I’ve always thought rubies have a bit of mystery to them. They’re not as ubiquitous as diamonds, not as demure as pearls. They sit somewhere between fire and folklore—part of the world’s most romantic legends, and yet somehow still underrated. A ruby doesn’t try to win you over. It just waits, glowing quietly, until you realize it’s exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Before we get swept away with jewel boxes and antique shop fantasies, let’s start with the basics. What are rubies? What are rubies made of? Technically, rubies are a variety of the mineral corundum, the same family that gives us sapphires. In fact, if you see a corundum stone that’s any color other than red, it’s a sapphire. But when it’s red? It's a ruby.
That red color, the thing that makes a ruby a ruby, comes from traces of chromium. The more chromium, the deeper the red, sometimes verging into that hypnotic purplish hue that collectors swoon over. This is why you’ll hear people wax poetic about “pigeon blood rubies,” which, let’s be honest, is an upsetting phrase for something so breathtaking. Still, if you see a vintage ruby ring from the 1920s with that kind of color, like the kind we specialize in at Trumpet & Horn, you’ll understand the hype.
How Are Rubies Formed?
Science, as always, is doing the most behind the scenes. How are rubies formed? Under intense heat and pressure, deep in the Earth’s crust, aluminum and oxygen atoms rearrange themselves into corundum. When chromium enters the picture, voila: ruby. These stones take millions of years to form. Which gives them, I think, a certain gravitas. Wearing a ruby is like wearing a whisper from the Earth's youth.
If you're wondering what rubies are made of, there you have it: aluminum oxide, touched by chromium and transformed into something mythic.
Where Do Rubies Come From?
Ah, the eternal question: Where are rubies found? Where do rubies come from? The answer is as romantic as the stone itself. Burma (now Myanmar) is the classic source, known for producing those vivid, unheated rubies that dreams and Forbes features are made of. The Mogok Valley has been turning out showstoppers for centuries, which explains why it shows up in royal collections and jewelry auction catalogs in equal measure.
But where can you find rubies beyond the usual suspects? Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar also produce remarkable stones, as do parts of East Africa, like Mozambique. Each origin has its own personality. Burmese rubies are rich and silky; Thai rubies tend toward a darker, almost garnet-like red. And while I’m on the subject, if you’ve never fallen down the rabbit hole of antique ruby rings sourced from all over the world, may I politely suggest you clear your afternoon?
What Do Rubies Symbolize?
Now to the juicy part. What do rubies symbolize? You could say they’re just pretty rocks, but that would be like saying the Eiffel Tower is just a building. For centuries, rubies have stood for love, protection, and vitality. In ancient India, warriors carried rubies into battle to ensure victory. In medieval Europe, they were believed to detect danger by darkening in color, sort of like mood rings with better PR.
More romantically, rubies are associated with the heart. Not just anatomically, but emotionally. They are love stones. Blood-stirring, blush-inducing love stones. Which is why ruby wedding rings have become a quietly chic alternative to diamonds. They feel vintage and eternal at once.
If you’re in the market for a piece that says, “I love you, but in a kind of 'Shakespeare meets Sofia Coppola' way,” you might want to browse ruby jewelry at Trumpet & Horn. Our collection includes ruby earrings, ruby necklaces, ruby bracelets, and even the occasional ruby brooch, which, when pinned to a coat or collar, says “I host excellent dinner parties” more than any status update ever could.
Types of Rubies: Shape, Style, and Setting
Let’s talk cuts and character. Rubies don’t like to be boring, which is why they show up in so many different shapes—ovals, cushions, pear-cuts, and the occasional eccentric cabochon. The cut can enhance the depth of color or play with the stone’s natural fluorescence (yes, that’s a thing; yes, it makes you glow at candlelit dinners).
Types of rubies also refer to how they’re treated. Many modern rubies are heat-treated to improve color and clarity. This is standard and perfectly acceptable, but if you stumble upon an untreated ruby from a century ago, say in a vintage Edwardian engagement ring, you’ve found something special. Not to sound dramatic, but those stones belong in a museum, or better yet, on your finger.
For the romantic maximalists among us, consider a cocktail ring with a ruby the size of a gumdrop. For the subtle sophisticates, a pair of ruby earrings nestled in gold. And for the brave, a ruby wedding band that will age more gracefully than any of us.
Rubies in History and Pop Culture
Rubies don’t just sit in jewelry boxes. They do things. Elizabeth Taylor famously had a ruby and diamond necklace that caused quite the scandal when Mike Todd gifted it to her in the pool. Dorothy’s slippers in The Wizard of Oz were covered in sequins but inspired by ruby magic. And in royal households from India to England, rubies have adorned crowns, brooches, and ceremonial swords. They are, quite literally, fit for queens.
In ancient Sanskrit texts, rubies were called “ratnaraj,” the king of precious stones. Not a duchess, not a lady-in-waiting. A king. That’s how seriously people took these fiery little marvels. And frankly, how could you not? Their color alone evokes velvet, wine, and lipstick at midnight.
Ruby Jewelry Today
There’s something timeless about ruby jewelry: the way it resists trends while quietly setting its own. Pair a ruby ring with jeans and a white tee, and suddenly you’re Audrey Hepburn at the grocery store. Wear a ruby necklace with a slip dress, and you’re French cinema incarnate. Even a small ruby stud can say, “I pay attention to the details.”
Trumpet & Horn’s collection of rubies is especially good at capturing this old-meets-new magic. Their pieces span eras - from Georgian grandeur to Art Deco geometry to Retro flair. And every stone comes with a story. (You can book an appointment if you’d like someone to tell you that story over a velvet tray and a cup of tea.)
Why Rubies? Why Now?
Here’s the thing about rubies: they don’t whisper. They hum. They burn. They endure. In a world obsessed with fleeting trends and fast everything, rubies are slow. They were formed under pressure, over millennia, in the darkest corners of the Earth. And they come out luminous.
So if you’re wondering whether to add one to your collection—whether it’s a demure ruby bracelet, a conversation-starting ruby cocktail ring, or a ruby ring that might just change your life—I say yes. Rubies are not for the indecisive. They’re for people who know what they want and don’t mind if the room turns when they walk in.
And if you still have questions about rubies, gemstones, about where rubies are found, about what rubies symbolize, well, the good news is, there's always time to learn more. You can book an appointment, chat with an expert, or just spend an afternoon getting lost in all things ruby.
Because some things, like love stories and rubies, are worth lingering over.
