The July birthstone is Ruby. So if you have the good fortune to have been born in July, your birthstone is one of the most beautiful gems – with prices to match. For centuries, many people consider that this stone is the king of all gems.

According to gemstone lore, the Ruby represents love, passion, courage and emotion.  People have long believed that wearing a fine red Ruby bestowed good fortune on its owner. Rubies have been the prized possession of emperors and kings throughout the ages. To this day the Ruby is one of the most valued gemstones.

A Ruby’s most important feature is its colour. Rubies are available in a range of red hues from purplish and bluish red to orange-red. The brightest and most valuable colour of Ruby is “a Burmese Ruby” – one that has a rich, passionate, hot, full red colour with a slight blue hue. This colour is only associated with the Mogok Valley mines in Myanmar.

July Birthstone De-mystified

All gemstones are minerals and Ruby is the red variety of corundum, with chromium impurities that give it the vivid red colour.

Other colours of corundum gemstones are called sapphires.

The name “Ruby” comes from rubeus,  Latin for red. In ancient Sanskrit, ruby is ratnaraj, which means “king of precious stones.” So these gems have been highly valued throughout history.

The chromium that gives ruby its red colour also causes fluorescence. This makes rubies glow like a fire from within. Chromium is also what makes rubies scarce because it often causes cracks. This means that very few rubies can ever grow large enough to crystallize into fine quality gems. The very best rubies can bring even higher prices than diamonds.

Myanmar for Top Quality Rubies

The Mong Hsu region of Myanmar (Burma) began producing rubies in the 1990s when producers discovered that heat treatment improved their colour. Other ruby deposits exist in Vietnam, Thailand, India, parts of the Middle East, East Africa and even the United States.

Ruby is a very hard stone, second only in hardness to diamond.

Ruby’s strength and red fluorescence are important beyond jewellery making. Industrial uses for natural and synthetic rubies include watch-making, medical instruments and in lasers.

Healing Properties of Ruby

It has long been associated with the life force and vitality of blood. Ruby is believed to amplify energy, heighten awareness, promote courage and bring success in wealth, love and battle.

Information edited from:

• http://www.wixonjewelers.com/education/gemstones/gemstone-guide/#ruby
• https://www.americangemsociety.org/en/ruby-overview

There are several other July birthstones, including Sapphire, Carnelian, Onyx, Sardonyx, and Turquoise.

LoveTaliesin Offers The Alternative to the High Cost of The July Birthstone

We suggest that our beautiful range of jewellery that Sue has hand-made using Swarovski Crystal elements make a beautiful, inexpensive alternative to the ruby as July Birthstone.

For other birthstones, https://lovetaliesinjewellery.co.uk/?s=birthstone

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