While a white diamond engagement ring can certainly feel cool and sophisticated, antique, new and vintage ruby engagement rings are vibrant — bursting with warmth and character.
Magnificent red stones for the most passionate of lovers, rubies, like sapphires, belong to the corundum family. Large rubies with exceptional color and clarity also have the distinction of being rarer, and more costly, than comparable diamonds. Rubies are considered precious stones — along with diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds — and have a hardness of 9.0 on the Mohs Scale, surpassed only by Moissanite and diamonds. They are composed of corundum, a colorless mineral that is also the basic material of sapphires. In the July birthstone, the red of the gemstone — and the various hues seen in sapphires — are produced by the presence of trace elements. In the case of a ruby, this element is chromium.
The majority of rubies come from Burma and Mozambique. Go with the former if your budget permits: “Their unique appearance, legacy and rarity, combined with global demand, have propelled them to the most expensive colored gemstones in the world,” says Sumeet Chordia, of New York City–based RAF Jewels.
A ruby billed as “no heat” is a natural wonder. Heat treatment of rubies, conducted to intensify their color, is a common — and widely accepted — practice, even at the highest end of the market. And it will not affect the value or durability of your stone, states Reshma Kothari, of Roshe Jewels, in San Dimas, California.
Choosing a ruby can be a little like choosing a red lipstick. The truest, most vivid reds are fiery, skewing slightly orange. Other shades are deeper, with blue undertones, for a pinker, raspberry color.
“For a more contemporary and modern look, opt for the ruby to be set in white gold, and for a more antique or vintage look, have the ruby set in yellow or rose gold,” Kothari says. “The white gold will pull the coolness from the color, while the yellow and rose will bring out its warmth.”
Find antique, new and vintage ruby engagement rings on 1stDibs. And explore our buying guides for a close look at antique engagement rings, Art Deco engagement rings and vintage engagement rings.
