Super-Splendid Ruby

"No one has found the worth of the ruby of the heart; its value cannot be estimated."

- Sri Guru Granth Sahib quotes.

Roman historian Pliny, in his own words, "gems of gems...surpassing all other precious stones in virtue." Ruby is regarded as a highly prized one through the ages.

Categorized as Corundum, ruby is a red variety amongst its sibling, sapphire. Its fiery red color has served as a catalyst for arousing passionate feelings in one's heart. Likewise, this stone has also been related to the crimson or ruddy heart.

For 10, 000 years or maybe more, ruby has been mining. History says, this royal gemstone received a grand welcome by real kings. Ancient Hindus believed, that ruby's intense reddening is due to fire glowing inside the stone. They said, if put in water, ruby could initiate the boiling point of water.

Greeks trusted on ruby's fervor, that it could melt wax. Other cultures followed it as a symbol for assuring love and passion. A friendship aiding gemstone, it was trusted to ensure beauty. Kings and queens in past, adorned this fabulous gemstone in as ruby jewelry. It consisted of ruby rings and earrings along with other fancier designs of their culture.

Hidden in soils deep, ruby is mined in sources named Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Australia, Brazil, Sri Lanka, and Russia.

Ruby is a much sought after one. Today's birthstone for July, it is a brilliant stone with a hardness of 9 Mohs' scale. A variety of shades is available in the color red.

Ruby, as in Mogok ruby is considered to be the finest. It is to be noted that popularity and price of this resplendent gemstone lies mostly in its beauty, i.e., color, clarity, and cut. Larger gems are more desirable and demanded. However, small ruby gems with good color, can still boast of relatively similar price.

Ruby shows a purplish-blush red to yellow-red color. The fine specimens are pure red with blue hues like reflected in a glowing coal or traffic signal. Mogok ruby is also a much sought after and expensive pigeon-blood hued gem. Tanzanian rubies have usually a shade from saturated to opaque. They are usually found with green zoisite and also used for as beads.

Light red to raspberry shade comes in Sri Lankan rubies. Thai ruby quality reflects slightly darker purplish red color having an eye clean status.

There are rubies which come with rutiles and inclusions. However, when the rutile inclusions are, in a fashion of a star or asterism, they are called as Star Rubies. These particular stones come with an appearance of six, sharp, silvery white lines which extend to the end.

Rare occurrence of rubies with cat's eye appearance is also seen. Like other precious gemstones, ruby is also judged according to its color, clarity, and carat weight. There are much more evolved techniques to treatments or enhance the color of the stone. In addition, to catch fraudulent or imitations too.

Rubies as loose gemstones too, are a form of lifelong investment which could outlive the owner and remain with generations long, if taken appropriate care and precaution.