Ruby Gemstone History
Regal and red, rubies exude the ultimate look of beauty and grandeur, the very reason why they have earned the reputation of being the choicest gem of the royals across the world right through the centuries. Highly sought after even today, these stones are the love of every jewelry enthusiast. It truly is the ‘king of gems’ and is fondly called ‘ratnaraj’ in Sanskrit. The gem owes its name to the beautiful color it reflects for ‘ruber’ in Latin means red.
Apart from their arresting beauty there are many more facets of this gem that have deservingly been the most favored amongst the royals. There was a time when these gorgeous gems were considered to be even more precious than diamonds and rulers across the world proudly displayed them.
They were mostly used in the coronation ceremony of kings in earlier times. The crown of Prince Charles IV of Luxembourg had one such impressive stone that weighed a substantive 250 carats. The Chinese Emperor also preferred lighting up his room with these stones.
Their rich color is symbolic of love and passion and these stones are considered to be highly romantic and the perfect gift of love. Prince Andrew reiterated this fact when he presented an engagement ring that bore this beautiful red jewel to The Duchess of York.
In ancient times the stone also stood for courage, devotion, happiness and prosperity. It was believed that by placing rubies under their skin warriors would gain victory against the enemy in the battlefield. It was often worn as a charm to keep away danger and obstacles out of one’s way.
A lot of health benefits are also associated with this stone and according to ancient history they helped cure blood diseases, arrested bleeding, improved digestion and guaranteed good health. The Hebrews carved the figure of a dragon on these stones to usher good health, happiness and prosperity.
Being a symbol of love it is the perfect wedding anniversary gift on completing fifteen years of marriage. It is also the birthstone for the month of July and is sure to shower the wearer with health, wealth and joy.
