July Birthstone: Ruby

“The King of All Gemstones”

It’s called the king of all gemstones.  It was the gemstone of all gemstones before diamonds took the lead in popularity over the last 100 years or so.

The deep red is a color of bravery.

Ancient warriors would insert rubies under their skin, believing it gave them supernatural courage and even invincibility in battle.

In ancient India, the dark red stones were worn by men, and the lighter reds and pinks were worn by women.

The stones were separated into different quality groups. The inferior stones weren’t even allowed to touch the finer qualities because they would be “contaminated”.

Today, the finest quality rubies are as prized and protected...  But the deep red now symbolizes love, romance, and commitment.

Ruby is the birthstone of July, and the traditional gift for 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries.