The ruby is the gemstone for the month of July.
The word derives from the Latin word ruber, which means red.
The color is due to an element known as cromium.
The ruby is a popular gemstone, which can be found in many royal crowns and other pieces.
The earliest known record of rubies is found in Chinese literature dating back to 200BC.
The Mogok Valley in Upper Myanmar (Burma) was for centuries the world’s main source for rubies. Rubies are primarily mined throughout a variety of African and Asian countries, as well as in Australia and Scotland. A few have been mined in the U.S., including in Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wyoming.
Rubies have always been held in high esteem in Asian countries. They were used to ornament armor, scabbards, and harnesses of noblemen in India and China. Rubies were laid beneath the foundation of buildings to secure good fortune to the structure
The Liberty Bell Ruby is the largest mined ruby in the world, weighing over four pounds. The ruby was stolen in 2011 and has never been found.
The Sunrise Ruby is the world’s most expensive ruby, most expensive coloured gemstone, and most expensive gemstone other than a diamond. In May 2015, it sold at auction in Switzerland to an anonymous buyer for US$30 million