July's Birthstone: Ruby

6/24/2021

Ruby, the unsolved mystery.

The most fascinating fact that I find about rubies is that they do not contain silica, the most abundant mineral on the planet! Just think of all of the sand in the world to wrap your head around this notion. Rubies do not contain silica so how did this happen? To this day geologist are still unsure.
There are several theories on how rubies were formed but it remains a mystery today as there is no definitive answer. Some geoscientist think that they may have formed when the tectonic plates of two continents colided, India and Asia smashing into each other, in turn rising the mountains of the Himalayas over 40 to 45 million years. Tremendous preassures played upon an inland sea between the two continents, the Tethys Sea. The minerals in the sea contained the elments that are in ruby, alumina which is thought to have been separated out from the silica. For the next 40 million to 45 million years, the two continents slowly squeezed together, raising the Himalayas. Erosion eventually exposed a necklace of ruby deposits along the scar where the two plates collided.

Color: Rubies range in color from pink to red with tints of blue or orange depending on which impurities play into the coloration.
If you were to shine an ultra violet light on Rubies they would ignite with color! This radiance is from a rare mineral, corundum, which is made up of tightly packed aluminum and oxygen atoms which is normally colorless. When these minerals are replaced with aluminum then you get bright colors that emerge.

Legnd or Lore: Rubies quality was determined to the first two drops of blood from a pidgeon's beak. Today we look for quality by looking for clarity, color, transparency and inclusions. Other factors like facets and the country of origin can also play into the determination of quality. The rubies from Burma are known for their surperior quality as they have the best "Pidgeon Blood" red color.

The ruby jewelry that touchstone gallery offers has a natural flare that is fun to wear on any occassion and is at price points that make it accessible for our customers to own this rare gemstone.

Care: Rubies are the second hardest gemstone after diamonds which makes them a durable gemstone for jewelry.
Just know to avoid heat, household cleaning solutions, ultrasonic cleaning, repairs; they can cause damage, as this treatment is not considered permanent or stable. Ruby is a durable gemstone and like all gemstone jewelry with attention to care will last forever.