The origin of rubies
Ruby is a stone known for its distinctive color. It is a symbolic stone with fantastic powers that has adorned the crowns and jewels of the greatest since the time of kings. Today, it remains the most expensive gemstone after diamonds.
Its features
Ruby is the red stone of the corundum family. Apart from ruby, all stones in the corundum family are sapphires. So you're probably wondering why it's not called red sapphire like all the other sapphire varieties? It's simply because it's the only stone in the corundum family to have chromium in its composition. Pink sapphire is an exception within the sapphire family, as it also contains a small amount of chromium. Depending on its chromium content, its hues can range from red, pink and violet to orange.
Like emerald, it has inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye, and this is what gives these stones their natural charm. An inclusion on a precious or semi-precious stone refers to any foreign matter or internal defect that is trapped in the stone during its formation. But what we love about it is that it has a hard body that allows it to be cut into any shape with extreme precision. Ruby scores 9 on the Mohs scale.
A rough ruby is generally pink and opaque. To give it its characteristic color and transparency, it is heated to a temperature of 1,300°C, which also removes some of the inclusions. Heating is considered a necessary embellishment technique for this stone, and is also used for sapphires. These stones, which emerge naturally from the earth with a red, transparent color and no inclusions, are very rare, and their price is very high.
Because of their price, they are the most heavily treated gemstones. A treated ruby is a stone on which cavities have been filled, so that it doesn't have to be recut and loses weight. But this technique makes rubies lose a lot of their value... At Théa Jewelry, you won't find treated rubies.
The virtues of rubies
Ruby is much more than just a gemstone. Beyond its dazzling beauty, it is endowed with remarkable virtues, particularly in terms of health and well-being. Traditionally, rubies are renowned for their curative properties, particularly with regard to heart and circulatory problems. By wearing ruby jewelry, it is said that the positive energy of this stone can help regulate heart rate and improve blood circulation.
But the benefits of ruby don't stop there. This gemstone is also associated with protection against nightmares and anxiety. It is said to bring a sense of peace and calm, promoting restful sleep and better mental health.
So wearing ruby jewelry goes far beyond aesthetics. Whether for its dazzling beauty or for its virtues, the ruby remains a precious stone that has been particularly prized and appreciated for centuries.
