History and Origin of Rubies

One of the most sought after gemstones in the world are rubies. Rubies are made from Corundum.  It should be noted that the mineral corundum creates two distinct gemstones, the first is the Ruby, the second being Sapphires.  Sapphires come in a variety of beautiful colors, however only red Corundum is considered a Ruby.  Since natural occurring rubies are very rare and extremely rare in large sizes over 3 carats, they can demand prices higher than diamonds.

The Ruby is one of the most beautiful gemstones created by nature.  It comes in either a pinkish red or deep, rich red color.  High quality rubies have a wonderful hue to them and are termed “silk” rubies.

Rubies are perhaps one of the oldest known gemstones to man.  They have been revered since the beginning of time and possessed for their beautiful qualities.  Corundum, which Rubies are made from is created from aluminum, iron, small bits of chromium and titanium.  It is usually written scientifically as Al2O3.  It should be noted that Corundum is one of the hardest substances known to man and is second in hardness only to Diamonds.

Rubies were worn by kings and aristocrats since the dawn of time.  Ruby comes from the Latin word ruber which means red.  It was said to ward off sickness and to make one invulnerable to defeat.  During ancient times it was said that those that possess Rubies will never have their wealth or belongings taken from them.  Today, Rubies are used for the highest quality jewelry pieces and can be extremely beautiful in rings, charms, earrings and bracelets.

What are Rubies used for?

Rubies are one of the most valuable gemstones in the world.  Rubies are a gemstone that comes from the mineral Corundum. Corundum is responsible for two popular gemstones, Sapphires and Rubies. Sapphires are known to include a wide variety of colors from whites to blues; however, only red Corundum gemstones are allowed the privilege of being called Rubies.

Rubies are used primarily for ornamental jewelry. The Ruby has wonderful qualities such as an incredible deep rich red color.  However, it does come in a pinkish red as well.  Rubies, which are made from Corundum are extremely hard and rate a 9 on the Moh’s hardness scales.  They are the second hardest substance known to man, second only to the Diamond.  Rubies are made from aluminum, iron and can include chromium and titanium.

Rubies are usually the perfect gemstone to create wonderful high quality jewelry out of.  They are extremely strong, resistant to scratches, their color which is usually created by chromium is very stable and won’t fade and the crystal structure is extremely beautiful, shiny and transparent to translucent, making it perfect for rings, bracelets, earrings and charms.

While Rubies only are used for jewelry, Corundum has many uses being that it is extremely hard and usually a common mineral.  It can be found mainly as an abrasive and you might know it as emery, as in emery boards that file down finger and toe nails.  Besides being an exceptionally good abrasive, Corundum is used for several other types of industrial applications.