Stone lovers, let's dive into the fascinating world of gemstones associated with July birthdays! Your personal stones include ruby. It is one of the most sought-after stones. Its name is derived from the word ruber = red. Red is the color of love, passion, energy and courage. Ruby is a variety of corundum, the color of ruby is caused by the presence of chromium. The more chromium the stone contains, the darker the color. If the ruby has a hint of purple or magenta, it is called pigeon blood.

A ruby is a traditional gift for 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries. If you are choosing a wedding anniversary jewelry, we will be happy to advise you.

Ruby – meaning and history

India and East Asia
Ruby was known as ratnaraj = king of gems, in Sanskrit. It was believed that if you offered rubies to the gods, you would receive blessings.

Ancient Rome and Greece
Rubies were considered a traditional symbol of martial strength and protection in battle. They were used to support life force and energy.

Europe in the Middle Ages
Kings and church dignitaries wore rubies as a symbol of power and divine wisdom . Rubies are often found in crown jewels, as decoration on swords, and in reliquaries.

Ruby symbolism

Ruby is traditionally associated with the following meanings:

• Love and passion – ruby has the red color of blood and the heart, symbolizing deep feelings, devotion and passion.

• Life force and energy – considered the “stone of life”, it strengthens vitality and courage.

• Wisdom and nobility – in many cultures it was the stone of kings and spiritual leaders.

• Fertility and sexuality – especially in India and the ancient world, it was associated with life energy and creativity.

Spiritual meaning

Ruby is associated with the root chakra (Muladhara), which positively influences sexuality, sensuality and desire, stability and a sense of security. Its color is red, symbolizing energy, passion, strength, courage and love.

Interesting facts

Sunrise Ruby – the most expensive ruby in the world until 2023: comes from Myanmar (Mogok region), weight: 25.59 ct (5.118 g). In 2015, it was sold for $30.3 million, its color is pigeon blood, it is set in a Cartier ring.

Fura Ruby/Estrela de Fura – as of 2023, the most expensive ruby in the world, was auctioned for $34.8 million. It comes from Mozambique, weighs 55.22 ct (11.044 g), was discovered in 2022 and cut from a rough stone weighing over 100 ct. It was mined by Fura Gems.

Ruby	Weight	Price	Origin	Year	Color/quality
Sunrise Ruby	25.59 ct	$30.3 million	Burma	2015	"Pigeon's blood" top
Ruby Truck	55.22 carats	$34.8 million	Mozambique	2023	Extremely high quality, slightly different color from Sunrise Ruby

Black Prince's Ruby: actually a red spinel, it is found in the British Crown Jewels. It is named after Edward of Woodstock, known as the Black Prince, who is said to have received the gem in the 14th century.

Timur Ruby – this is also a spinel, but before this fact was proven, this stone was considered the largest ruby in the world.

DeLong Star Ruby – the ruby comes from Sri Lanka, weighs 100.32 ct (20.064 g). It is an asteric ruby, housed in a museum in New York.

Neelanjali Star Ruby – the largest asterism ruby in the world, comes from India, weighs 1370 ct (274 g). Interesting is the double asterism – 12 rays. It is private property.

Name	Weight	Note	A real ruby?
Sunrise Ruby	25.59 ct	The most expensive ruby of all time	✅ Yes
The Black Prince's "Ruby"	~170 ct	British Crown, historical spinel	❌ No
Timur Ruby	352 ct	Historic gigantic spinel	❌ No
DeLong Star Ruby	100.32 carats	Star Ruby, NY Museum	✅ Yes
Neelanjali Star Ruby	1370 ct	The largest "star ruby" in the world	✅ Yes

The world's most famous ruby deposits

Myanmar (Burma)	Areas: Mogok and Mong Hsu. The most famous rubies, known as "pigeon 's blood rubies", are found here. They have an exceptional color: deep red with a slight blue undertone. Historically, they are considered the most valuable rubies in the world. Their mining has been limited due to political and ethical issues.
Thailand	Areas: Chanthaburi and Trat. Rubies are dark red with brown or purple hues. They are often heat treated to enhance the color.
Sri Lanka	Area: Ratnapura ("city of gems"). Rubies are found here less frequently than sapphires, are lighter and more of a pinkish red. They are mined by hand and follow ethical mining rules.
Mozambique	This is a relatively new deposit (since 2009). The rubies are of high quality and are comparable to those found in Myanmar.
Tanzania	Areas: Winza, Longido. Rubies are of varying quality, sometimes containing inclusions or having a purple tinge.
Vietnam	Area: Luc Yen. Rubies have a rich color, often inclusions and are similar to Burmese.
Afghanistan and Pakistan	High-quality rubies are found here, especially in the Badakhshan and Hunza regions, but mining is difficult due to political and geographical conditions.

 

Country	Region	Known quality
Myanmar	Mogok	The best – “pigeon blood”
Thailand	Chanthaburi	Darker rubies
Mozambique	Montepuez	New, very high quality
Sri Lanka	Ratnapura	Lighter, pinker
Vietnam	Luc Yen	Rich color, inclusions
Tanzania	Winza	Different quality

Stone cleaning

Ruby is a hard and relatively durable stone (9 on the Mohs scale, the second hardest mineral after diamond), but it can be sensitive to thermal shock, chemicals and mechanical damage , especially if it has been heat-treated (which is common for most rubies). It is therefore important to clean it gently and safely .

 

Home cleaning of ruby

Prepare:

• A bowl of lukewarm water.

• A little mild detergent .

• Soft toothbrush.

• A clean , soft microfiber cloth.

Procedure:

Mix the solution by adding a few drops of detergent to a bowl of water, gently scrub the stone with a soft toothbrush dipped in the solution, rinse with lukewarm water and gently dry with a cloth (not a paper towel).

Avoid:

• abrasive cleaners, bleaches and toothpaste,

• hard brushes and rough sponges,

• acids, ammonia,

• temperature fluctuations,

• steam action,

• ultrasound and steam cleaners.

Method	Appropriately?	Note
Soapy water toothbrush	✅ Yes	The safest and most versatile
Ultrasound	⚠️ Questionable	Only for natural, untreated rubies
Steam cleaner	❌ No	Risk of damage (especially with treated stones)
Chemistry (ammonia, acids)	❌ No	Aggressive – can damage both ruby and metal

Energy cleansing and recharging

Charge the stones with moonlight, preferably overnight, or place them near the crystal. You can cleanse them with herbal smoke. Avoid sunlight, which can damage the stones and cause them to lose their color over time.

You can find all cleaning and recharging methods in our article here.

Who should buy which stone and many reasons why this one and not another can be found in our guides: Working with stones, where you can find precious stones by month of birth and the color scheme of stones by zodiac sign.
Are you choosing jewelry for your wedding anniversary? We will be happy to help you with that too.

We wrote the article for you on June 25, 2025.

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