RUBY

Ruby belongs to the corundum group of minerals. Corundum includes two color varieties: the red ruby and the sapphire, which includes all other colors. The name "ruby" is derived from the Latin word for the color red, "rubens". After the diamond, the ruby is the hardest mineral and also has a similar shine after cutting.

COLORING

Although rubies are exclusively red in color, their hue varies depending on the deposit. Nevertheless, this variation cannot serve as a reliable indicator of the country of origin, as there are different shades of color in each deposit. The most sought-after is the so-called "pigeon's blood color", which is characterized by a bluish tinge. The color of rubies is often unevenly distributed, streaky or blotchy. The coloring substance is chrome or iron in the case of brownish tones. Better colors are achieved by firing inferior rubies.

ORIGIN

Ruby is found in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Cambodia, China, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and Vietnam. Although Sri Lanka is the oldest deposit, it is not the most important, as the Mogok Valley in north-central Myanmar is considered the classic place of origin. The largest ruby to date, called "The Mogok Sun", was also found there in 1993, with an impressive rough weight of 1734 carats.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF OUR NEW RUBY COLLECTION

Our new ruby collection is characterized by a special feature: The stones are completely untreated. Their color is therefore pure and natural, without any artificial processing. When selecting our rubies, we attach particular importance to sourcing them exclusively from countries that are not subject to conflict. This is why all our rubies in the new collection come from Mozambique. This guarantee of origin not only underlines our quality standards, but also our commitment to sustainable trade and the use of resources. Convince yourself of the natural beauty of our new rubies in the store!

HISTORY AND LORE

The ruby is one of the most historically significant colored gemstones and is mentioned four times in the Bible, often in connection with beauty and wisdom. 

In the ancient Sanskrit language, it is referred to as "ratnaraj", which means "king of gemstones". The ancient Hindus believed that offering fine rubies to the god Krishna would lead to rebirth as an emperor. Rubies were divided into four castes in Hinduism, with the genuine oriental ruby being called a Brahmin and promising its owner perfect security. Over the centuries, numerous legends have emerged around the ruby, including that it enabled its owners to make peace with enemies. In Burma, a major ruby deposit since at least 600 AD, warriors wore rubies in battle to be invincible. It was even common to insert rubes into the skin to increase its protective power.

Sources

Book: Edelsteine und Schmucksteine, Autor: Walter Schumann, Auflage: 2020

www.juwelo.de

www.rubine.org

www.gia.edu