The word ruby comes from ruber, Latin for red. Ruby symbolises love and affection, it is an ideal gift to be presented for 15thand 40thwedding anniversary. It has a Mohs harness rating of 9, only beaten by Diamond, making it a popular gemstone for setting in jewellery for daily wear.
Historically...
Burmese warriors believed placing Rubies under their skin made them invincible in battle. Hindus regard the Ruby as “the King of precious stones”, and is deemed more valuable than any other gem.
Ruby is well known for its striking red colour. It can command the highest prices of any coloured gemstone. Ruby is becoming an increasingly popular choice for engagement rings and other jewellery. The per-carat prices of fine-quality rubies have been rising consistently, many times breaking auction records.
Quality Factors of Ruby
The value of a ruby is determined by its colour, cut, and clarity, with colour being the most influential factor. Rubies are expected to have at least some inclusions because inclusion-free rubies are practically non-existent. The most valuable rubies are known as “pigeon’s blood red rubies”, they refer to slightly purplish or pinkish red colour rubies which have a soft, glowing red fluorescence. These rubies command a large premium over other rubies of similar quality.
The Greatest Imposter - The Black Prince’s Ruby
Black Prince’s ruby is a large irregular cabochon red gem set in the cross pattée at the front of the Imperial State Crown of England. It weights 170 carats (34g) and measures 2 inches long. The Black Prince’s Ruby is in fact not. It is a large spinel, which resulted in its infamous name “The Great Imposter”. The spinel is one of the oldest parts of the Crown Jewels. It was given to Edward the Black Prince by Pedro the Cruel, king of Castile, on the victory of Nájera in 1367. It narrowly escaped destruction when Henry V wore it at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.
For a very long time, it was believed that spinels and rubies were the same. All red gemstones used to be referred to as “balas rubies”. It wasn't until 1783 that spinels were differentiated from rubies.