subject: The Red Ruby [print this page] The ruby has a long history going back to ancient times as a desirable and unique stone. The name ruby itself is descendent from the Latin word for "red" which is ruber. The mineral that the red ruby stone is composed of is corundum, which is the second hardest mineral after diamond. A blue corundum stone is known as a sapphire. The ruby's red color gives it a hypnotic aura that has mystified warriors going into battle who placed it under their skin believing it would make them braver. The ruby when used as medicine was ground up and placed on the tongue of people with blood diseases, and it was used by English royalty for coronation rings.
The nature of the ruby's red coloring makes it seem bigger than it really is. Due to the ruby being the rarest of any gemstone they are very expensive. It is used in wristwatches and laser beams. It is the birth stone of July and because it represents romance and devotion it is an excellent choice for a wedding ring. During preparation to be used as jewelry, cutters will shape it into cushion or oval shapes so as to preserve most of the original rough. When a ruby is fashioned into a round shape, they are usually more expensive since more of the rough is removed. These red stones are mined all over the world in places like Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Kenya, Madagascar, or Burma. Burmese ruby's are the most desired in the world because of their higher quality.
