Ruby - July birthstone

Mohs Hardness  9

Mined From  Afghanistan, Kenya, Madagascar, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam.

Species   Corundum

Typical Cutting Style  Cabochon and Faceted

Colour   Orangey Red through to purplish red, the most expensive ruby colour is a deep vivid pure shade of red, also known as pigeon blood red.

Chemistry   Al2O3 Aluminium Oxide.

Treatment   Heat treatment is very common with ruby as it improves the colour and appearance of the stone. It is estimated that up to 95% of gemstones will undergo some form of heat treatment.

Inclusions   Typical inclusions found within a Ruby are crystal inclusions that show at angles, fine needle-like rutile inclusions. Other inclusions that are found can be fingerprint, growth and colour banding and twinning lines.

Cleaning & Care   Warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush will help maintain the sparkle of your Ruby. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are usually safe for untreated, heat-treated, and lattice diffusion treated stones. Fracture-filled, cavity-filled, or dyed material should only be cleaned with a damp cloth. Ruby is resistant to the effects of heat, light, and common chemicals. Boric acid powder will etch the surface of even untreated stones. Fracture-filled, cavity-filled, and dyed stones can be damaged by even mild acids like lemon juice. Visit us on a yearly basis for a FREE clean and polish service.

Storing Your Ruby   When you are not wearing your Ruby jewellery place it in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment to other gemstone jewellery (i.e, diamonds are a higher hardness level on the Mohs scale) they could cause scratches to other items of gemstone jewellery that have a lower hardness level.

Interesting Facts 

Ruby has accumulated a host of legends over the centuries.

People in India believed that rubies enabled their owners to live in peace with their enemies. In Sanskrit, ruby is ratnaraj meaning king of gems. In Burma warriors wore rubies to make themselves invincible during battle. Many medieval Europeans wore rubies to guarantee them health, wealth, wisdom and success in love. The world's largest ruby is owned by a Chinese jewellery company, It weighs 8184g (40920 Carat) and measures 5.11 x 5.43 x 5.70 inches.