July Birthstone

Ruby is the birthstone of July and the 15th and 40th anniversary gemstone. This red-colored gemstone is said to accord wearers wisdom, happiness and health, and to balance love and all spiritual endeavors.

The word Ruby comes from the Latin "ruber," meaning red. It is a variety of the mineral Corundum, and is found as crystals within metamorphic rock. Corundum is the second hardest mineral, after Diamond. It comes in a variety of colors, and is considered a Sapphire in any color except red, which is designated as a Ruby. Rubies range in hue from an orangey red to a purplish red, but the most prized gems are a true red in color. The red color in ruby is caused by trace amounts of the element chromium. Large sized Rubies are very rare and valuable. Ruby Jewelries is among the most highly prized of gems throughout history.

Color is noted next to birth stone name.

Modern Birthstone - Ruby (Red)
Traditional Birthstone - Ruby(Red)
Mystical Birthstone - Ruby (Red)
Ayurvedic Birthstone - Ruby (Red)
15th-20th Century Birthstone - Onyx (Black), Turquoise (Blue)
Other Birthstone (from elsewhere on the internet) - Carnelian (Orange)

Ruby was considered to have magical powers, and was worn by royalty as a talisman against evil. Ancient tribes used the gem as bullets for blowguns, and it was said that a pot of water would boil instantly if a Ruby was tossed into it. Ground to powder and placed on the tongue, this crystal was used as a cure for indigestion.

Like most gemstones from the antiquities, Ruby is one of the Biblestones. In Exodus, the Breastplate of Aaron is described as containing a "sardius", the ancient name for ruby. Rubies have a famous place in science - the first lasers were made from artificial ruby crystals. Some ruby crystals show the fluorescence (actually very short term phosphorescence) that makes a laser possible.

Rubies come from all over the world but good gemstones are found at Thailand, India, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, North Carolina in the U.S., Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, Kampuchea, and perhaps most notably, Burma.

Diamond and Gemstone Jewelry | Ruby Jewelry

Related News: