July gemlore and ruby birthstone

Rubies are a symbol of love. The word ruby comes from the Latin word 'ruber,' which means red. Rubies are from the mineral species known as corundum, and while red corundum is known as ruby, all other colors are known as sapphires.

Rubies range in color from a deep, purple-red to a firey orange-red. There has been some debate about the lighter pink colors, which are generally referred to as pink sapphires. The finest rubies mined today are from Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Myanmar (Burma).

Rubies get their red coloring from chrome, and were the first stone to be created in the lab, as far back as the 1900s. Synthetic rubies are nearly identical to natural ones, and it takes a gemologist to tell the difference. Transparent, large red rubies are more rare than diamonds, and often command a higher price.

Red spinel has often been confused with ruby, since they are nearly identical and are mined in the same areas. However, gemologists make distinctions between them based on hardness and x-ray tests. The large "ruby" that forms the centerpiece of the royal crown of England (the Black Prince's Ruby) is actually a red spinel.

Some rubies are heat-treated to stabilize or enhance their colors, but this treatment does not adversely affect the quality or price of the stones. In terms of mineral hardness and durability, the ruby is second only to the diamond.

	Of All The Beads Newsletter	July 1, 2008
July's Birthstone is the Ruby	Rubies are a symbol of love. The word ruby comes from the Latin word 'ruber,' which means red. Rubies are from the mineral species known as corundum, and while red corundum is known as ruby, all other colors are known as sapphires. Rubies range in color from a deep, purple-red to a firey orange-red. There has been some debate about the lighter pink colors, which are generally referred to as pink sapphires. The finest rubies mined today are from Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Myanmar (Burma). Rubies get their red coloring from chrome, and were the first stone to be created in the lab, as far back as the 1900s. Synthetic rubies are nearly identical to natural ones, and it takes a gemologist to tell the difference. Transparent, large red rubies are more rare than diamonds, and often command a higher price. Red spinel has often been confused with ruby, since they are nearly identical and are mined in the same areas. However, gemologists make distinctions between them based on hardness and x-ray tests. The large "ruby" that forms the centerpiece of the royal crown of England (the Black Prince's Ruby) is actually a red spinel. Some rubies are heat-treated to stabilize or enhance their colors, but this treatment does not adversely affect the quality or price of the stones. In terms of mineral hardness and durability, the ruby is second only to the diamond. Although quite different from the ruby's brilliant red, other lovely red stones include jasper, coral, garnet, carnelian, and jade.
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Gem Lore
Click to read about the Black Prince's Ruby, which adorns the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom.
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