Ruby
The
word 'Ruby' comes from the Latin word'Rubeus' for 'red',
reflecting the stones color.
The ancient Sinhalese people referred to ruby as 'Ratnaraj'
or the King of gems. Ruby has long been considered by
the Hindu culture to be the king of precious stones, and
this distinction it retains among all the gem lovers. In
India, according to the cosmographic association, Ruby
represents the sun, thus naturally, for the west it is
the gemstone of the summer.
The
most important factor in the value of a ruby is color.
The top qualities are as red as you can imagine: a
saturated pure spectral hue without any overtones of
brown or blue. The word red is derived from the latin
for ruby, ruber, which is derived from similar words in
Persian, Hebrew, and Sanskrit. The intensity of color of
a fine ruby is like a glowing coal, probably the most
intensely colored substance our ancestors ever saw. It
is no wonder they ascribed magical powers to these fires
that burned perpetually and never extinguished
themselves.
This
red color was naturally associated with passion and
blood. Some believed it had the power to stop bleeding
and that the wearers of Rubies would be kept in sound
mental and physical health. In Burmese culture the gem
had to be worn not in jewelry but inserted and sown into
the human flesh. This stone was given as a precious
offering to Buddha in China and Krishna in India. In the
10th Century dragons and snakes were carved
on the stone's surface to increase prosperity and power.
It
is the birthstone for those born in the month of July
and a talisman for the sun- sign Leo. A recommended
gemstone for fifteenth and fortieth wedding
anniversaries.
Alternate Names of Ruby are, Manikya, Pagmarag, Neelgandh (Sapphirine
ruby).
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