Ruby Guide: July's Birthstone & Rare Gemstone at TickTock Jewelers

July is a month glowing with bright fiery summer energy and it is honestly perfectly represented by its stone which is the ruby. Rubies are known as the “King of Precious Stones” this comes from the ancient Sanskrit word ratnaraj. Rubies are a stone that have been treasured going back thousands of years, thousands of years ago people believed that the ruby had an inner flame that could never be put out even if it was submerged in water. From European royalty to ancient warriors, people wore rubies as protective amulets to bring good luck, victory and courage to their battles. 

Looking past the history rubies also have such interesting science behind them. Rubies are made of a mineral called corundum, which is actually the same mineral found in sapphires, sapphires are the birthstone for september. The only difference between the ruby and the sapphire is that rubies have trace amounts of the element chromium, this is what gives rubies their iconic red color. While rubies look very stylish  they are also incredibly durable, scoring a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale. This makes rubies the second hardest natural gemstones coming right after diamonds. 

One of the coolest facts about rubies is how insanely rare and valuable they can be. While many think that diamonds are the rarest gem, large and high quality rubies are actually much harder to find in nature. In fact a famous 25.59-carat ruby called the Sunrise Ruby sold at an auction for staggering $30 million. Its color was classified as “pigeon’s blood” which is the rarest shade of deep red in the entire world, making rubies one of the most expensive colored gemstones on earth. 

        At TickTock Jewelers there is a wide assortment of beautiful rubies ranging from estate to brand new. So if you’re looking for a stylish ruby stop into Tick Tock Jewelers downtown Burlington.