July's Birthstone: The Ruby

Enthusiasts

July's Birthstone: The Ruby

Isadoras

Happy Birthday to those of you who were lucky to be born in the lovely month of July!!

July’s birthstone has enchanted us for decades, from the first red gemstones mined in Burma to Dorothy’s scarlet slippers. The ruby is one-of-kind; glamorous, adventurous, and truly spectacular.

The ruby’s history is rich and romantic – this claret-colored stone has long been a symbol for love and protection. It has been said that the ruby’s warm glow comes from an internal flame that cannot be extinguished, making this stone a symbol of everlasting devotion - the perfect engagement gem!

Isadoras heirloom collection is home to a wide variety of amazing vintage and antique ruby jewelry. Rubies make a wonderful choice for a non-traditional engagement ring or wedding ring.

Stack ruby anniversary rings with ruby-accented rings for a radiant effect.

stacking-ruby-rings

Valued for durability, luster, and rarity, large translucent rubies are even more precious than diamonds. Rubies can elicit the highest price per carat of any colored gemstone, which makes them one of the most important stones in the colored gem market.

A ruby’s value is determined by its hue - the darker the stone, the higher the price.

However, it should be noted that a ruby is actually pinker than a garnet. If a ruby does not meet the minimum for color saturation, the stone is classified as a pink sapphire.

The value of a ruby is also determined by clarity; similar to diamonds, clear stones with no inclusions are worth more.

The ruby earrings below sparkle with diamond halos. While luxurious and decadent, rubies are incredibly hard (only diamonds are harder) and therefore an easy stone to wear every day.

Ruby jewelry should be cleaned using a soft toothbrush and warm soapy water or Windex. Dry with a very soft, clean cloth.

For fun, we listed several ruby rings that garnered millions at auction.

The Jubilee Ruby (upper left), a 15.99 carat Burmese ruby sold for over $14 million at auction.

The world’s most expensive ruby, the 25.59 carat Sunrise Ruby (upper right) sold for $30.3 million at auction.

Elizabeth Taylor’s 8.24 ruby ring (lower right) was given to her by Richard Burton as a Christmas present. Burton claimed it was “the perfect ruby.” And indeed, this lovely ring fetched a pretty price at auction - the ring was estimated to be worth $1 to $1.5 million, but was sold for over $4 million.

The Hope Ruby (lower left), a 32.08 carat Burmese ruby and diamond ring by Chaumet, sold for $6.7 million. All the proceeds went to charitable institutions.

most expensive ruby rings