3 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THE BIRTHSTONE FOR JULY, THE RUBY

July- Ruby designer jewellery

The glowing ruby shall adorn,
Those who in July are born;
Then they’ll be exempt and free
From love’s doubts and anxiety
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THE RUBY IN DESIGNER JEWELLERY
Ruby is a variety of the mineral, Corundum and gets its famous rosy glow from the presence of chromium. Its name comes from the Latin word for red and it is closely related to sapphire as they share the same properties (stay tuned for three interesting facts about sapphire a little later on)!

Of course, being a naturally occurring gemstone, natural rubies are mined and until very recently, the main source of the world’s best rubies came from The Mongok Valley in Upper Myanman, Burma. They have also been found in Thailand, Cambodia, India and even parts of North America and Europe.

Throughout history, rubies have always been held in high esteem in particularly Asian countries. The have been used to in all sorts of practises from embellishing armour to being laid beneath building foundations to ensure good fortune to the structure.

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF RUBY FOR USE IN DESIGNER JEWELLERY
There are many different varieties, including the Burma ruby, Pigeon’s Blood ruby and the Star ruby. Like diamonds, it has earned its reputation as a precious gemstone due to its hardness, durability, lustre and rarity but is of course still subject to chipping and fracture if roughly handled.

Revered in many cultures throughout history, ruby has always been seen as a token of passion, protection and prosperity. Many claim that it symbolises the sun and its glowing hue suggests an inextinguishable flame within, with the ability to melt wax and even boil seas.

Prepare to fall in love with this precious gem even more so with this issue’s three interesting facts, although maybe not as much as this next man did…

IMPORTANT FACT ONE
Thirteenth century Chinese Emperor, Kublai Kahn was said to have offered an entire city in exchange for a single, yet sizeable, ruby… Now that’s one serious obsession
IMPORTANT FACT TWO
Buddhists consider ruby a sacred gemstone, referring to it as “tears of Buddha”.
– This would tie in with a general belief then that it possesses the power to increase energy levels and stimulate love if worn close to the heart.

And finally…
IMPORTANT FACT THREE
The Burmese believe, even today, that if a soldier keeps a ruby under the skin, he will become invincible!

We hope our lovely readers feel more informed this month. Three interesting facts will next time move on to explore the history and facts about the peridot- the birthstone for the month of August. Although its not a very well known stone, it is certainly a hidden gem… get it?

How can we help you at Helen Swan Designer Jewellery?

We specialise in of one-of-a-kind bespoke jewellery in a variety of colour, texture and cleverly engineered, sophisticated designs that Helen Swan Jewellery does so well.. We can help you express your unique style with our elegant designs as in bespoke Ruby Earrings. or an alternative to a diamond a ruby engagement ring.
We can even help you combine your old jewellery to create new preserving some of your old memories and giving them a new life.

Contact us today and allow us to help you solve you designer jewellery needs

Written and researched by Hazel Martin for Helly and Haz of Helen Swan Designer Jewellery

3 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THE BIRTHSTONE FOR JULY, THE RUBY