What is a ruby and what does it stand for?

The ruby is a variety of the mineral corundum. Corundum with a red, pink or red-brown colour (due to the presence of chromium) is called a ruby. Sapphires are also a variety of corundum, but instead have a bluish tint.

Rubies are scarcer in nature than any other precious stone, except for diamonds. Rubies have always been hugely valuable. Precious treasure including rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds features in several legends or fairy tales. These were the traditional "four gems" because of their hardness, appearance and scarcity.

Egyptians, Greeks, Romans ... many ancient civilisations recognised and appreciated the beauty of rubies as gemstones. According to ancient writings, those gemstones were mined in Burma. Rubies then ended up at the royal courts in Egypt and Greece via trading routes. In the Bible, the red gemstone is often referred to as a symbol of prosperity and ... gluttony.

Most rubies are mined in Southeast Asia, Australia, Brazil and India. In Europe, Rubies only occur naturally in Macedonia. Rubies have also been found in some parts of the United States.

The largest reserves remain below ground, especially in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Extraction has become a bit tricky there, due to political and military conflicts. Rubies are also often found on the island of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan rubies are generally pink rather than red.

Across the world, goldsmiths adorned crowns, tiaras and other crown jewels with blood-red rubies. The stone was seen as a talisman for protection and prosperity.

As with most gemstones, it was thought in the Middle Ages that rubies had magical powers. It is known as the stone of life, which strengthens the heart and gives it energy. The ruby would also bring the wearer good fortune and fertility. Many Greek and Roman soldiers even used to decorate their swords and shields with rubies, because they said they brought strength and encouraged wounds to heal.

Oriental belly dancers, on the other hand, wear rubies in their navel to arouse lust and zeal. The ruby is also the birthstone for the month of July.

The ruby as a symbol of love

Unlike sapphires, which can also come in colours other than blue, rubies only come in one colour: red. This gemstone can, of course, come in different shades. There are, for example, pinkish, deep red or brown-red rubies. The really deep red rubies (pigeon's blood rubies) are the most valuable.

Just as with many other gemstones, rubies are also attributed with healing properties. They are claimed not only to stimulate blood circulation and digestion, but also to clear blockages.

They also protect against negative energy and strengthen willpower and self-confidence. Linked to this, they also improve concentration and make you feel more motivated. They generally leave you feeling very positive about life.

The physical powers of red rubies should not be underestimated, either. The gemstone stimulates production of white and red blood cells and keeps hormones in balance. Wearing ruby jewellery is also advised for fatigue. They give you greater energy, but also calm you down when there is overactivity. Rubies also improve libido. Note that this has not been proven scientifically, but is influenced by alternative medicine.

Buying a ruby engagement ring is definitely a wise choice. Not only are you buying a ring in the colour of love, the price is not too bad either. So how much do rubies cost? In general, rubies cost less than diamonds, and certainly less than red diamonds. That colour of diamond is one of the more expensive on the market.

What determines the value of a red ruby?

As with other precious stones, a ruby's value is determined by the 4Cs. Also the place where the stone was found plays a role, too.

Colour is the most important aspect. The intensity and purity of the red colour determines the value. The more intense the red, the more expensive the ruby will be. Really pure, deep red is what we strive for when mining for rubies, but this shade is rare.

Diamond jewellery is sometimes sold under the hammer at auctions, but ruby jewellery should certainly never be inferior. Here are three of the most expensive ruby jewellery items.

1. The Sunrise Ruby and Diamond Ring by Cartier ($30.3 million): this ring was sold in 2015 at Sotheby’s in Geneva. The central ruby is a beautiful stone of 25.59 carats from the Mogok Valley in Burma. A report from Gübelin (a prominent lab) confirms that the ruby is indeed from Burma and that it is a pigeon's blood ruby. This is the rather strange name for this shade of red. Pigeon's blood rubies are also generally the most expensive.


2. The Graff Ruby ring ($8.6 million): this ring was also sold at Sotheby’s in Geneva. The buyer was a previous owner, namely Laurence Graff. It is also a Burmese ruby in the pigeon's blood colour. At 8.62 carats, this ruby is a lot smaller than the Sunrise Ruby.


3. The Cartier brooch with Burmese ruby ($8.4 million): in 2014, Christie’s in Hong Kong sold an exceptional brooch. This brooch is set with a central ruby of 10.10 carats from Burma. Just like the Sunrise and Graff Ruby, it has the pigeon's blood colouring.

Whatever ruby jewellery you want to buy, it is always a good idea to get advice from the BAUNAT experts. They can give you all the information you need to make the right decision, and help you find the perfect jewellery.

Moreover, our gemcutters only work with the highest-quality materials. This means you can be sure that the diamond or other precious stone in your ring, necklace, bracelet or pair of earrings is of very high quality. Nevertheless, we can offer you our jewellery at competitive prices, thanks to a unique approach purchasing directly from the source.

There is already some ruby jewellery in our standard collection, but, thanks to our tailor-made service, custom ruby jewellery is also an option. You can design jewellery together with our experts and you can soon get a good idea of the final result thanks to 3D visualisation. We'll then get to work. We will finish your custom jewellery within four working weeks. You can expect jewellery from the standard collection within 1 to 10 working days.

Buying a ruby is therefore definitely always a good decision. Not only does it have many protective and healing properties, it is also very attractive because of the beautiful red colour. Red ruby jewellery is definitely a wonderful present for a loved one. You are expressing your love even more ardently with a red precious stone. So don't hesitate: buy a ruby engagement ring.

You now know all about the properties of beautiful ruby gemstones, and what they stand for. Do you also know what sapphires stand for, and what other gems there are still? What determines the value and brilliance of a diamond? Read all about it in the blogs which follow.

• How all aspects of a diamond contribute to its brilliance
  
• Why should I buy sapphire jewellery?
  
• Find out about the most famous diamonds
  
• What jewellery can you have made with a red diamond in it?