Famous Rubies

History and exploration, science, medicine and even literature have developed amidst the quest for those precious stones buried deep within the earth, to satisfy our hunger for ruby rings, emerald pendants, diamond earrings and sapphire broaches. Gemstones have often become more famous than their finders, wearers or owners. Few people know of the Sultan Sahib Qiran or emperor Shah Jahan or Nadir Shah, but most everyone has heard of the Peacock Throne in Delhi and the 352 carat Timur Ruby. And were it not for the fact that a 478 carat sapphire bears the name of Queen Maria of Romania, who would so readily recall the name of King Ferdinand of Romania’s beloved consort.

Before a Ring there was a Ruby

Perhaps it is just human nature to place great value on that which is difficult to obtain or so rare and hidden that we must sacrifice lives and risk great peril to poses it.

Yet there was a time when jewels were unclassified, when rings had not been designed, when mines had not been thought of, when kingdoms did not yet exist to be in need of crowns or royal treasuries, and when queens and kings and princesses had not been born to need to adorn themselves.

And it was then that the allure of green emeralds in Brazil, Madagascar and India – and the blood red rubies of Burma, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and the sapphires of Ceylon, Burma and Brazil, and the diamonds of Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa, was based on their depth of color, on their glimmering reflections in the sunlight, and on their magical properties as charms and amulets.

A ruby, an emerald, a sapphire or a diamond was once just a STONE valued for its BEAUTY, long before it ever became a commodity, a means to trade, to barter for wealth, or a way to flaunt status.

Rubies not for Treasure Chests

Color. Luminosity. Beauty. That’s what you want when you choose a ruby ring or an emerald ring or a pair of sapphire earrings or even a diamond necklace. You search for a piece of ruby jewelry that will add color and/or shine to your world, which will let you touch the radiance from the heart of nature within ancient stone. You are probably not searching for ruby rings, ruby earrings, ruby engagement rings or mens ruby ring to add to your treasure chest and flaunt your wealth or use it to trade to expand your empire. A jewelry choice today is about YOU, your individuality and how the stone enhances your personality by its shape, color and brilliance.

Ruby engagement rings and ruby wedding rings were used long before diamonds, and in Asia, courtesans wore them because the ruby is the gemstone of love, vitality, passion and sexuality. It has also been used in rituals and medicine, to restore all that ails the heart, to stimulate circulation and to cleanse and revitalize.

A Gold Ruby Ring

You will not readily find an antique ruby ring that hails from a medieval jeweler’s chest, but it is possible to buy genuine antiques from 50 or 100 years ago since there are dealers who specialize in scouring the world for ruby engagement rings, ruby earrings, mens ruby rings and especially gold ruby rings. Most of these antique jewelry merchants will also have emerald rings, pearl rings, opal rings and vintage engagement rings with precious gemstone settings custom made for their owners and therefore different from commercial rings on the market today.

When it comes to antique ring settings you will notice that gold is by far the most common metal used with a ruby, partly because gold is the best color for bringing out the lustrous red of the stone. The vast majority of antique ruby rings are therefore set in gold.

Since rubies are a gemstone mined and crafted into rings in many Asian countries from where the stones originate, many antique ruby rings are set into a deep yellow gold that is not frequently seen commercially in the western jewelry shops. If you want a unique piece, there may be some surprising finds in ruby ring creations at a jeweler in your local China town or little India. Remember that the deeper and richer the yellow of the gold the redder your ruby will appear.

A Ruby Heart Ring for a Young Lady

Since rubies are the stones of love, it is not surprising that a ruby heart ring has long been a traditional design. A heart ring is a favorite for young ladies partly because of the shape of the stone that is more youthful and also because of the level of brilliance achieved by the heart shaped cutting process, which makes the gem have more facets, and therefore more sparkly which youthful jewelry wearers appreciate. It is also common to use lighter color ruby stones for a ruby heart ring and so they often appear pink and this is pleasing to young women and children.

A Ruby Eternity Ring

Ruby eternity rings, although the term may be relatively modern, have existed for a long time and therefore is possible to find even in antiques designs. The simplicity of an eternity ring can make for a delightful alternative to a traditional wedding ring even when paired with a larger engagement ring. Often a ruby eternity ring will have small diamonds alongside the rubies and this may accent a diamond engagement ring nicely.

Emerald rings, ruby rings, sapphire rings and even pearl rings were once the engagement rings of choice, long before the diamond industry told the world that diamonds were the designated gems of marital bliss.

Is a Ruby Right for HER?

If your lady is a “lady in red” then perhaps you should consider a ruby engagement ring. It will take extra effort because there are fewer jewelry shops that specialize in ruby engagement ring sets, but the reason for a ring in the first place is to demonstrate that you will protect and love and spend time devoting yourself to her as your wife.

A good way to start is to give her an engagement ring SHE will love and wear everyday. If you are not a jewelry buff, or have perhaps never bought a significant piece of jewelry before, you may appreciate a little help.

One of her girlfriends (or a guy friend) who has already bought rings or who knows your fiancé very well may be able to go shopping with you. If not, talk about rings and jewelry in casual conversation with HER and find out what she has in mind.

You needn’t give away the secret if you want a surprise proposal, but it is imperative you know what she wants especially if you are planning on doing something unique or untraditional in the ring department. A ruby engagement ring is not something for every woman, so before investing, be sure she wants a ruby.

The Ruby Ring selection

You know she doesn’t want a diamond and you’re convinced she’ll be happy with a ruby engagement ring. All you have to do is find the right one.

• You may choose to go with a custom made ruby three stone ring in 14K white gold that is very elegant with a deep crimson red ruby and diamonds all around the ruby central stone. Something like this will cost you almost $3,000 – $4,000. There are similar options using diamond and a ruby with a round ruby and two pear diamonds, which depending on the carat sill be at least $3,500 and up.
• The setting will be important to offset the ruby, so you may consider a 4-prong set blood red ruby and accent around the ruby with gold but have the band made of platinum or titanium.
• A round ruby engagement ring is very unique and you can flank the red gem with pear shaped diamonds and select the metal for the band in white gold or the ever popular hypoallergenic titanium rings.

Be careful to select the ruby for its color and ask about the flaw that will potentially create a star effect on the ruby ring in the light.

• Another unusual ruby ring engagement ring option is the blood red ruby on gold filled wire set into deep yellow gold. There are a few different styles of this but they are about $3, 300, again depending on the size of the gemstones selected.

Since a ruby is the symbol of love and passion it may be ideal as a wedding or engagement ring that is more than just a ring. It may well be the object she holds nearest and dearest to her as she wears it daily.

Rubies are hardy gems and withstand much abuse, so match that ruby with a band made of platinum or titanium so it really will last a lifetime.