It is exactly those flaws that make rubies valuable. Some of the most impressive rubies have a visible reflection of light that bounces off the imperfection or ‘silk’ and forms what is called a star with 3 or 6 points. But what makes a ruby is that it must be some form of red hue. If it is not a variant of red it is then a sapphire…which explains why we often hear “rubies and sapphires” in the same breath as if they were the same. They are, except for color.

Most of the gems in ruby rings today will have been treated with heat to enhance the color because the richest reds in natural rubies are extremely rare and so costly you’d have to be royalty to afford them. However, amongst the admissible red hues of a ruby are such variants of reddish-orange, reddish-purple-violet and light reds that appear almost pink. This possibility of a pink ruby leads to a little confusion amongst non jewelers because there is also a Sri Lankan pink sapphire which may be confused with this gemstone.

And then there’s a stone called spinel, which is often found with, or near, rubies, and although not a true ruby, is close both in appearance and value – in fact the world famous Timur Ruby mentioned above, long thought to be a ruby and so was named, is in fact a spinel.

Gold Ruby Ring

The best metal to accent a ruby is gold. This is true because gold is yellow and if the ruby has some blue, creating a purple hue, then by setting it into yellow, (which neutralized blue) the ruby ring will appear to be a richer, truer red. That is why a gold ruby ring is the most popular choice around the world.

Antique Ruby Ring

Antique ruby rings are also sought after, firstly because they exist (since these rings have been made since pre medieval times) and therefore can be VERY antique, and second, there is something special about a gem with history, especially if it will be used as a ruby engagement ring to which you can add your own bit of history.

Mens Ruby Rings for Power, Virility and Love

Rubies from Vietnam are slightly purple, those from Thailand are reddish-brown and those from Myanmar (Burma) and Ceylon are blood red. And if you think about it, the color of power is red – red for blood spilled in wars, red for fierce temperaments, red for strength and domination, red for virility. And this masculine quest for vitality and sexuality has existed since man himself, and red, being the color associated with the heart, has also been the most used color for romantic love between a man and a woman.

Ruby red is therefore a symbol of two of the most potent elements man seeks – power and love. Since it is also an extremely hard stone, ruby rings have often represented unbreakable strength, from the maharajas of India and the emperors of China to medieval knights and byzantine tyrants. No, the ruby is not a girly ring. It is one of the most ancient mens ring gemstones on record.

Ruby Rings for Men of Distinction

From statesmen to military men, rubies have been the preferred gemstone for mens rings and therefore the masculine styles available are vast: gold, white gold and sterling silver ruby rings, ruby birthstone ring, and ruby diamond ring settings. There is also a trend for a vintage ruby wedding ring, be it an antique ring or a ruby set into polished silver, platinum or titanium.

Yes they are bold. They are reminiscent of what roman statesmen wore and what decorated the hands of emperors and warriors of the east. They make a statement. They are not subtle. They are symbols about your strength, your masculinity, your virility and your individuality.

If you are a man in the public eye you may invest wisely in a mans ruby ring.

Here are some options and styles to consider:

• Emerald-cut – one of the most popular masculine gemstone cuts
• Antique ruby ring – in roman or medieval settings
• Gold ruby ring – in deep Asian yellow gold
• White gold ruby ring – with accented diamonds
• Eternity ring – with thin flat rubies around a simple gold, silver, titanium or platinum band
• Wedding ring – a traditional gold band with a ruby chip or an eternity ring with thin ruby inlays
• Titanium ring – a strong aerospace grade titanium alloy ring with any size ruby as accent