Ruby Rings: Red Precious King of Gemstones

In the colourful realm of gemstones, among the emerald, citrine, turquoise, opal and others, ruby is known as the king. In Sanskirt, Ruby is known as "Ratnaraj", which roughly translates to "King of Gemstones." For many years, rubies were considered as the most valuable precious stone because of their astounding colour, their hardness and their brilliance. When set in necklaces or fashioned into ruby rings, they truly command attention and presence. It is very difficult to ignore the gorgeousness and attractiveness of a ruby stone, which is why they have become one of the most sought-after pieces among jewellery lovers.

First discovered in India over two thousand years ago, only rulers and citizens with esteemed status in the society possessed rubies. Whenever miners or jewellers find ruby crystals, these were given to the rulers and a grand event is often staged to exhibit it, with other aristocrats from all over the world viewing the piece. Aside from actual jewellery, rubies were used to decorate royal insignias, crowns and armours, and this is still true even today.

Ruby's Qualities

Ruby is considered as corundum -- a crystal formation of all sorts of mineral deposits that may have traces of chromium, iron and titanium. Corundum comes in a pure and colourless formation as well. When these are coloured or tainted, the red types are considered rubies while all other colours are known as sapphires.

The most important quality of a ruby gemstone is its colour. The more vibrant and transparent the red is, the more the stones look stunning. Red represents warm, fiery passion. Red is hot and powerful, unlike any other gemstone. People back then often make a mistake of considering garnets as rubies, which is also characteristically red in colour. After several studies were done, it was later confirmed that these two gemstones are of different chemical compositions. Like the colour of blood, red rubies symbolize life. For women who wear ruby rings to match their clothes, this piece is most likely to get compliments because the colour always draws reactions.

Second to its colour is the stone's hardness. Rubies are resilient, much like diamonds. This is why it is also a favourite choice for adorning engagement rings, especially for people who want to do away with traditional designs. Also like diamonds, naturally-formed rubies have slight imperfections.

Rubies and the Verneuil Process

There are, however, rubies manufactured through the Verneuil process, a system that is widely used in the crystal and jewellery-making industries. In fact, it is estimated that 80% of gemstones and crystals in the market have undergone this process.

Since natural rubies are imperfect, these can often lead to cracks and fracture. Sometimes, this makes it harder for people to appreciate the piece, especially when the cracks appear years after the rubies were purchased. Under the Verneuil process, the rubies that are acquired still come with similar composition as its natural or original forms. Hence, this does not make ruby jewellery any less valuable and precious. Grown and perfected in laboratories, these gemstones are more pliable for wearing, as in the case of ruby rings.

Caring for Rubies

In most cases, caring for ruby stones is easy and requires low-maintenance. As with any other jewellery, these should be kept in a box that is lined with fabric or placed in a soft pouch so that scratching the stone's surface can be avoided.

If you love wearing ruby rings, however, they are best saved for special occasions instead and resist wearing it when you are doing rough work. Any scratch or contact with chemicals can turn the stone dull.

Cleaning rubies with the usual mild soap and water will often do, especially if the ruby is set in a white gold band or silver band or chain, as soap can bring its lustre back.

When Buying Rubies