Ruby is the July birthstone – and it’s one of the most coveted of gems. Let's explore some fun facts about this red-hot gem.
- Ruby is the birthstone for July and the 40th Anniversary gemstone.
- It is also the national gemstone of the United Kingdom. It is also the national gemstone of both Myanmar and Thailand.
- The July birthstone corresponds to the zodiac signs for this month: Cancer and Leo.
- The ruby originates from the name "red jewel". Throughout history, it has symbolized courage and strength. It's also called the "king of gems" because of its beauty and value.
- Ruby gemstones are mined in Africa, Asia and Madagascar.
- The ruby is a red variety of the mineral corundum, second only to the diamond in hardness.
- Ruby gemstones always have inclusions. This is caused by the crystallization process.
- Ruby is the red variety that makes up only about 10% of the overall ruby market. Rubies are known for their deep, rich red color that is the result of high levels of chromium and moderate levels of aluminum.
- Found in a wide range of hues from pinkish cinnamon to blue-gray, the ruby crystal is a stone of passion, energy and life force.
- Although the ruby gem is found all over the world, the finest quality rubies are mined in Burma.
- The most expensive ruby crystals are Burma Ruby, Moussala Ruby, and Pigeon Blood Ruby. These gemstones fetch very high prices at auctions.
- Some of the most expensive rubies in the world are color-changing gems. They’re known for their vivid, vibrant red color and the way they shift into purple before transitioning into green.
- The ruby stone is a quite popular gemstone and the most expensive cut of them is the oval. Aside from a rare black ruby, which can go for as much as $300,000 per carat.
- The ruby stone is characterized by a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale.
- Ruby is one of the most precious and most expensive gems, a symbol of love. In ancient times, Cleopatra was known to take a bath in pure powdered ruby gems to retain her youth.
- One of the most expensive rubies ever found...
Crazy, right? It's worth around $75 million. In 1985, a Sri Lankan shopkeeper sold this ruby for about $1.4 million — but it had been falsely declared as a white stone. Purchased by Indian billionaire jeweler Pandit Nirav Modi, this Indian Pink Star is the most expensive ruby gems in the world. - The Ranggawarsita Ruby is the most expensive ruby gemstones on record. In 1987, Dutch King Willem II received it as a gift, sold in 1903 by Raffles Hotel in Singapore and ended up at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.