The King of Gems

The July birthstone, Ruby, is the red variety of corundum, coloured by trace amounts of chromium. Its name derives from 'ruber', Latin for red. The most prized colour is a vivid, medium-dark toned red known as "pigeon's blood."

Rubies are one of the hardest gemstones, sharing a Mohs rating of 9 with sapphires.

The rarity of high-quality rubies, especially over one carat, often makes them more valuable per carat than diamonds of comparable size.