I can't believe July is here already! I have nearly been in my new shop a year!
I thought I would do a post about birthstones, and because it's July, specifically about the ruby.
Certain gemstones have always been associated with different months of the year and are thought to bring the person born under their "influence" good luck. This probably stems from the fact that many cultures associated gems with signs of the zodiac and others with months of the year.
The selection of gemstones does vary from country to country, perhaps due to availability or local tradition. The custom of wearing birthstone jewellery actually began in 18th century Poland and since then has spread around the world.
The most popular selection today is:-
January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearl
July - Ruby
August - Peridot
September - Sapphire
October - Opal
November - Topaz
December - Turquoise
Rubies are considered the king of gems and represent love, health and wisdom. It was believed wearing a ruby bestowed good fortune on its owner.
Ruby is the name given to red, gem quality corundum and is one of the best gemstones to set in jewellery. They can be any shade of red from pinkish to purplish or brownish red. The colour is determined by the amount of chromium or iron content in the stone. It is an extremely tough mineral second only to diamond in hardness.
The finest rubies come from Burma, although the majority come from Thailand. They are also found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Vietnam, India, North Carolina, Russia, Australia and Norway.
For those of you with a July birthday, we have a lovely selection of ruby set jewellery including necklaces, rings and earrings. They can all be found on the website, or come and visit us in store!
See you soon.
Kerryx