How To Wear Ruby Jewellery
It's a fact. No matter how often we say we love diamonds, it is rubies that burn into our souls. It is rubies that we love! These gorgeous red stones can be seen in all shapes and sizes, from grains of sand weighing less than a gram to huge stones, the largest ruby ever found being 3.72 kilos. We love to use rubies in rings, earrings, brooches, necklaces and more. Women (and men) love to receive them as a gift. Rubies have been part of jewellery and fashion history, at least for the wealthy and powerful, for thousands of years. But how to wear rubies in contemporary styles?
This article covers rubies, their long history and how they have been used in clothing and jewellery over the centuries. Please, read on to find out more about rubies, the most gorgeous of the strongly coloured gemstones. For mere detailed information about rubies and their role as the birthstone for people born in July, please check out this article: https://alldiamond.co.uk/pages/ruby-the-fiery-birthstone-for-july.
What Are Rubies?
Rubies are red in colour, ranging from a rich deep red to a light pink shade. The material of which a ruby consists is corundum or aluminium oxide. Were it not for the red colour, rubies would be another form of sapphire, also made from corundum. The mineral, corundum, is naturally colourless. All the colour comes from impurities introduced into the stone over the billions of years of its creation below the Earth's surface.
The red colour comes from trace amounts of chromium. The more chromium, the deeper the colour of the stone. Ruby is, on the Mohs scale of hardness, second only to diamond. Ruby has a hardness of 9 and diamond 9.5. This hardness makes ruby an excellent choice for use in jewellery as it is incredibly durable.
Rubies have, historically, been connected with the far east, with most rubies being found across Asia, particularly in Thailand and Myanmar. Today, many rubies come from Australia, the east coast of Africa and Madagascar. Rubies form over vast amounts of geological time, taking millions of years to develop. Some rubies are thought to be as old as 3 billion years old.
The History Of The Ruby
Humans have been using rubies for thousands of years. Rubies are reputed to have been first discovered in China and then in other Asian countries. Throughout that part of the world, rubies have been highly valued since they were first found and prized for their deep red colour. Rubies were often used to decurtate the armour, weapons and clothing of the very wealthy and powerful. They were not a gemstone for the ordinary person! Rubies are also mentioned in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, always concerning being highly prized and valuable. In Sanskrit scripture, the ruby is referred to as the king of precious stones.
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By the first century AD, rubies were being traded around the known world. Their value in jewellery and clothing was widely appreciated by the rich and powerful. In the United Kingdom, the British Crown Jewels include many rubies in the crowns, maces and other ceremonial treasures. Royalty and religious leaders across Europe have used the ruby as a signet ring. Nowadays, rubies are seen as being among the most precious gems. Modern production means that their beauty is available to people who could not own such a precious gem, even if they had the money to buy one.
What Symbolism Does The Ruby Have?
Many precious stones have, over the years, acquired mystical or religious connections. Many people even make claims about gemstones having curative or protective properties for our health. The ruby, of course, has its fair share! Ancient warriors used rubies in their armour. They did not do this because of their appearance but because they thought rubies would protect them in battle and give them strength to conquer their enemies. They believed that wearing rubies would cause their gods to look favourably on them and influence the course of battle in their favour.
Over time, these beliefs spread and became more generalised. Hence, owners of rubies came to see them as symbols of happiness, passion and strength, presumably connected to the vibrant red colour of the best 'pigeon's blood' rubies. Again, due to the stone's blood-like colour, rubies were held to reinvigorate the wearer. Of course, with red being the colour of love across centuries and cultures, rubies were seen as a supreme romantic gift. This belief is still common today. Giving a loved one a git of a ruby ring or necklace sends a powerful message to the recipient and those who see the jewellery.
The Ruby In Modern Fashion
Not many people wear suits of armour in the modern world, so where do rubies fit into today's fashion? Today, we wear rubies as jewellery. They are very versatile Modern designers love to use rubies in their designs. To see a wide range of design ideas from the past century or so, please check this Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/robkruege/ruby-jewelry/ You can see the wide range of design ideas.
Our British designers are keen to use rubies. We have several collections of modern and vintage-inspired designs using rubies, as you can see here: https://alldiamond.co.uk/collections/july-ruby-rings. Rubies are still a relatively expensive gemstone, but careful design and high-quality craftsmanship have made genuine rubies more affordable than ever before!
All Diamond Designers Love Ruby Jewellery!
Whatever your tastes, if you enjoy the lustre and colour of a natural ruby, you will likely find items in our collections that will suit you. You will see simple trilogy rings, sapphire and diamond clusters. There's sapphire and diamond pendants in many lovely styles and no shortage of ruby and diamond bangles and bracelets. Whether you want your ruby (or rubies) to show off at a fancy evening dress affair, or a cocktail party, All Diamond has got you covered! But rubies can go even further. Pair a simple ruby and diamond ring with jeans and a simple white blouse for a dose of instant chic! While we have loved rubies for centuries, our modern designers have made the ruby a stone for today and tomorrow.
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Keep your accessories simple, yet elegant, with the addition of this tasteful ring. The durable ruby gemstone will last for years to come, even with everyday wear. Draw the eye when the light hits this brilliant oval-cut stone. The 18… read more0.54ct Ruby with 0.16ct Diamond Trilogy Ring in 18k White Gold
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Now that you know a little more about how to wear rubies, if you love red, you now know that a piece of ruby jewellery can work with almost any outfit and style. Just use your imagination, check out our collections and let our designers and artisans inspire you!
Even though the ruby has been around since the Earth was young, it is still relevant, exciting, and desirable. We at All Diamond are confident that you will find pleasant surprises in our ruby jewellery collections that will call out to you to be added to your jewellery rotation.
