Ruby Red and Ravishing
Yes, there are new stones cropping up all the time. But the trinity of colored gems, sapphire, emerald and ruby will always be coveted. In ancient days, ruby was more desired that diamonds. Still today, there are some rubies that surpass the per carat price of diamonds. That has to do with the fact that rubies over 2 carats in rough are exceptionally rare. Harvesting ruby has often been more difficult than diamonds if you can imagine. So when it's all working--the claret tint, the carat size and the crystalline clarity, then you've really got something.
Rubies are mined in exotic locales, with names like Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Burma. The last country is called Myanmar today. And there's North Carolina. Ok, that's not so much exotic, but corundum (ruby) is found in gemmy deposits in those homey hills.
Long ago in a far away land called mid century America, record player needles were used to listen to 'wax' or actual records. Ruby and sapphire or sometimes diamond needles were used to spin those ancient artifacts of the music world.
Next to diamond, ruby and it's blue twin, sapphire are the hardest materials known, and those gemmy needles did a great job of spinning the hits for an era's teenagers.
Shown here: Katerina Maxine Victorian Scroll Ring, Diamonds & Ruby
Today we put ruby to more glamorous use, like adorning celebrities. And it does a great job, don't you think?
Faceted ruby looks an awful lot like the natural crystal in transparency and tint. Notice how vibrant the color is. Imagine picking away at rock somewhere, and coming upon this rosy rock? Now we're talkin'
Jennifer Lopez wears Katerina Maxine Victorian Scroll Ring in 18 K White Gold with a Center Ruby Stone, Retail: $16,780; Courtesy D'Orazio & Associates
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