The Ruby is one of the most beautiful gemstones created by nature.  It's July, and if you have a birthday this month, the ruby is your birthstone. Rubies have been called the "king of gems," symbolizing strength, power and love.

Did you know…..?

• Ruby comes from the Latin rubens meaning red. People believed its fiery color came from an inextinguishable flame deep within the stone.

• Rubies are one of the oldest known gemstones to man They are mentioned in the Bible and in ancient Sanskrit writings as the most precious of all jewels.

• In ancient India people who offered rubies to the god Krishna were supposed to be reborn either as an emperor or king, a decision based on the size of the stone.

• Rubies were often put under the foundation of buildings to guarantee good fortune to the structure

• Royalty believed the ruby’s magical powers protected them from evil by growing darker when danger was present and return to its original color once the threat passed. According to legend, Catherine of Aragon (one of Henry VIII’s many wives) owned a ruby that turned dark and dull the day before Henry announced he planned to divorce her.

• Rubies are still one of the four most precious gemstones along with sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds. Rubies and Sapphires, members of the exclusive “corundum” family, are identical in every way except color so a ruby can really be called a red sapphire.

• The most prized color is a deep blood red with a slightly bluish hue known as “Burmese Ruby” or “Pigeon’s Blood Ruby”. They can be transparent or totally opaque

• Rubies symbolize eternal love, happiness, healing, courage, passion and generosity, not to mention inspiration, prosperity, power and leadership. They are supposed to heal blood diseases and fan the flames in your sex life. All in all, a great stone to possess.

• On December 14, 2011 Elizabeth Taylor’s complete jewelry collection was auctioned by Christie’s. One ruby ring set with an 8.24 ct stone broke the price-per-carat record for rubies ($512,925 per carat, i.e. over $4.2 million), and a necklace sold for over $3.7 million.

• With the ruby as MY birthstone, I’m in good company. Illustrious July trendsetters and visionaries include Amelia Earhart, Jacqueline Onassis, Princess Diana, Nelson Mandela, Julius Caesar, Ingmar Bergman, and Rembrandt Van Rijn – to name just a few.

• Recently large ruby deposits were found under the receding ice shelf of Greenland. Could this be the only upside to global warming?

NOTE: Our ruby collection is limited but the Grade AAA briolettes below will become a gorgeous design soon.  Let us know if you're interested.