All About Rubies

Ruby Myths

Ruby is the birthstone of July & the anniversary gemstone for the 15th and 40th years of marriage.

Ruby's day is Tuesday, its season summer, and its apostle St. Matthew. The scarlet-colored gem is July's birthstone under the sign of Cancer, is said to accord wearers wisdom, happiness and health, and to bring particularly good luck to gamblers and lovers.

Rubies are more than talismans or good-luck charms, they are also quite valuable. Rubies, especially the very fine and large rubies, are rarer than diamonds, emeralds or sapphires. The beauty of their color is without peer. And their durability is often a surprise to new buyers.

Rubies are considered to represent devotion, desire and passion and is also considered to be the symbol of eternal love. The fiery and emotional ruby is often presented as a gift for couples celebrating their 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries. Although rubies come in different shades of red - from orange-red, pinkish, to purple-red - the most valuable form comes in a deep red shade.

In myth and magic, at the time of the Borgias (15th - 16th Centuries), rubies were thought to counteract poison - and were therefore much in demand! The stone was supposed to darken when you were in danger. When rubbed on the skin a ruby is thought to restore youth and vitality. In the Middle Ages, the ruby was viewed as a stone of prophecy - people believed it would darken when its wearer was in danger.

Mining for rubies started some 2,500 years ago, and to this date, ruby mining is still being undertaken in some parts of Asia such as Thailand and Burma, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the United States. But Burma, now known as Myanmar, is the most well-known source of fine rubies. Studies have shown that ruby mining in Burma could be traced way back into the Stone Age and Bronze Age, as proven by tools found in the Mogok mining area. Thailand, on the other hand, is considered today as the most important trading center in the world when it comes to ruby trading. There have also been discoveries of rubies in some areas in Vietnam and most recently in Madagascar.

In the ancient Sanskrit language, ruby is called ratnaraj translated as "king of gemstones." Ancient Hindus believed that it was the "Lord of all Gems."

Out of the many myths and legends surrounding its brilliance, the one that stuck the most to lovers of this lasting gemstone is the one that said one should always be appreciative of rubies because they become lackluster when neglected, overlooked or unloved. In a word, you personify its symbolism, and its importance is revered in your relationship with it.

Sovereigns or crowned heads often turned to rubies for help in prediction and consequently preventing impending danger. Royalties kept rubies in their possession to protect them against vulnerability. They also believed that the stone turns dark in color when imminent danger is at hand and returns to its original shade when the threat is gone.

It is likewise believed that any one who wears ruby as jewelry is given good health, wealth, wisdom, and luck in love and can live peacefully amongst his enemies. This is probably one of the reasons why this gemstone has been regarded as one of the most cherished gems in history. Even today, rubies are viewed as more precious and rare than diamonds.

Its inherent eternal flame, its brilliance, the way the shade of red is refracted on each facet of the stone, giving a different red every time you turn it towards the sun, and the rich legend surrounding it; these are only some of the finest qualities of ruby that make it precious and rare. This is why some true-blue romantics prefer it over diamonds. Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, and yes, they may spell forever, but forever does not cross over to eternity. A ruby’s eternal flame does.

Some interesting trivia:

A synthetic ruby crystal was used to create the first laser (See Ruby laser).
According to Rebbenu Bachya, the word odem in the verse Exodus 28:17 means "ruby"; it was the stone on the Ephod representing the tribe of Reuben. Modern Hebrew has taken this meaning.
Ruby is also the most commonly named precious stone in the Bible; an example being Proverbs 31: "A virtuous wife is worth more than rubies."
The famous lighted "Red Stars" mounted above Kremlin spires, thought to be giant rubies mined in Siberia, are actually colored glass.
Ruby is associated with the Sun in vedic astrology.
Ruby symbolizes passionate love.
Although their names bear some similarity, rubies are not related to rubidium, and they don't contain this chemical element. Both names derive from the same Latin word, ruber, meaning red, in reference to the red color of the ruby, and the red resonance line of rubidium vapor, respectively.
The name of this gemstone is also used for the Advanced series of Pokemon.