Rubies are one of the hardest gemstones, which makes them durable enough for everyday wear; only diamonds are harder.

With their rich red color, rubies are said to represent the passion of love.  They are said to guarantee health, wisdom and wealth.

Besides being July’s birthstone, the ruby is a traditional gift for 15th and 40th anniversaries.

Did you know:  to be called a ruby, a stone must be deep red, colored by the amount of corundum (aluminum oxide) in the stone.  If a stone is a variation of red – too light, for example — it is classified sapphire, which is also colored by the mineral corundum.

Can you believe:   Wealthy people in the Middle Ages used rubies to restrain their lust and remain youthful.  In some cases, they were worn, in others they were ground up and added to tonics and lotions (we assume it all depended on how much lust needed to be restrained!).

History’s most famous ruby:   The 196.1 carat Hixon Ruby Crystal is considered the world’s ‘most perfect’ ruby.  However, we’re going to cast our vote for the famous Ruby Slippers, clicked three times by Dorothy Gale!