Perhaps no gemstone has been as sought after throughout time as the ruby. This particular stone had been notable in the Bible and in ancient Sanskrit writings as the most precious of all gemstones. The ruby has adorned both kings and emperors with their fiery rich hues.

The ruby is also known to be the ultimate gemstone for symbolizing passion and romance.

The ruby is the birthstone for July, and is also the recommended gem for couples who celebrate their 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries.

Rubies rate a ‘9’ on the Moh’s scale of hardness, making them the second hardest material, right after a diamond.

The most valuable rubies come from Myanmar, previously known as Burma. This would be known as a ‘Burmese’ ruby. Fine stones may also be found in such places as Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Occasionally, top quality stones may also come from such places as Afghanistan, Russia and Pakistan. The terrain in these former mentioned places makes the mining of rubies difficult.

When considering a ruby, the most important factor to consider is color. This stone may come in a variety of shades from purplish and bluish-red to an orange-red. Similar to the sapphire ‘star sapphire’, there is also a variety that is translucent that can form a 6 point star when cut in a smooth domed cabochon cut and presented in front of a beam of light. The highest quality rubies are pure red, intensely saturated with no overtones of brown or blue. After considering the color, the second most important attribute when considering value, would be clarity, cut and size. Rubies that are clear, with no visible inclusions have a higher value than those with internal visible flaws. .

Rubies are rarely found perfect in nature.