July Birthstone - Ruby

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has one of the largest and most exquisite ruby gemstones.  The 23.1 carat Burmese ruby, set in a platinum ring with diamonds, was donated by businessman and philanthropist Peter Buck in memory of his wife.  However a Chinese jewelry company owns the world's largest ruby, it weighs in at just over 40 carats.

Rubies were thought to represent heat and power, ancient tribes used the gem as bullets for blowguns and it was said that a pot of water would boil instantly if a ruby was tossed into it.  Ground to powder and placed on the tongue, this crystal was used as a cure for indisgestion.

The ruby is a pink to blood-red gemstone that is a variety of the mineral corundum.  The name for the July birthstone comes from ruber, which is Latin for red.  All other gem quality corundum mineral are called sapphires, the presence of choromium oxide, responsible for the red hue, is what makes the corundum gem a ruby.  The ruby is considered to be one of the precious gemstones, an honor given to diamonds, sapphires and emeralds as well.  It is also one of the most resiliant of these gems, second only to diamonds on the hardness scale.

 

 

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