  They are the second hardest substance known to man, second only to the Diamond.  Rubies are made from aluminum, iron and can include chromium and titanium.

Rubies are usually the perfect gemstone to create wonderful high quality jewelry out of.  They are extremely strong, resistant to scratches, their color which is usually created by chromium is very stable and won’t fade and the crystal structure is extremely beautiful, shiny and transparent to translucent, making it perfect for rings, bracelets, earrings and charms.

While Rubies only are used for jewelry, Corundum has many uses being that it is extremely hard and usually a common mineral.  It can be found mainly as an abrasive and you might know it as emery, as in emery boards that file down finger and toe nails.  Besides being an exceptionally good abrasive, Corundum is used for several other types of industrial applications.

How and where are Rubies formed and found?

Rubies are formed from the mineral Corundum.  Corundum is a popular mineral known for two valuable gemstones.  The first being Sapphires, this incredibly attractive gemstone comes in a variety of colors including blue, yellow, orange, green, etc.  The second type of Corundum gemstone is a ruby. Rubies have the unique privilege of only coming in a single hue- a magnificent red. 

Corundum is made from aluminum, and oxygen.  It is scientifically written as Al2O3.  It should be noted that many trace elements include iron, chromium and titanium.  Corundum is an extremely hard mineral and scores a 9 on the Moh’s Hardness scale.  It is second only to the hardest substance on earth- the Diamond.  Corundum is found usually where silica sands are not.  While many gemstones come from silica, including Quartz’s, Corundum is usually mined away from these types of rocks.

Rubies are much less common and naturally don’t usually occur often.  Rubies are usually the result of chromium and titanium inclusions in Corundum.  They are truly exquisite stones and the right color ruby at a large size can be worth more than even a Diamond.

Corundum can usually be found in alluvial and eluvia deposits similar to diamonds.  Corundum can also be found in pegmatite’s that are silica poor. Sapphires are the most common type of Corundum. They can be found in many regions around the world from India, to East Africa, to South America, the Hindu Kush and there are even a few deposits in the United States.

The different colors, shapes and sizes that Rubies come in

One of the most impressive gemstones in the world is the Ruby.  The Ruby comes from the mineral Corundum.  There are two major gems that come from this mineral and they include the Sapphire and Ruby. It wasn’t known until the early 1800’s that both the Ruby and Sapphire were both the same mineral.

Rubies have the honorable distinction of being the red colored gemstone from the mineral Corundum.  Rubies come in two major hues reddish pink and Ruby red.  Rubies can include the most beautiful intense and deep reds of any gemstone and because of this trait; the Ruby was possessed by many kings and queens from the beginning of civilization.

It should be noted that Rubies are a great gemstone for ornamental jewelry and they are extremely hard due to the mineral Corundum which the Ruby is made of, only the diamond is harder than the Ruby.  Rubies can be cut into a multitude of shapes and can be set in almost any type of jewelry piece such as rings, bracelets, earrings, charms and brooches.  However, for top quality rubies, they are usually set in beautiful gold or platinum rings.

A beautiful red ruby usually comes in sizes of less than 3 carats.  While a few stones are bigger, they are usually not as good in color quality.  Large Ruby stones that are excellent quality, can easily rival diamonds in price.

Synthetic Rubies are also available and they are an option for those that are looking for a more affordable gemstone.  Usually synthetic Rubies look very convincing and besides coming in red, they can come in other types of Corundum.