Photo: Sotheby's - a 6.13 carat ruby for a mere $89,000 -- Gimme!!! |
The name ruby literally means red in Latin (from the word "rubens"). Just like their sapphire siblings, rubies consist of the mineral corundum, except rubies get their vibrant red color from trace amounts of the element chromium. (On the other hand, when titanium and iron are added to the corundrum, the resulting blue gem is called a sapphire. Get it?) As corundums, both rubies and sapphires are one of the hardest stones, rating a 9 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, after diamonds, a 10.
The finest rubies in the world from Burma, now known as Myanmar rubies, were banned in the United States for 5 years. The ban was imposed to fight an oppressive military regime, plus human rights violations, including child labor in the mines. That ban was lifted in the fall of 2016. The reason why Myanmar (or Burmese) rubies are so prized is due to their desirable hue called "pigeon's blood" -- a vivid red with a hint of blue.
Photo: Van Cleef and Arpels -- GIMME!!! |
Photo: Investmentjewelry - - GIMME!!! |
But. If you adore rubies feel free to buy a bauble within your budget to dress yourself up. At the end of the day, jewelry is a thing of beauty only and not an investment anyway. So if you love the scarlet stone, get one and wear it to your beating heart's content!♥♥♥
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