July Birthstone - Ruby – Michael Anthony Jewelers

July Birthstone - Ruby

No woman can resist the temptations of a sumptuous, richly colored, deep-red ruby stone. Second to diamond in hardness, precious rubies are the most expensive gemstones after diamonds. An artistically designed piece of jewelry with stunning ruby and diamond stones clustered together is what dreams are made of. True to its intense color, Ruby derives its name from the Latin word ‘Ruber’, meaning ‘red’, symbolizing profound love and passion. The fine red birthstone is a variety of the mineral corundum and gets its deep red hue from the minuscule amounts of the element chromium – more the chromium, deeper the red color. A few ruby stones are also embedded with a slight tinge of a purple shade, referred to as the ‘pigeon’s blood’.

A rare and highly time-honored gem, July-born people are fortunate to have ruby as their birthstone, also called the ‘king of precious stones’ in ancient times. It symbolizes power, passion, and wisdom and is the perfect traditional gift for the 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries. One of the oldest sources of fine rubies globally has been Myanmar, followed by Vietnam, which gained prominence in the late 20th century. The other geographies that produce the most stunning, highly prized rubies in the world are Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, and Madagascar.