July (Ruby)

King of Gems

Ruby, the birthstone for July and gemstone for the 15th and 40th anniversary, is one of the hardest and most durable gemstones ranking a 9 out of 10 on Mohs hardness scale. Most rubies are mined in Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka and Africa.

Ruby is known as the “King of Gems” because of its rarity and beauty. For centuries people have believed rubies guarantee the wearer health, wealth, wisdom, and success in love. It has been said ruby’s red glow comes from an internal flame that cannot be extinguished, making a gift of this stone symbolic of everlasting love.

Rubies and sapphires are varieties of the same mineral, corundum. While sapphires come in a spectrum of colors including blue, pink, yellow, and even orange, the red variety is called ruby. The most expensive rubies are deep, pure, vivid red.