What exactly are Rubies?
Learn about the gem before you buy Ruby jewelry. The definition of a Ruby is as follows: • The word Ruby is derived from the Latin word “ruber” which means “red” reflecting the color of the stone. A precious stone of a carmine red color which sometimes verge on violet • Like diamonds, gemstones are graded by color, cut, clarity and carat weight • It is a red crystallized variety of corundum. The Ruby is a member of the Corundum (aluminum oxide) family. The Crystal structure of the Ruby is Hexagonal (trigonal), dipyramidal • Rubies are extremely hard, second only to diamondsThe Colors of Rubies Rubies come in a wide range of natural colors and shades of red. The color range includes pinkish, purplish, orangey and brownish red depending on the chromium and iron content of the stone. Color is mainly caused by the gemstones’s selective absorption of certain wavelengths of light called the body color. In gemstones, color consists of three components: • Hue – the first impression of the colo
