Rubies are a little softer than the sapphire, which may seem strange as they are both made of the same mineral. The ruby has excellent hardness, 3rd only to sapphires and diamonds.

It is almost impossible to find a ruby of fine quality over 3 carats in size, therefore, minor inclusions are deemed acceptable and most ruby jewelry is made with stones under 3 carats. In fact, inclusions within a ruby are like fingerprints, proving its authenticity and revealing the beauty and the individuality of each stone.

Although the finest rubies come from the Mogok region in Burma, traditionally, India was considered to be the source of all rubies, as testified by an overwhelming collection of literature for over two thousand years. Rubies also come from Tanzania, Madagascar, Russia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Kenya, Mexico, Afghanistan, USA and Pakistan. Pakistan provides rubies of excellent color, only with less frequency than from Mogok.

Many beautiful rubies also come from Thailand, today's main source for rubies. Thai rubies tend to be a little darker in shade, with a red so deep they are almost violet. The island of Ceylon, which is the "island of gems," has also been long famous for it's rubies, which are of a lighter shade. Marco Polo once said that no other place had rubies as beautiful as those from Ceylon.

The highest quality rubies, the most transparent with the best color, are usually from Burma, and can actually be as valuable as diamonds, or even more so. These precious gemstones of nature, offers breathtaking color, ranging from brownish red to light red similar to ripe raspberries. The color of ruby is accompanied by a marked fluorescence, which is stimulated by natural and artificial light making rubies turn brighter red under such light. The color is ruby's most important attribute, while its transparency is secondary.

The most rare, highly valued ruby is the star ruby, which is also called pigeon or dove blood because its color resembles the blood of a pigeon or dove. It is a deep pure red with a hint of bluish purple, and is the most sought after shade. Inside of the ruby is what appears to be a star, a six-ray star with perfect symmetry. The center of the star moves when the stone is moved. A perfect star ruby is very rare. Sometimes, the stone is flawed, or too cloudy, or the six points of the star are vague or unequal.Star rubies are usually given a mixed cut, which is generally oval, but can be round, or other shapes as well.

Were you or someone you know born in July? Do you just like the color red? Are you or is someone you know having a 40th Anniversary? Remember rubies represent 40th anniversaries. Indeed, the ruby is the perfect gift! ~ Anthony Benjamin