Gem of Passion
The gem of desire, courage, passion and emotion – the ruby, considered a “precious” gemstone, has been coveted for centuries as Max Bauer wrote in 1894, “A clear, transparent, and faultless ruby of a uniform red color is at the present time the most valuable precious stone known.”
Rubies were often adorned on crowns and scepters during times of royalty, found in ancient treasures, and are still considered one of the most valuable gemstones today.
Some believe the fiery red stone symbolizes a passion for life and warmth for mankind. Legends say that if the ruby is worn on the left side of the body as a ring, bracelet or brooch it has the ability to dispel evil thoughts and reconcile disputes. Some also believe the ruby – referred to as the gemstone of the sun - has the power to promote stability and remove fear while increasing self-confidence, self-esteem, and optimism.
Today, Burma is known for mining the most rubies in the world, with Sri Lanka, the countries of Thailand, India and Australia following close behind. There are different colored rubies associated with different country’s mines – Burma produces pure red rubies, Vietnam creates vibrant pinkish rubies with outstanding clarity, Sri Lanka has more soft pastel pinkish red rubies, Thailand makes dark red to burgundy, Kenya mines translucent gems with a pure red tone, and Madagascar transparent red rubies.
The ruby is usually found in oval and cushion shapes, and other shapes may be difficult to find in sizes above one carat. Discovering a ruby that is five carats or larger is extremely rare and very valuable.
Ruby is made from the same mineral as sapphire, corundum, which is one of the toughest minerals. Corundum has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, which determines a gemstone’s scratch resistance, with only diamonds ranking higher in hardness. This durability promises that your vibrant ruby will be with you for a lifetime.
A precious, fiery red gem of courage and passion? Sounds like the perfect stone for any Delamina woman.
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