#5257  antique ruby and diamond crossover ring.

You probably already know quite a lot about rubies from our July birthstone post (post26) and the one about ruby-look-alikes (post119). 
There are a few more ruby-factoids that are useful to know, especially if you are thinking of buying antique or vintage ruby jewelry. 

To repeat what you already know: Ruby is corundum like sapphire and there is technically no difference between them. Colors range from pretty pink to deep red. A variety of gems have been confused with rubies over the generations, but most of them do 
not share the same value as the genuine article. Rubies are high on the Mohr scale and therefore relatively harder than most gems. The best rubies come from Myanmar (Burma) and some even have a gemological certificate to prove it. 

Rubies are mentioned multiple times in the Old Testament. Furthermore, every Friday night, along with the other Sabbath blessings, the father of the Jewish house blesses his wife, saying that her "Price is above rubies".  How  romantic can you get? 

In India, rubies are associated with royalty and folklore relating to rubies abounds in almost every culture. Rubies have of course, been an integral part of jewelry over the centuries.

Below, is a ring from the Renaissance era.  Look at the cut of the stones, which are very simply faceted - not a lot more than a flat table cut, but still, the gems rise above the collettes and the facets allow a greater reflection of light within the stone. Note how the rubies are used in conjunction with other stones. 
  #6235  Renaissance ring. 

Rubies are set in almost every way conceivable: from pulling the metal around the gem, to collette settings, and then the magic of invisible and pave settings and of course claw settings. Rubies are in them all. They may be table cut, faceted with  greater or lesser sophistication and flair, cabochons and sugarloaf. 

If you are going to buy a ruby of significance, you must find out whether it has been treated in any way. The majority of rubies have been treated, at least to some minor degree. The most common treatment is heat, but today, there is jewelry that
consists more of glass than the real thing (glass-filled rubies). Synthetic rubies have been around for well over a century.
Copies and look-alikes were discussed in another post.

 #7313  Imperial Russian pin with Royal provenance - note pave settings and different cuts of rubies. 

Rubies may be set on their own. Primadonnas with no need of a comment from any other gem. They may be used to subtly highlight a background of diamonds or other stones and they may be used to contrast with other gems. In the latter case, rubies are often used to contrast with green gems like peridot or demantoid garnets.

                                   #5293.

Flower brooch with gems starkly contrasting with each other.

Rubies are a natural choice in jewelry that is made to look like flowers.  When they are not the subject of the jewel, rubies may provide the details. They often participate in acrostic jewelry - jewels where the first letter of each gem spells out a word eg "Regard", where the 'R's are represented by rubies.

                    #7530 Acrostic Regard Ring:

 
Rubies are found in all kinds of jewelry.  The Indians adored this stone, which they regard as having royal qualities. While Indian jewelry is a subject unto itself, it is totally wearable and there is wonderful ruby Indian jewelry.  
#4910.  A wonderful pair of Burmese ruby and natural pearl bangles from India.

Rubies adorn the simplest and the most sophisticated jewelry. Whatever your taste and your pocket, their is certainly ruby
jewelry out there for you. 

Questions and comments: Please email antiques@brendaginsberg.com
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