We do not sell ruby. It is red corundum, and many red 'ruby' beads sold cheaply are glass, dyed stone or filled low-grade material.
Oxide (corundum) · Corundum
Ruby
Rubí
- Palette
- Red Pink
- Mined in
- Myanmar, Mozambique, Thailand, Cambodia, Madagascar, Tanzania, Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka
- Hardness
- Mohs 9.0 ?
- See-through
- transparent
- Known since
- Prehistoric
- Named for
- Latin ruber, meaning red
- Also sold as
- red corundum, carbuncle (old name for red gems)
- Intention
- Strength Love
- Looking for
- Courage Confidence and self-worth Love Joy
- Water
- Fine with water and mild soap
- Dye or finish
- Most ruby is heated, and lower-grade ruby is often filled with lead glass to look clearer; dye is also used on some beads. Many red beads sold as ruby are something else.
Not in our pieces now
152 KG
The largest documented single corundum crystal measured about 65 by 40 by 40 centimeters and weighed 152 kilograms (335 pounds).
ABOUT 1%
Swapping roughly 1 percent of corundum's aluminum ions for chromium is what makes ruby red.
$512,925
At Christie's in December 2011, an 8.24-carat ruby from Elizabeth Taylor's collection sold for $512,925 per carat.
What it is
Red corundum, from pinkish red to deep blood red, glassy and transparent when cut. We do not sell it. Many red 'ruby' beads in the bead trade are dyed quartz, glass or lead-glass filled low-grade corundum, not clear natural ruby.
What gives it its color
Ruby is red corundum colored by a trace of chromium replacing some of the aluminum. Most ruby is heated to improve color, lower-grade stones are often filled with glass to hide cracks, and heating at high temperature is permanent.
Where it comes from
Mogok in Myanmar was the classic source of the finest ruby for centuries, Mong Hsu in Myanmar became a major source in the 1990s, and Mozambique's Montepuez deposit, found in 2009, is now the most productive; Thailand, Cambodia, Madagascar, Tanzania, Vietnam and others also produce.
In history
The Mogok Valley in Burma was for centuries the world's main source of rubies, and by about 200 BC rubies were already traveling west along the Silk Road from China. The Black Prince's Ruby, at the front of Britain's Imperial State Crown, turned out to be a red spinel; Henry V reportedly wore it at Agincourt in 1415. In 1960 the first laser was built with a ruby crystal.
What's said about it
In crystal lore today, ruby is the stone of passion and drive. People keep it for courage, joy and a sense of purpose.
In Burma it was said to make its owner safe from harm. The Taoists of old China laid it under building foundations for good fortune.
People wear it on the wrist or as a pendant, or carry it in a pocket.
How people wear or keep it: On the wrist, as a pendant, in a pocket, or near the heart.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, ruby is paired with the root and heart chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: on the wrist, as a pendant, in a pocket. People reach for it when they want courage, confidence and self-worth, love, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraRoot, Heart
ZodiacAries
BirthstoneJuly, December
Anniversary15th
ElementEarth
Also calledred corundum, carbuncle (old name for red gems)
Care
- Very hard and durable, but untreated stones can still chip along fractures.
- Many rubies are heated, and some are filled with lead glass, which acids, strong cleaners and heat can damage; avoid soaking.
- Clean with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, then dry.
- Store apart from softer stones, since ruby will scratch almost anything else in the box.
How to tell what you have
- Real ruby is very hard (9) and often has fine needle-like lines inside; a flawless red stone is suspect. Red spinel, red garnet, red glass and dyed quartz are the usual look-alikes, and glass-filled ruby shows small bubbles in its cracks.
What sets the price
Price follows how vivid and pure the red is, how few flaws show, and size; stones with no heat or filling cost more, lab-made rubies and glass-filled stones are worth far less, and low-grade ruby beads are priced well below gem ruby.
Rules and sourcing
Rubies from Myanmar (Burma) fall under US sanctions that block dealings with the Burmese state gem enterprise and other listed Burmese gem companies, and US agencies tell importers to check where rubies really came from, since Burmese stones are often sold as made in Thailand or China. A seller should be able to say the origin. Most ruby is heated, lower-grade ruby is often filled with lead glass, and some beads are dyed. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose glass filling and dye, and filled stones need gentle care.
Questions people ask at our table
What is ruby?
Ruby is the red form of corundum, aluminium oxide colored by chromium. The same mineral in any other color is called sapphire.
Do you sell real ruby?
No. Gem-grade ruby is costly and we do not carry it. Our red stones are garnet, red tiger eye and similar.
Are cheap 'ruby' beads real?
Often not as people expect. Many are glass, dyed quartz, or low-grade ruby with fractures filled by lead glass. Ask the seller which.
Is ruby heated?
Almost all rubies on the market are heated to improve color and clarity. It is a standard, accepted practice when disclosed.
How do I tell ruby from red spinel or garnet?
Ruby is much harder. Famous 'rubies' in old crowns have turned out to be red spinel, so a lab report is the only sure way.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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