Hello, July! This month we are absolutely drooling over July’s birthstone, rubies!
Known for their vibrant color and impeccable hardness and durability, rubies have been considered one of the most valued gemstones on Earth for thousands of years. Ruby comes from the Latin word "rubens", meaning "red". Often associated with the vibrancy of life and the passion of love, the most sought after rubies have a rich, deep red hue with just a touch of purple called "pigeon's blood".
Rubies have long been a royal favorite! The Bohemian St. Wenceslas Crown holds an unfaceted ruby of 250 carats. Other famous large rubies include the “Edwardes Ruby,” which weighs 167 carats and the “Rosser Reeves Star Ruby” weighing 138.7 carats. One of the most famous ruby rings was given to our own Hollywood royal, Elizabeth Taylor, by Richard Burton. Weighing in at 8.24 carats and surrounded by diamonds, Elizabeth’s Van Cleef & Arpels ring sold for $4.2 million in 2011. Elizabeth also was the proud owner of a Cartier ruby and diamond suite, worth over $33 million.
Our favorite ruby engagement rings from the Trumpet & Horn collection are
Montmartre,
Mandalay, and
Peony Park (which is technically a tourmaline rubellite, but that COLOR!!) Tell us, vintage lovers... which T&H ruby is your favorite??
Photos from:
Antiques & Art Ireland ,
PriceScope,
The Times
