Gemstone Hardness Chart

Discover the Strength of your Gemstone with the Moh's scale of hardness.

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Curious about the world of bespoke jewellery? We've got you covered! Unravel the secrets, discover the process, and find answers to all your burning questions. From crafting the perfect engagement ring to decoding gemstone choices, our blogs are your go-to guide for all things bespoke.

Explore Gemstones

Find the magic in Gemstones. Each possessing its own distinct beauty, from vibrant rubies to serene sapphires. Explore their unique characteristics to find your favourite gem. 

Diamond Knowledge

Explore our transparent pricing approach for your bespoke piece, ensuring clarity and informed decision-making throughout your jewellery creation journey. Discover how we break down costs for each element and what starting costs to anticipate.

Discover Precious Metals

Understand your chosen precious metal, whether it's Yellow, White, Rose gold, or platinum. Explore their unique characteristics, such as durability and colour differences, to guide your selection of the perfect metal for your bespoke jewellery piece.

The Beauty in Every Shape

A Ruby's Journey: From Earth to Elegance

Rubies are formed deep within the Earth’s crust through a natural process involving aluminium and oxygen under intense heat and pressure. They are primarily found in metamorphic and igneous rocks, crystallizing over millions of years as molten rock cools. The striking red colour of rubies comes from trace amounts of chromium replacing aluminium atoms in the crystal structure.

Rubies are extracted from these geological formations using both traditional and modern mining methods, underscoring their rarity and value in fine jewellery and decorative arts.

Highly valued for their deep red hue, rubies are a popular choice for fine jewellery, especially engagement rings. Their rich red colour symbolises love and passion, and their exceptional hardness—just below diamonds on the Mohs scale—makes them durable enough for everyday wear. High-quality rubies, particularly those with a vivid "pigeon’s blood" red colour, are especially rare and desirable.

Beyond their physical beauty, rubies carry significant historical and cultural symbolism, making them a timeless and elegant choice for couples seeking a meaningful representation of enduring love and commitment.

July's Birthstone

Rubies, the birthstone for July, make a meaningful and treasured gift for anyone born in this month. This gemstone is believed to bring good fortune, courage, and health to its wearer. Its vibrant red hue captures the warmth and vitality of summer, adding to its allure. Symbolising love, passion, and power, the ruby stands out as a powerful and significant gem, perfect for celebrating life's most special moments.

Clarity

Carat 

A ruby's carat weight impacts its size and value, with larger stones being rarer. Smaller rubies, however, can be just as captivating if they are of high quality. Select a ruby that suits your budget and jewellery design, prioritising vibrant colour, clarity, and balanced proportions.

Cut

The cut of a ruby significantly influences its brilliance and overall visual appeal. Rubies are available in various shapes, including round, oval, cushion, and emerald cuts. A well-cut ruby will have balanced proportions and symmetrical facets, which maximise its sparkle and enhance its natural beauty. Choose a shape that complements your design preferences and the setting of your jewellery, ensuring the ruby’s cut highlights its colour and clarity.

Colour

Guide to Choosing Your Perfect Ruby

• Cost: The cost of a ruby gemstone varies significantly depending on factors such as colour, clarity, carat weight, and origin. High-quality rubies, particularly those with vivid, deep red hues and minimal inclusions, can command premium prices. Origin also plays a role, with rubies from Myanmar (Burma) often being the most prized. Despite their cost, rubies are a timeless investment, celebrated for their rarity and enduring beauty.

• Durability:  Rubies are exceptionally durable, with a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, making them one of the hardest gemstones available. This durability ensures rubies are highly resistant to scratches and suitable for everyday wear. Whether set in rings, necklaces, or earrings, ruby jewellery is designed to last for generations, retaining its vibrant beauty over time.

• Ethical Sourcing: At Durham Rose, we ensure our rubies are carefully sourced from reputable suppliers who follow responsible mining practices, emphasising environmental sustainability and fair labour conditions. By choosing ruby, you’re selecting a gemstone that reflects both beauty and a commitment to ethical standards.

• Design Versatility: The design versatility of rubies makes them a prized choice in fine jewellery. Their striking red hue exudes passion and elegance, effortlessly fitting into a variety of settings and styles. Rubies can be incorporated into classic solitaire designs, intricate vintage-inspired pieces, gothic style, adding a touch of dark romance or bold, modern statement rings. They pair beautifully with diamonds, creating a dramatic contrast that enhances the brilliance of both stones, or with coloured gemstones for a vivid, multi-hued effect. Whether used as a centrepiece or accent stones, rubies adapt to various metals, including yellow, white, and rose gold, adding a timeless personality to any design. Their rich colour and enduring beauty make them a versatile gem, suitable for both traditional and contemporary  jewellery.

Ruby: Is it Right Choice for You?

Lab-grown Rubies: Embracing Innovation

Lab-grown rubies are meticulously created using advanced technological methods that start with a small "seed" taken from a natural ruby. This process ensures that lab-grown rubies are chemically, physically, and optically identical to their natural counterparts. They exhibit the same rich colour, brilliant sparkle, and remarkable durability, providing a sustainable and ethical alternative to traditionally mined rubies.

The production of lab-grown rubies can involve various methods, including the flux or hydrothermal processes, which are used to mimic the natural formation conditions of rubies in the Earth's crust. The costs and characteristics of these synthetic rubies can vary depending on factors such as the specific method used, the gem's corundum family, and any additional treatments applied during production. For example, heat treatments or other enhancements can impact the ruby's final appearance and value. These variables allow for a diverse range of lab-grown rubies, offering an array of options for those looking to incorporate rubies into their bespoke jewellery piece.

If you're in search intense red ruby with impressive size at a more accessible price point, lab-grown rubies offer a perfect balance of luxury and affordability.

Explore more from 'The Big Three'

Marquise Cut

Oval Cut

Pear Cut

Emerald Cut

Round Brilliant Cut

All About Rubies:

The Fiery Gemstone of Love  

Rubies are a wonderful choice for engagement rings and other fine jewellery pieces, due to their rich colour, historical significance, and exceptional durability. Known as the "king of gemstones," rubies display a stunning deep red hue that symbolises passion, love, and power. Their hardness, second only to diamonds, ensures they are suitable for everyday wear, maintaining their beauty over time. Rubies have been cherished throughout history, often associated with royalty and used in significant cultural artefacts. Moreover, they are considered a symbol of good fortune and protection, making them a meaningful and luxurious addition to any bespoke jewellery collection.

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