JULY BIRTHSTONE: RUBY
Is it getting hot in here? Cuz, ruby is fire! It’s officially summer and the July birthstone is coming in hot hot hot. With its deep red hues, the stone stirs intensity, passion, courage, love, and emotion.
Ruby, one of “the four” precious gemstones (diamond, emerald, sapphire, and ruby), has been treasured since ancient times. Ancient Hindus believed that offering rubies to Krishna would grant them emperor status in their next life. In their folklore, they believed that the fire of a ruby was hot enough to boil water. Meanwhile, the Greeks believed the warmth of the ruby could melt wax. The Chinese traded the prized stone along China’s Silk Road where noblemen were known to wear ruby-adorned armor for protection.
Metaphysical
Rubies are associated with the base chakra, rooted near the spine, it’s known for energy and physicality. The stone stimulates vitality blood, and circulation revitalizing the system and offering courage, passion, and confidence. With the blood flowing, the ruby is also known for enhancing the sexy-times by either inviting new passion or enhancing and reigniting passion.
Properties
Name The name of the gemstone comes from the Latin word ruber, meaning red.
Color Rubies are available in a range of red hues from purplish and bluish red to orange-red. The brightest and most valuable color of Ruby is often “a Burmese Ruby” – an indication that it is a rich, passionate, hot, full red color with a slight blue hue according to the Wixon Jewelers.
Moh’s scale 9 on the scale of hardness, it comes in second to the diamond.
Regions Traditional red rubies known as Burmese ruby are depleted from the mining. They can also be found in Afghanistan, India and Tajikistan, but the most valued come from Mogok Valley and Mong Hsu of Myanmar. These stones are heat treated to saturate the color and create transparency
