Ruby is July’s Birthstone

HISTORY:
Ruby is the official birthstone for the month of July.  Named after the Latin word “ruber”, meaning red.  Rubies were most likely first mined in the Mogok mines in Burma around 3000 BC.  The singular birthstone for July births, ruby is the brightest and boldest of all birthstones. Ruby’s color similarity to the blood of life earned it powerful praise and a place of high esteem in cultures since antiquity. Ruby is mentioned at least four times in the Bible, always in reference to beauty and wisdom.

 
RUBY GEMSTONE PROPERTIES:
Ruby is the red variety of the mineral Corundum.  It is colored differently than any other Corundum because of Chromium.  Ruby ranks a 9 on Mohs’ hardness scale following only behind diamond and moissonite.  In 1902, Auguste Verneuil successfully developed the world’s first synthesized ruby through a flame-fusion process, making ruby the first gemstone to be synthesized.

CARE INSTRUCTIONS:
To insure lifelong beauty in a ruby, simply clean it with warm, soapy water using a soft brush.  Rubies not oiled or glass-filled can be cleaned safely with ultrasonic or steam cleaners.