This month's birthstone is Ruby and here we have 10 things you may not know about Ruby!
1. Ruby comes from the Latin "rubens" meaning red
2. Rubies symbolise power and protection. When worn as a talisman, ruby was believed to help protect warriors in battle. One more modern allusion to this legend is in The Wizard of Oz. Dorthy's ruby slippers were thought to protect her from evil.
3. A part of the corundum family, rubies are only classified as rubies if they’re red. Any other colour and the stone is categorised as a sapphire
4. The magical red color comes from trace amounts of chromium.
5. The world's largest ruby is owned by a Chinese jewelry company. It weighs 8184 g (40920 Carat) and measures 5.11 x 5.43 x 5.70 inches.
6. Rubies have been found all over the world, including in Myanmar (formerly Burma), Africa, Australia and the USA. The majority of rubies for sale originate in Myanmar, Thailand and other locations in Asia.
7. The Burmese Sunrise Ruby reigns as the most expensive ruby sold to date. This jaw-dropping jewel sold at a staggering $30.3MM, making it the most expensive per-carat ruby ever sold.The 25.59-carat blood red stone was especially sought-after due to the hints of blue that makes it a rare, “pigeon’s blood” colour.
8. One of the rarer types of rubies is the Star Ruby. The surface of the stone has a six or twelve rayed star on it, created by tiny needle-like inclusions in ruby. These inclusions give the stone a silky sheen after it's been polished, and it allows the ruby to shimmer as it moves in light. Star rubies come in the same shades as traditional rubies, but pigeon's blood star rubies are the most sought after.
9. Some gems in history were thought to be rubies when, in fact, they are not. For instance, the famous Timur Ruby was discovered to be red spinel.
10. They are not only July’s birthstone, but are also the gemstone that represents your 40th wedding anniversary!